Cookies and Ice Cream for Education

Finally, an analogy that is meaningful and makes sense! I believe Cohen’s model should be shared and mass distributed throughout the nation, so that the general public could perhaps have a better basic understanding of how the legislator’s budget distributes its money. By visualizing a pile of cookies, it is very simple to see the imbalance that is occurring in our government spending.

An immediate image of Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster came to mind, perhaps representing the Texas legislators. Its seems more than appropriate that a big, blue, crazy puppet could represent the legislature since the proportions being handed out are extremely unbalanced. I agree that education is indeed getting the pieces of cookies that are left in the bottom of the cookie jar.
Perhaps Cohen’s example could be used to really emphasize to the public how far a few extra cookies could go. And likewise, how other areas would not starve from having some of their cookies redistributed. If the $6 billion dollar figure given by Lynn Moak is an accurate estimate of the amount needed to help schools, it wouldn’t even take one whole cookie to help make some much needed improvements.

The only thing I would be cautious about adding into this mix, is a property tax increase. I think it sends a mixed message to the public because we are trying to show them that the true villain is the legislature. I think it might make people feel as though we are turning the issue towards them to solve or fix it before we look closer at the root of the problem. We need to put focus on who stole the cookies from the cookie jar to begin with.

Cohen’s model is genius. It really does seem that the power of a cookie has the potential to educate and simplify some very complicated problems!

A lot of my posts thus far have been about education, so I thank Katy for finding this and giving me a chance to speak even further on something true to my beliefs!