NEH Bashes the Way We Teach Professors Discuss U.S

The Observer TUESDAY , NOVEMBER 13, 1990 VOL. XXIII NO. 51 THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME AND SAINT MARY’S NEH bashes the way we teach WASHINGTON (AP) — among them.” yet it continues to thrive and Traditional methods of For this reason, Cheney said to exercise considerable training teachers, testing “choice” - allowing students power. She said, “not only do students and selecting and parents to decide where institutions of higher textbooks arc so flawed they to attend school — is “one of education rank students by may derail creative efforts to the most promising ways of their SATs, they in turn are improve learning, a report dismantling tyrannical ranked by them, their status said Sunday. machines and revitalizing the going up or down depending Lynne Cheney, chairman of schools.” on the average scores of the the National Endowment for “When there are alternative incoming class. the Humanities, used a man ways to become a teacher or “ Secondary schools are dated congressional report to to choose textbooks or to judged by SATs: Local housing h a rsh ly c ritic iz e basic U.S. assess students - and when prices rise and fall; principals educational practices. people know about them - it is and superintendents are hired Cheney called the practices more difficult for outmoded and fired; and the entire "tyrannical machines,” a and unsatisfactory methods to nation reaches conclusions phrase coined by philosopher dominate. Healthy competition about the state of American William James to describe is anathema to tyrannical ma education." methods that become both chines,” she said. Cheney said an alternative counterproductive and resis Deputy Education Secretary would be to expand the use of tant to change once Ted Sanders applauded the the National Assessment of established on a large scale. report, saying “ We need a Educational Progress, saying The report cited the revolution in teaching and it was the sole assessment tool Scholastic Aptitude Test as learning." that is both nationally repre “an almost classic example” of Mansfield University Presi sentative and comprehensive a “tyrannical machine.” dent Rod Kelchner, in Mans in calculating what America’s Cheney also attacked school field, Pa., said that “while Ch students know and can do in textbook selection committees eney makes some valid points, various subject areas. that choose material, without they are overridden by College Board President reading them, college generalizing and bashing to Donald Stewart took issue education programs in which the point of absurdity.” with Cheney’s assessment of teachers spend little time The SAT, described by the the SAT, stressing she “ makes studying what they eventually report as the centerpiece of some thought-provoking and will teach and university our educational system, filled some extremely questionable systems that value research an important need when first statements.” more than teaching. devised in the 1920s when “In a nation with over “Tyrannical machines domi officials wanted to detach 26,000 secondary schools — nate American education and college entrance examinations with varying curriculums and have contributed to its fail from the high school teaching and grading ures,” said Cheney in the re curriculum . Now, Cheney said standards — the SAT provides port. “The most effective the SAT tries to avoid testing an independent, objective AP Photo course for dealing with tyran what students have learned verification of a student’s nical machines is to provide about subjects such as history mathematical and verbal Rescued! and literature. alternative systems and to reasoning abilities, skills that After being stranded in a box canyon in Fruit Heights, Utah, the 6- In the past 10 years, the test ensure that people can choose are important to academic year-old gelding named Radar was airlifted to safety Thursday. — and choose wisely — has been attacked repeatedly success in college,” he said. Professors discuss U.S. involvement in Gulf Crisis By MICHAEL OWEN Arab League, according to News Writer Gaffney. On the political side of the is The Kuwaiti government was sue, Gaffney discussed the illegally overthrown and Iraq is Baath party that is present in guilty of blatant aggressive acts, both Syria and Iraq. In Syria, said Father Patrick Gaffney as the Baath party believes unity he opened a panel discussion should be achieved sim ultane last night on the gulf crisis. ously in the Arab world while Four Notre Dame professors Iraq believes it should develop presented a variety of con its own country first, according tributing factors to the current to Gaffney. Persian Gulf crisis in a forum In conclusion, Gaffney de entitled, “A Panel Discussion on scribed the international situa the Gulf Crisis ” in the Hesburgh tion in the Gulf as being differ Library