The California Federation of Teachers thinks it’s important for kids to learn how to run a business. I come from a small business family, so I’m cool with that. The curriculum immediately starts off on the wrong foot, though, because it’s not from the perspective of an entrepreneur, but rather a disgruntled employee.As you might imagine, it gets even better. Go read the whole thing.
A “Labor Studies Curriculum for Elementary Schools,” entitled “The Yummy Pizza Company,” takes up to 20 classroom hours over a two-week period. Important concepts in the 10 lessons, such as the value of work and money management, are critical components, but are quickly overshadowed by the fact that 40% of the curriculum is about forming Pizza Makers Union Local 18. That’s right – the program is focused on teaching kids to unionize...
Art lessons are incorporated into the curriculum. Students are assigned the task of designing a union logo and membership cards. Math is also a focus. Part of the lesson involves calculating “union dues as a percentage of wages.”
But the lesson doesn’t end with forming the union. What’s next? Contract negotiations, of course! Yes, elementary kids are then taught the finer points of collective bargaining. Members of the Pizza Makers Union may “vote to accept offer, negotiate further or strike.”
The next lesson covers “Unions in the real world,” where “Students will learn about a real union and how it helped its members,” as well as “some labor history and a few prominent labor leaders."
Hat tip to NewsAlert.
4 comments:
Picketers walked back and forth in front of our stand, strikers came up and sneezed on the cookies, and told the other kids not to buy them and a scuffle broke out over a sign.
And the violent, ugly nature of unions rears its head even in this exercise. Unions ought to be outlawed just on the basis of their propensity to encourage violence.
"...a bit self-serving?"
I think you're wrong. It's the whole hog indoctrination!
I love this part,
But Morgan felt he needed a stronger lesson to drive his point home.
“At this point, I decided, as the Curriculum stipulates, to explore the down side of management – labor relations.” So he decided to cut students’ pay in the classroom Yummy Pizza shop.
“This is where the lesson became reality. A storm of protest arose, and many of the students decided to follow the example of Cesar Chavez (who we were studying) and go on strike. Twenty-one of the twenty-seven students present that day voted to strike, and strike they did. With my few faithful scabs, I tried to make pizza that next day. Strikers kept coming over to them, trying to convince them to walk out. Three did, and I was left with only three helpers. When we went downstairs to the yard to see our pizza cookies, things got uglier. Picketers walked back and forth in front of our stand, strikers came up and sneezed on the cookies, and told the other kids not to buy them and a scuffle broke out over a sign.”...
...Morgan says he successfully propagandized his students.
“Just say we were able to confront in an organic, not imposed way, some of the central economic and social issues of our society. I would encourage anyone who is interested in labor and workplace issues to use the ‘Yummy Pizza’ curriculum,” he ended.
This is a business class.....only in California (I pray).
How sad. In the meantime, Dallas area kids got to go to Enterprise City. In this town people are either elected officials or work in any number of businesses including a bank, a tee shirt maker, a bakery and more. They keep books and make deposits and pay employees. At the end of the day they tally whether they made a profit or not. Isn't this more in line with what we should be teaching children?
"Enterprise City
Enterprise City is an award-winning, nationally recognized program that resulted from the partnership of the school district and business community. Real-world experiences are awaiting students who participate in this simulation that introduces them to their future roles as producers, consumers, and citizens. Students are introduced to skills including applying for jobs, writing checks and balancing a checkbook as they purchase and sell their goods and services.
Enterprise City is located at Canyon Creek Elementary School in Richardson, Texas. The City covers 6,000 square feet of space where 16 businesses have been constructed, along with a town hall area and community center..."
Sadly, despite participation by nearby districts, I think this program has fallen victim to the Obama economy. And yes, that's what I am calling it from here on.
Post a Comment