ALL PROPAGANDA MANIPULATES THE PEOPLE

Edward Bernays's "Propaganda" was published in 1928.   His uncle Sigmund Freud helped with adaptation of inserting psychological methods into the manipulation of the masses.   Today propaganda is being used in almost every aspect of our lives.   

Mass media has determined what we wear, what we eat, who we vote for, what movies we watch, what music we listen to and who is the most popular new star.   Consumerism has become a psychological disorder.

Public opinion has been determined to be a force that must be managed.  It is now managed by clever experts that know how to manipulate "the masses." Most school districts have a "public relations" expert trained to advance the public's view of the importance of the "district."   The districts have determined that they are entitled to everything they want and ask for.

The father of modern education, John Dewey, envisioned many ways that propaganda could be used to advance the power of the government school system.   He worked with Edward Bernays to "manufacture consent."  The educators figured out how to obfuscate and evade the facts in order to make their point of view appear to be the right view.  They always claim it is "for the children."  How many times have you been told that teachers are underpaid?   Have you examined just what they are paid?

Often outright lies, exaggerations and half truths are used to promote the wants of the school district, politician, government and product.  Even wars are fought with the support of "the people" using these tactics.  It is often called psychological warfare.   Far too often this warfare is perpetrated by people we trust.  Today support is called "consensus."  (Buzz word!)

Walter Lippmann and others believed that a modern society was incapable of lucid thought or clear perception and that people were driven by herd instincts and prejudice.  He stated that "the masses were not equipped to make decisions or engage in rational discourse."   In other words "propaganda could be used to make all decisions for the masses.   The people would believe that they had made the decision on their own.   They would not realize that psychological stimuli had been used by well paid Public Relations experts.

Most school districts do pay large sums to an on staff specialist.   They also belong to various groups (OSBA, NEA, OEA etc) and legal teams that make available (at a cost) experts to help them plan the attack.  You can notice the coordinated similar attack that is used in all districts.   That is because they are all on the same team.   

The taxpayers are not on their team.   They just fund their plots and plans for "more money."    The people have been convinced over the years that new buildings and plenty of money will create a great education.   The propaganda has been working.  The fact is that more money does not provide a better education.   

I will give you a simple example of how facts and figures are manipulated by the well trained experts of propaganda.   We often receive an expensive 5.5" X 11.5" postcard in the mail.   The return address is listed as a "Message from:  Mark North, Superintendent and Lebanon City School District.  (That means that the taxpayers are paying again for this "propaganda".) The card implies that Lebanon is in the top high school rankings.  It does not list how this was calculated or what criteria was used for this ranking. 

U. S. News and World Report lists schools in every state.  Many of the school districts are too small, have too high of a rate of poverty, minorities or other reasons why they are not counted in this list.  There are only 115 districts scored and the others are listed without scores.

The college readiness statistic is based on a score of 100%.   That means 100% of the senior students in a school took the test and 100% passed the test. Every student had to take and pass at least one AP class.  Few schools reach the 100% mark. The math and reading scores are based on the number of seniors that took and the number that passed the Ohio State Exit exam.  Listed below are some examples of the scores.

