Saturday, October 07, 2006

Setting High Expectations For America's Public Schools

Come on; it's time to confess. You listen to George Bush's radio addresses in a closet so no one will know you do, right? Fess up.

I've been a fan of reading the text of this glorified propaganda, sponsored by our tax dollars. It's fun because GW always raises some interesting questions.

Which brings me to this week's attempt to steer the media out of the cesspool of perversion and corruption resident in the Republican controlled Congress. Fortunately for the President, he's got another fear based tool to shovel his agenda here as well.

That's right. When it comes to pushing W's Educational Agenda, there is nothing like a good dose of fear (courtesy of the Pennsylvania school shootings) to lever his pet initiatives. In fact, he's become quite the expert at frontloading us with fear to push his political aims. But I digress.

Don't be fooled by the fancy deployment of some overly friendly statistics in his radio address, should you bother to click over and read it. There is still a lot wrong with his agenda for America's public schools. I have several questions based on his closing statement:<
When we set expectations high, America's children will rise to meet them. And by helping our children succeed, we're creating a brighter future for them and for our Nation.
  • I have no doubt that children can meet very high academic standards. But if we set the bar high, will the children's parents meet it?

  • Is the bar based on No Child Left Behind standardized testing really high enough?

  • Moreover, is that the right kind of bar?

  • Do all students really need a college education?

  • What's wrong with the current educational system?
I could go on, but I think you get the idea. What say you?

2 comments:

isabelita said...

This crock of crap No Child Left Behind bit, or as Molly Ivins calls it,"No Child's Behind is Left," is just another manifestation of this administration's goal to reduce all the social programs to nothing, drown them in the bathtub, per Grover Norquist, that piece of...
They are destroying public education, and working at privatizing it via charter schools and school voucher program to funnel off money to faith-based groups.
EVERYTHING, every last bloody thing that has been in aid of running a decent society, is being plunderd, looted, and left for scrap. Everything but the squeal, which we who oppose them don't seem to even be able to muster.
Am I clear enough?

Anonymous said...


Read a book a week, make $10 a week

Of course NCLB is a crock, No Child Left Behind misses the boat by focusing on schools instead of children.

What does 'business' do?

As a child I liked money. From my solitary example I conclude that all one need do to improve grades, learning, and marching bands playing in key is pay them. Learning is about finding the motivation to learn. Adults work for money, why not children?