Wednesday, November 29, 2006

But the children ARE left behind

I'm so glad I'm no longer a classroom teacher. I'd go nuts over the "No Child Left Behind" law. There's nothing more spirit destroying than teaching to a test. And on top of that, the program is not adequately funded. Take a look at a CNN article entitled "Schools, teachers fight No Child Left Behind in court" :

CINCINNATI, Ohio (AP) -- School districts in three states and the nation's largest teachers union asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to revive a lawsuit challenging the way government-mandated programs are funded.

The National Education Association and districts in Michigan, Vermont and Texas had sued to block the No Child Left Behind law, President Bush's signature education policy. They argued that schools should not have to comply with requirements that aren't paid for by the federal government.

Chief U.S. District Judge Bernard A. Friedman in Detroit dismissed the lawsuit in November 2005.

Attorney Robert Chanin, representing the Pontiac, Michigan, school district and the other plaintiffs, told the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday that states submitted compliance plans based on their understanding of the level of government support that would be provided. But Congress appropriated far less than needed, leaving local school districts to make up the difference, he said.

Government attorney Alisa Klein told the panel that the intent of the law was never to fully fund the provisions laid out in No Child Left Behind.


You know, just when I think I can't get more cynical someone makes a statement like that. All along we intended for you to make do without the funds you need. Man, that's COLD. It's also sinister. It gives credence to the conspiracy theorists out there who believe that the real purpose behind NCLB is to destroy the public schools. The religious right folks are openly in favor of this, by the way. They think public schools should be destroyed and education should be turned over to the churches. I shudder at the very thought.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:47 PM

    Of course, there's a very old precedent: Pharaoh ordered the Israelites to make bricks without straw. He surely expected them to fail. Sally Lloyd

    ReplyDelete
  2. I had the same thought, Sally.

    ReplyDelete

New policy: Anonymous posts must be signed or they will be deleted. Pick a name, any name (it could be Paperclip or Doorknob), but identify yourself in some way. Thank you.