President Bush lost my respect on domestic issues when he first agreed to sign Senator Kennedy’s mishmash program into law five years ago. He’s not regaining it with this cheerful bit of bi-partisan back-slapping. Has the man no clue?
Now, “No Child Left Behind” [a big, fat lie: there is no funding in this porker for vocational schools - a place they could be most useful] is up for renewal. Too bad the sun is going to continue shining on this fraud, but it is. And Bush will be right there, pen in hand:
President Bush pushed for renewal of the No Child Left Behind education law Monday in a meeting with congressional leaders but was noncommittal on their request for more money to help schools meet the law’s requirements.
“In our discussions today, we’ve all agreed to work together to address some of the major concerns that some people have on this piece of legislation, without weakening the essence of the bill,” Bush said following the White House meeting with Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
Blah, blah, yecch...
The law seeks to ensure all children can read and do math at grade level by 2014, which has placed many new demands on schools. They have had to step up testing, boost teacher quality and pay more attention to the achievements of minority children.
Schools that get federal aid but do not make enough progress must provide tutoring, offer public school choice to students or initiate other reforms such as overhauling their staffs.
On the other hand, -- surprise, surprise -- some of those brave people on the front lines have another point of view on this piece of trash - considering they’ve had to deal daily with its consequences for these last five years:
- - - - - - - - - -
The best efforts of the National Education Association and other opponents of NCLB not withstanding, we believe that reauthorization of the law will occur.
And the reason why is relatively simple.
From a lawmaker’s perspective, NCLB is as close to a perfect piece of legislation as possible in that it’s so appealing to the veryvoterspeople who will continue to re-elect them to office.
Whatvoterparent can resist the law’s premise: If your child doesn’t master the required level of proficiency (for whatever reason) in reading, math, and science, it’s the school’s fault.
Neithervotersparents nor students are held accountable by the law in any way for even making the most minimal contribution toward their own academic success.
Click the second link and read the whole thing. It seems that the ones who benefit most from this crapola are the school bullies.
It figures. Another nightmare scenario dribbling your tax dollars into the sewer.
While you’re there, stop to read about the high school cheerleaders who took over their school. It’s Mean Girls squared, but in real life. I can’t wait to see the movie. Whatcha wanna bet it will be in local theatres just as soon as the fires are out?
3 comments:
ugh...I feel so sorry for those who do not have the option of home schooling. This is so sad. These kids are too little to do *anything* all day.
Now that the USSR is gone, we seem to be taking up the slack.
NCLB is a fraud for many reasons. One of which is the IQ distribution.
Not every one is educable to the same degree.
Just as every one is not fit to understand quantum mechanics.
However, what we forget is that book larnin' is not every thing.
So what if algebra is not your thing? Perhaps you can excell in sports. Or empathy.
These are questions not even addressed by the law.
Important point here:
Now, “No Child Left Behind” [a big, fat lie: there is no funding in this porker for vocational schools - a place they could be most useful]...
A few members of my family have suffered as a result of the lack of offering vocational education. Not all children are book-learners.
Also, various school systems are playing games in their overt compliance with NCLB. But are the students really learning the basics?
And what about a decent curriculum? I'm thinking specifically of basal readers, which have been abandoned by many school systems. Mistake!
Neither voters parents nor students are held accountable by the law in any way for even making the most minimal contribution toward their own academic success.
Education should be a partnership between parents and teachers. For decades, professional educators have told parents, "Butt out!" This philosophy has put the schools on the hot seat, so naturally the schools now take the blame when students don't learn as they should.
Post a Comment