Auditorium. ent than most people under Participating professors in stand it to be. Gaffney said that cluded Gaffney, associate pro Hussein could be making way fessor of anthropology; James for possible negotiations due to Rakowski, associate professor the fact that he has called for of economics; Alan Dowty, pro them from the start and is now The Observer / Marguerite Schropp Professors John Gilligan (far left), Father Patrick Gaffney, Khalil Matta, Alan Dowty and James Rakowski fessor of government and in beginning to break down his conducted a panel discussion on “The Gulf Crises: A Multidimensional Perspective." The purpose of this ternational studies, and Khalil stance by releasing groups of was to analyze the various factors that have contributed to current Gulf situation. Matta, acting chair and associ hostages. ate professor of management. Rakowski addressed the pos has always been there in the The presentation format of our policy, Matta said. John Gilligan, Shuster professor sible motivations for the United charter. ” He added that this the panel discussion was ended If the reason is our desire for and director of the Institute for States’ involvement in the Gulf would not have been possible if by Professor Khalil Matta who low oil prices, Matta asked, “do International Peace Studies, crisis from an economic stand “it weren’t for the Soviet policy questioned many of the popular we really want to sacrifice the moderated the discussion. point. Rakowski said that it change” that helped bring una reasons for why the United blood of our children to pay a Each presenter offered their would not make sense for us to nimity among world powers. States has become involved in little less for oil?" Finally, Matta ideas in 15 minute sections and go to war over the price of oil Dowty also stated that it is in the Gulf crisis. Matta stated questioned whether the United then accepted questions from since, “ it does not m atter if he the interest of the United States that a reason for our involve States has been trying to the audience. (Hussein) is nice or a scoundrel to continue with the U.N.’s ment must be clearly defined remove the threat of a powerful Gaffney proceeded to outline because the market determines charter so as to avoid the ex because we must be aware of Iraqi military presence which a four-part overview of the the price, not the dictator.” tremes of an American/Iraq the consequences of a “bloody could include chemical, present Arab situation. Histor Dowty began his presentation war or a diplomatic victory for and costlv war.” biological and nuclear ically, Gaffney said that it has by reviewing the section of the Iraq. weapons. been, “a region troubled with United Nations Charter that de As for possible alternative fights ever since the first World termines how a breach of peace approaches to war, Dowty sug As for the U.S. being involved Last night’s panel discussion War and since colonial states can be addressed. According to gested the use of “psychological in order to “correct an injus was co-sponsored by the Inter emerged at the disposition of Dowty, the charter allows for warfare” or the possibility of tice ”, Matta questioned why this national Graduate Student the French and British.” When the use of land, sea and air cutting off Iraq’s main water idea has not been used against Committee, Graduate Student Kuwait was released from Bri forces to maintain international supply in Turkey. Dowty con Turkey in its invasion of Cyprus Union, the Multicultural Coun tish control in 1961, Iraq ob peace. cluded by stating, “If there is to or toward Israel in its cil, Student Government and jected and only settled for a Dowty said, “This is the first be war, let it be by Iraq’s occupation of the West Bank. the Institute for International temporary border with the real use of the potential that choice.” “We should be consistent” in Peace Studies. page 2 The Observer Tuesday, November 13, 1990 I n s id e C o l u m n W e a t h e r forecast for noon, Tuesday, Nov. 13. Permacloud Lines show high temperatures. over ND is Yesterday’s high: 40 Y esterday’s low: 37 Nation’s high: 94 here to stay (Monrovia, Calif.) Nation’s low: 5 (Alamosa, Colo.) We came back from October Break to F o re c a s t: beautiful 70 degree Sunshine and breezy today with highs in the mid 40s. weather. The campus Clear and cold with lows was bright and tonight in the upper 20s. cheerful with the sun Tomorrow, sunny and reflecting off the col warmer with highs in the orful autumn leaves. lower 50s. Students made every Stephanie excuse in the book in Snyder order to stay out doors. Homework Accent Copy Editor didn’t seem so burdensome. Were we just imagining this scenario? It’s FRONTS: almost too difficult to picture now as I load up each morning in sweaters, boots, coats and, of course, the cursed umbrella.

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