This Denver Post editorial does a good job of summing up the problems with No Child Left Behind but then draws the odd conclusion that the legislation can be fixed, as if it were a good idea that simply needed tweaking.
Wrong. It was a bad idea whose problems arise from its very nature -- the idea that the federal government in Washington, D.C., can run schools better than the states and cities where schools actually exist. It was bound to fail, it has failed, and it ought to be scrapped.
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6 comments:
No Child is just one example (a BIG example) of the change in the Republican party. For so long they claimed to stand for smaller federal government and for states' rights. Now they have championed big government programs. In the world of education it would seem almost certain that what works in Florida would not work in Montana--but under No Child, we are all the same. What a mess!
David I respectfully disagree with you.
The idea is sound, where if you have 33 schools in Montana that aren't educating the kids you can force them to address the problems.
I've seen those kids in Billings, where their parents (or grandparents) take no interest in their education, the kids get all failing grades through elementary school & middle school, and dropped out of High School.
The school systems are partially guilty. If a child gets all failing grades in 4th grade, do you promote them to 5th grade? Then to 6th grade?
But Eric, you aren't dealing with my fundamental complaint. Why is this the feds' job? And why do so many Republicans think it should be?
If not the Feds, who?
If not now, when?
Obviously the schools districts, and the state haven't gotten it done, so who else but the Feds?
Eric,
Ted Kennedy couldn't have said it better.
Ouch!
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