WALNUT HILLS - Rank: Ohio 1  National 77  College Readiness Score 81.3

College Readiness:  92% tested   78% passed   

Math - 100% proficient  0% not proficient   scored at 4.8

Reading - 100% proficient 0% not proficient scored at 4.4

WYOMING - Rank:    Ohio 2   National 110  College Readiness Score 74.4

College Readiness:  83% tested   71% passed

Math - 98% proficient 2% not proficient   scored at 4.6

Reading - 97% proficient 3% not proficient  scored at 4.4  

SYCAMORE H. S. - Rank: Ohio 23 National 514   College Readiness 46.6

College Readiness:  51% tested  45% passed

Math - 96% proficient 4% not proficient  scored at 4.5

Reading - 97% proficient  3% not proficient  scored at 4.3

KINGS - Rank:   Ohio 31   National 666   College Readiness  42.2

College Readiness:   52% tested   39% passed

Math - 94% proficient  6% not proficient  scored at 4.2

Reading - 94% proficient 6% not proficient scored at 3.9

MILFORD - Rank:   Ohio 32   National 707  College Readiness 41.4

College Readiness:   54% tested 37% passed

Math - 91% proficient  9% not proficient   scored at 4.2

Reading - 94% proficient 6% not proficient   scored at 3.9

MASON H. S. - Rank:  Ohio 34    National 720  College Readiness 40.9

College Readiness:   44% tested   40% passed

Math - 96% proficient    4% not proficient   scored at 4.6

Reading -  97% proficient  3% not proficient   scored at 4.2

LAKOTA EAST  -  Rank:  Ohio 36   National 750  College Readiness 40.4

College Readiness:  44% tested  39% passed 

Math - 96% proficient  4% not proficient   scored at 4.4

Reading - 97% proficient 3% not proficient  scored at 4.1

LOVELAND  -  Rank:  Ohio 43  National 955  College Readiness 35.7

College Readiness:  42% tested  34% passed

Math - 94% proficient  6% not proficient scored at 4.3

Reading - 96% proficient  4% not proficient scored at 4.1

LEBANON - Rank:   Ohio 51  National 1119  College Readiness 32.6

College Readiness:  41% tested  30% passed  (approximately 60 students)

Math - 92% proficient  8% not proficient   scored at 4.1

Reading - 94% proficient 6% not proficient scored at 3.9 (near OH Average)

LAKOTA WEST -  Rank:  Ohio 53  National 1178  College Readiness 31.3

College Readiness:   34% tested 31% passed

Math - 96% proficient  4% not proficient  scored at 4.4

Reading - 95% proficient 5% not proficient  Scored at 4.1 (above OH average)

CENTERVILLE -  Rank:   Ohio 70   National 1436  College Readiness 27.0

College Readiness:   32% tested  25% passed

Math - 94% proficient  6% not proficient   scored at 4.4 (above OH average)

Reading - 96% proficient  4% not proficient  scored at 4.2 (above OH average)

SPRINGBORO - Rank:   Ohio 84   National 1629 College Readiness 23.5

College Readiness:   29% tested 22% passed 

Math - 97% proficient  3% not proficient scored at 4.5 (above OH average)

Reading - 98% proficient  2% not proficient  scored at 4.1 (above OH average)

MONROE - Rank:  Ohio 93  National 1698  College Readiness 22.5

College Readiness:   38% tested 17% passed

Math - 89% proficient  11% not proficient scored at 4.0 (near OH average)

Reading - 96% proficient  4% not proficient scored at 3.8 (above OH average)

VALLEY H. S.(297 students)  Not ranked  College Readiness 18.3

College Readiness:   30% tested 14% passed

Math - 92% proficient  8% not proficient scored at 4.2 (above OH average)

Reading - 90% proficient 10% not proficient scored at 3.7 (near OH average)

The reason I am going to all this effort to post these scores is so that a valid comparison can be made.   Note that Walnut Hills has a college readiness score of 81.3 and that 92% of their senior class took the test.  Compare that to Lebanon where only 41% were tested and 30% of those passed the test. If you calculate that out you will find that only 60 AP students passed the test. That is 60 out of approximately 500 students.   I just can't see anything to rave about with that score.   Propaganda works.   I bet most of you were impressed with that post card because you didn't have all of the facts.

Also note that after Walnut Hills and Wyoming there is a huge drop in the percentage of students that even take the test.   It drops over 30% at Sycamore and more after that.   The reading and math scores are comparable and leads me to question the validity of the state test.   Even Valley H.S. which is not ranked had high scores in math and reading scoring above or near the Ohio AVERAGE.

I noticed that many schools are using this report for bragging rights if they think it will be effective propaganda  just as Mr. North surmised.   

*I tried to copy these facts accurately.   I hope you will compare your district to the others.   I was surprised by the low Springboro scores.  They have been pouring money into that district and with new schools.