October 17, 2007

Failing Schools in America

The quote below from the NY Times article points to one among many of the problems that beset our schools. The problem is NOT the NCLB law. Far too many of our schools are failing and blame is plentiful, but unless teachers unions embrace the goals of the act and mend their ways rather than fighting it while talking from both sides of their mouths, little progress can be expected in the worst schools.

Where is the entertainment industry on the issue? They could, in the national interest, take on the challenge of persuading kids and parents of the value of good schools and good education, rather than the trash that passes for music and TV.

Why do so many people in Vermont oppose the NCLB law? Although Vermont students may be doing OKl compared to other states, our population is very homogeneous and we spend far too much money on K-12 education in achieving these results.

"At Woodrow Wilson High one recent morning, teachers broke into small groups over coffee studying test scores for areas of weakness. But there were limits to what they would learn.

The teachers analyzed results for the entire school, not for their own students. Roberto Martinez, the principal, said he had not given teachers the scores of their own students because their union objects, saying the scores were being used to evaluate teachers.

“And who suffers?” asked Veronica Garcia, an English teacher at Wilson. “The kids suffer, because the teacher never gets feedback.”

A. J. Duffy, president of United Teachers of Los Angeles, said the union supported test score reviews provided they did not affect teachers’ jobs. Mr. Duffy said the federal law glossed over the travails of teaching students living in poverty. “Everyone agrees that urban education needs a shot in the arm, but it is not as bleak as the naysayers would have it,” he said."

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