Love That Bob (Compton)

Not. Well, filmmaker and self proclaimed ed expert, nee ed deformer Bob Compton, is not loved by Paola de Kock over at the NYC Public School Parent blog.

What Is Our Children Learning from Ersatz Education Experts?

Paola writes:

"Compton’s bright new ideas are the usual mix of “assessment and accountability” measures, pay-for-performance, and limitless expansion of charter schools and of teaching by TFA recruits and private-sector professionals; details are, of course, available by clicking the “Shop my store” tab."

"According to his biography on robertacompton.com, he is or has been an “IBM Systems Engineer, Professional Venture Capitalist, Angel Investor, President/COO of NYSE company, Entrepreneur and Filmmaker”; and “active in over 30 businesses including software, telecommunication services, healthcare services and medical devices.”


Bob apparently has problems with sticking with one thing. You see, Bob, some of us spent an entire career actually teaching kids. I even spent 27 years in one school. I know, I know. In your world that makes me a slacker. I guy without ambition (except to teach) to rise up in the competitive world you want education to be.

Ed Notes was visited by Bob Compton, or "Dumb Bob" as he signed his first comment after we posted this:

Renowned Arizona Charter School Asks Disruptive Students to Leave

We responded to Bob with this post:

Dear Dumb Bob Compton

And DB returned with a 2 part comment that read like a press release for the market based ed deformer crowd. Stop by and respond.


Nostalgia Note: Love That Bob with Bob Cummings was all the rave in the mid-50's when we were kids, particularly pre-adolescent boys. Cummings played a bachelor photographer and dated the hottest girls, who often wore skimpy outfits. More on the show here.

Dear Dumb Bob Compton

After hearing Bob Compton on yesterday's Brian Lehrer show make some statements about education that were right in line with the ed deformer crowd, I posted this:

Reknowned Arizona Charter School Asks Disruptive Students to Leave

My comments led to this comment from Compton:

Bob Compton, Exec Producer 2 Million Minutes said...

Thanks for the post, Norm.
I don't think I'm manipulative, although I am trying to foster improved education for our children.
Guess "dumb and dumber" is your answer. :-)
Every child has the potential to be well-educated - not every child aspires to that goal.
I'm working, at my own expense, to inspire, and perhaps scare just a bit, more kids into striving for a better education - for their own life-long benefit.

Dumb Bob :-)

Dear Bob,

I don't think for a minute you are really dumb. If you are not manipulative, then you are misguided. We all agree that every child has the potential, but you yourself said that some are not right for the Basis school. I bet more than some. You said they should be in an alternative setting. Better to spend your time and money working on figuring out how to do that in a meaningful way.

Your points about finding good schools in India and China are off base in that students are weeded out. As they are here too, by the way. For your next film, why not find the worst schools and figure out what's wrong with them and how to fix them.

So much of what you had to say about education in your brief time on the program was so off base that I can imagine numbers of teachers pulling their hair out in frustration. Luckily, I don't have enough hair to pull out, so I just gnashed my teeth. I'll send you the dental bill.

PS: I hoped you enjoyed your time with Uncle Joel at that private screening.

Check out what Bob has to say at: http://www.2mminutes.com/