DISCLAIMER/WARNING - This is a whiny post and it the views it expresses are my own and not necessarily those of DR1.
Just to qualify my annoyance with the Minister of Education, I fully understand she is an appointed official, a politician, and a long standing PLD functionary (aka "lambona"). She has to toe the party line and part of her responsibilities includes making public statements that higher ranking party officials, including the President, cannot politically afford to make - even if they are the party's and the government's position. All that aside, for the past four years she has taken demagogery to new levels that have left me utterly nauseated.
When Ellen Brineman criticized the state of Dominican education - including the shockingly small percentage of the country's economy that is devoted to educational development - in her final remarks as she left USAID, Alejandrina responded with criticism of the U.S. education system. This was classic "echarle la culpa a lo demas." To her credit, she made no attempt to defend the indefensible Dominican education system; but I think she let an excellent opportunity to remain silent go by. This week, she cited increasing numbers of Haitian students in Dominican schools as "proof" that Dominican antipathy toward Haitians is a myth. Alejandrina, as the King of Spain asked Hugo Chavez, "?por que no te callas?"
Just to qualify my annoyance with the Minister of Education, I fully understand she is an appointed official, a politician, and a long standing PLD functionary (aka "lambona"). She has to toe the party line and part of her responsibilities includes making public statements that higher ranking party officials, including the President, cannot politically afford to make - even if they are the party's and the government's position. All that aside, for the past four years she has taken demagogery to new levels that have left me utterly nauseated.
When Ellen Brineman criticized the state of Dominican education - including the shockingly small percentage of the country's economy that is devoted to educational development - in her final remarks as she left USAID, Alejandrina responded with criticism of the U.S. education system. This was classic "echarle la culpa a lo demas." To her credit, she made no attempt to defend the indefensible Dominican education system; but I think she let an excellent opportunity to remain silent go by. This week, she cited increasing numbers of Haitian students in Dominican schools as "proof" that Dominican antipathy toward Haitians is a myth. Alejandrina, as the King of Spain asked Hugo Chavez, "?por que no te callas?"