I have no questions, which is not to indicate a lack of interest, but I want to yield the time to Senator Zorinsky. Senator ZORINSKY. I have no questions. Senator STAFFORD. All right. Since most members of the committee are unable to be here this morning, and some may have questions they have not had the opportunity to present due to other commitments, would you object to answering questions from them in writing if they should be submitted to you in that way? Would that be agreeable? Mrs. COLLINS. Surely. Mr. VAN ROKEL. Certainly. Senator STAFFORD. Might I ask Mrs. Collins if you use the phonics system of teaching in your school? Mrs. COLLINS. Yes, of course; 3- and 4-year-olds must be reading at a first grade reading level by Christmas, and this is done with intensive phonics. When we say "phonics," we do not mean to throw in just a bit, a sprinkling of phonics, here and there. There is a difference between real phonics and just saying we are teaching phonetics, and this does mean that a teacher has to be at the blackboard, interacting with students. And again, it means that we cannot pass out the cutesy mimeograph sheets and the gimmicks. Senator STAFFORD. All right. Thank you both very much indeed. We appreciate your appearance. The last panel this morning will consist of Mrs. Jacqueline Lawrence, who is a parent from Chevy Chase, MD; Mrs. Judy Zabel, a parent from Western, NE, and Prof. Jacob Epstein, who is professor emeritus and visiting professor of education at Towson State University, Towson, MD. So if you are prepared to take the witness table, we will go in the order of calling your names, which means, Mrs. Lawrence, that you will be first. I remind you once again that we are operating on a 5minute basis, and that your full statements, when furnished, will be incorporated in the record as if read. So, Mrs. Lawrence, please proceed. STATEMENT OF JACQUELINE LAWRENCE, PARENT, CHEVY Mrs. LAWRENCE. I appreciate the opportunity to testify before this subcommittee. Let me say at the outset that I am in favor of the proposed commission. My remarks will be directed essentially to the topics of teaching methods and classroom activities which are a direct reflection of teacher training. Prior to the 1960's, American public schools placed major emphasis on the intellectual development of our children, on their mastery of basic skills such as reading, writing, and math. Competency in physics, biology, chemistry, and chronological factual history was required. Cognitive learning and scholarly objectivity were stressed as the basic approach to education at all levels. As a result, our Nation produced a large, well-educated middle class— our greatest strength. Since the 1960's, academic standards have declined. Why? Quite simply, schools have not placed emphasis on academic achievement. There has instead been a shift toward psychological development and social adjustment of students in the affective domain, that is, their feelings, their attitudes, beliefs, and opinions. Since 1965, billions of Federal dollars have been allocated to educational theorists and curriculum developers to alter the course of public education. The blueprint for the process of educational reform may be found in a series of Federal guides known as "Pacesetters in Innovation." From this have come a nationwide network of ERIC clearinghouses and the National Diffusion Network for the distribution of federally funded classroom materials. With the new programs came a retraining of teachers. The Office of Education began financing model teacher education programs to introduce to the classroom methods employed by the behavioral scientist, the sociometrist, and the psychiatrist. Such methods are the most coercive and manipulative techniques known to man today. They were originally developed and used for treating the mentally disturbed in mental institutions and the criminally insane in prisons. The techniques are role playing, psychodrama, sociodrama, simulation games, guided fantasy, diary keeping, situation attitude scale tests, encounter groups, magic circle, and behavior modification such as isolation, time-out boxes and coffins, as well as operant conditioning. These are techniques to influence by clinical, hospital procedures the thinking processes of children in a compulsory classroom setting. In addition, a small cadre of change agents have been trained with Federal funds. Even if we assume for the sake of argument that change agents are gifted with infinite knowledge and wisdom, their methods are in conflict with the political principles of democracy. Their changes in curriculum, and methods and goals of education have not come as a result of democratic discussion and decision. Education is now termed psychosocial, psychomedical, humanistic, affective, and/or diagnostic and prescriptive. Dr. Benjamin Bloom, a Federal consultant, explains that what educators are classifying is the intended behavior of students or, as he puts it, "the ways in which individuals are to act, to think and feel as a result of participating in some unit of instruction." In order to bring about the desired attitudinal changes in students, teachers must first know where a child is in his or her attitudes and opinions. Classroom tactics are used to make a child reveal himself to his teacher and peers. In our approach to history, previously, nationalism was a traditional theme. Students learned America had a superior culture, technology, and political system. However, in the new education this ethnocentrism is under attack, and regarded as a narrow perception. In public schools, the concept of a world citizen in a world community and a global perspective is generally introduced and promoted before the student has studied his own constitutional Many families have abandoned the public school system and have built a network of private, religious, and lay schools across this Nation. Some believed parents were running away from sex education. Some believed parents were running away from busing. Perhaps a few were. I have found that parents refuse to keep their children in schools where they are manipulated and changed by psychotherapy. Thank you. [The prepared statement of Mrs. Lawrence, with attachment, follows:] I appreciate the opportunity to testify before this subcommittee on S.J. Resolution 138 to establish a commission on teacher education. Let me say at the outset that I am in favor of such a commission, which could provide a most constructive analysis of the problems and needs of education in America. My remarks this morning will be directed essentially to the topics of teaching methods and classroom activities, which are of course a direct reflection of teacher training and educational materials used. Prior to the 1960s, American public schools placed major emphasis on the intellectual development of our children, on their mastery of basic skills such as reading, writing and mathematics. Competency in physics, biology, chemistry, and chronological factual history was required. Cognitive learning and scholarly objectivity were stressed as the basic approach to education at all levels. As a result, our nation produced a large, well-educated middle class our greatest strength. - There has It is public knowledge that since the 1960s academic standards have declined. Why? Quite simply, over the past 20 years our schools have not placed emphasis on academic achievement. instead been a shift toward psychological development and social adjustment of students in the affective domain, that is, their feelings, attitudes, and opinions. The shift began in 1965 with the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), legislation which was well-intentioned but which in fact has set back the cause of education. Since 1965, billions of federal dollars have been allocated to educational theorists and curriculum developers to alter the course of public education. The blueprint for the process of educational reform may be found in a series of guides known as Pacesetters In Innovation, published beginning in 1966 by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. From this have come a nationwide information network of ERIC clearinghouses (Educational Resource Information Centers) and the National Diffusion Network of laboratories for the dissemination of federally-funded classroom materials and curriculum. With the new programs came a retraining of the teachers. A prime example: in 1969 the Office of Education began financing model teacher education programs known as the Behavior Science Teacher Education Program (BSTEP OE 5803) to introduce to the classroom methods employed by the behavioral scientist, the |