International Baccalaureate Critic Says Parents Need More Information
Jun 12, 2008 by Elizabeth Ziegler
(KCPW News) Education policy analyst Cherilyn Bacon Eagar is leading the charge to investigate the International Baccalaureate Program, an accelerated academic option available in some of Utah's public schools. Eager says teachers and parents should be more educated about the program's cost, governance, research and ideology.
"It's like when we take our children to a doctor, we want to choose the kind of philosophy, and the kind of medicine that that doctor teaches," Eagar says. "When we take our children to a piano teacher, we want to know what kind of pedagogy, what kind of philosophy, what approach do they take? It is no different here."
Eagar will present her findings about the program to lawmakers this summer during the interim session. Representative Carol Spackman Moss, a Salt Lake County Democrat who successfully passed legislation earmarking $100,000 in taxpayer money for the program, says Eagar's perspective is insulting. As a teacher, Moss question's Eagar's expertise in studying the issue. Eagar has a background in music education. Moss says Eagar has a biased perspective that taints her research.
"What concerns me, as you hear Cherilyn talk, she's suggesting the parents of IB students - not just this year or last year, but for the last 20-plus years at West High School - aren't smart enough to discern some underlying message she alludes to, this kind of indoctrination," Moss says.
The International Baccalaureate program first came under scrutiny earlier this year when Utah County Republican Senator Margaret Dayton suggested the program is anti-American. Click here to listen to a longer conversation with Eagar and Moss from Thursday's Midday Metro.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW
1. Observer said:
Bravo Cherilyn, for standing tall before the lawmakers with the truth about IB. Rep. Moss's overly defensive and silly comment about Cherilyn's position being "insulting" to IB parents, is insulting in itself. Let the lady speak, it doesn't cost you anything to listen.
3. New Hampshire said:
It is clearly stated in the minutes of a NH school board meeting by an IB consultant that "IB is a philosophy whereas AP is a list of courses".
Do you really want to subject your kids to the philosophy of some communist bureaucrat at the UN? That is the question.
Also, they use 'constructivist' methods of learning that create huge gaps in knowledge.
IB is simply Goals 2000 on steroids and but instead of getting funds from the government, it is at GREAT EXTRA COST to the taxpayers. It certainly will not be promoting American Exceptionalism.
Some parents ARE too 'dumbed down' themselves to know better.
Joshua, you should be ashamed to subject your daughters to this kind of new age nonsense which belongs on Oprah but not in our schools!
People who are this blinded by the rhetoric will get the government they deserve, and that government is now being established by using our children as political pawns.
4. Betsey said:
New Hampshire is drowning in conspiracy theory, or has been drinking too much Kool-Aid.
Joshua, keep up the good parenting! Don't allow bullies to hurl insults and to shame you!
5. Vicky Davis said:
The International Baccalaureate Organization is a non-governmental organization (NGO) and they have a formal working relationship with the United Nations (UNESCO - which is the "social side" of the UN). What that means is that they exist to promote the UN Agenda which is collectivist.
The goal of the IB program is to promote 'global citizenship' which is antithetical to American citizenship. The IB program is more about indoctrination than it is about education.
The EdWatch organization in Minnesota has done a lot of research on this group. You can read it on their website.
6. Betsey said:
Out-of-staters all of you, and a bunch of hired guns to boot. Go back to your own patch and stir up trouble there.
We don't need to channel reality in Utah!
7. John Switzer said:
Vicky and New Hampshire:
Many of your comments surrounding the IB have already been addressed by the IB directly:
http://www.ibo.org/ibna/actionpacks/documents/UPDATED-MYTHVFACT.pdf
Happy reading!
8. Rational thought said:
New Hampshire and Vicky,
You have absolutely no clue what you are talking about.
The IB Program is an EDUCATIONAL philosophy not a political one.
Universities view higher level IB courses and AP Courses as equally demanding.
The IB Program teaches advanced writing and analytical skills as part of their educational philosophy. AP courses do not teach advanced writing skills in any course except AP Language.
High schools in the United States need to raise the level of expectations for their students. The IB graduates have one of the best track records of university success.
9. Observer said:
Rational thought:
From IBO's own document on how to implement IB in an AP school:
http://www.ibo.org/ibna/actionpacks/documents/UPDATED-CSIBAPSCHOOL.pdf
• Think of your campaign like a political campaign: enlist volunteers, hold meetings, and allowpeople to voice questions and concerns.
And, just for the record, Binghamton and Jefferson no longer offer AP courses.
10. Observer said:
Rational thought:
Forgot to ask you about this:
"The IB graduates have one of the best track records of university success."
Could you please point me to some report, data base, or anything other than hearsay that supports this claim?
11. mere said:
As a high school graduate with an IB diploma I can tell you that I was not aware that the program had any connection to the UN. In no class was political topics discussed in anything other than an objective and analytical manner. In IB classes I learned how to think critically, write pursuasively and value learning for learning- rather than for grades.When I entered college at BYU most of my general education requirements were filled by my IB classes given my high scores. The GE classes that I did take (because there was no IB equivalent) I found simplistic, requiring only memorization and little thought.There is no justification for any of the allegations against the International Baccaleureate program.
12. Observer said:
World Premier - 10/10/08www.truthaboutib.com
2. Joshua said:
After hearing the arguments I hope that the IB program is fully supported by the State. I hope it is there when my daughters are in High School.