When is Congress going to get back to work on No Child Left Behind? With all the furor over the Presidential campaigns, we need to remember to hold Congress accountable for their responsibilities.
I'm not really a fan of NCLB. I think it was well-intentioned, but because of some basic flaws, it's done little to improve education. States setting their own standards as low as possible to qualify for federal funding is just one of the flaws. Too much classroom time devoted to test-preparation and test-taking is another.
And our schools continue to fail. I want to make it clear that I am not saying that we are not producing "A" students. But the problem is that the level of academics required to obtain an "A" is totally inadequate.
There is abundant evidence that our top students are not being sufficiently prepared to compete in a global environment. Numerous articles and studies show that we are shortchanging all of our students, including our very best students.
Two things that are even more sad, are:
1) That we delude ourselves that some schools are actually GOOD. Thus the proponents of vouchers say to move a few children around.
2) Drop-outs are increasing drastically. Even worse than the fact that we are giving our best students inadequate preparation for life - we are also LOSING 28% - 50% - 75% of our students as drop-outs (depending on the area).
It is time for a COMPLETE REFORM of our education programs in USA public schools. It MUST be done.
Don't take my word for what I have claimed. Just look at the statistics and news reports. Then you can see for yourself how miserably our schools are failing. Yes! It's true! USA schools were ranked 24th around the globe, when we sent our best and brightest. The only countries that ranked lower were Cypress and South Africa. Last year, the USA didn't even compete!
To those who are opponents of making national changes; who say that changes must be community-based, I reply that No Child Left Behind is NOT community-based. The problem starts at the top.
To those who say "we have, and always have had, an elitist educational system where the cream will rise to the top", I respond that the only way we will eliminate an elitist educational system is to demand change.
Teachers have been taking the blame for school failures for too long. But, to say that national change will only occur community-by-community is not only unrealistic, it is a sure-fire recipe for disaster. We cannot depend on problems staying in one particular vicinity. Nor can we can stand back and wait for 'the cream' to develop into the leaders this country will need in the future.
Let me give you an example of how deteriorating conditions in our schools can impact the future. And why it is foolish to think that we can isolate ourselves from those conditions.
If I live in an exclusive area (which I have) and attend an expensive private school (which I did) that MAY allow me to be well-educated, or have access to better drugs. What it does NOT do is stop the uneducated, violent and angry drop-out from across the city or country from entering my safe little haven and violating my "serene existence".
One way or another, we will pay if we do not improve education nationally. Either we will be forced to build more jails, more security systems and higher walls, or we will forfeit our actual lives.
The time is coming when the 'have nots' will range farther and farther afield to scavenge or take by force from the 'haves'.
I'm old enough to have seen the spread of crime from major urban areas into bedroom communities, then into tiny rural areas. There are no more 'safe enclaves', and we can blame the growth of ignorance.
"Wake up", America! We MUST straighten-out our public schools NOW!
By : Brennan Kingsland
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