By: Tom Tancredo
A recent Wall Street Journal Article by William McGurn entitled The Real Structural Racism was both compelling and alarming. It details the incredible failure of government schools to reverse the downward spiral of black student achievement plaguing that cohort. He cites results of the National Assessment of Education Progress, perhaps the most credible academic pulse taker in the nation, and those results signal growing danger for the black community and for the nation as a whole. One such result: In many school districts, the percentage of black students who are proficient in math or reading is in the single digits! Even the best districts (Charlotte, N.C., and Boston) show math proficiency rates for blacks at 24 percent and 20 percent, respectively.
The NEAP study also pokes huge holes in the old liberal canard that the reason for the disparity is lack of funds for predominately black schools. It found that per-student spending in the cities with disastrous proficiency rates for black kids is astronomical. New York City, for example, spends almost $30,000 per student to achieve an 8th-grade proficiency rate for black students of 10 percent in math and 14 percent in reading.
Now, what I’m about to say can’t be a guaranteed fix for this dilemma on which we’ve already wasted hundreds of billions of dollars, but it is surely a way to move in the right direction.
President Ronald Reagan appointed me to be the Education Secretary’s Region 8 Representative (Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, and the Dakotas). Part of my responsibility was presenting the department’s Blue Ribbon School awards to deserving schools. At first, the award really did seem to identify extraordinary achievement, and the competition was rigorous. After the first year, however, the criteria morphed into an award for “next best” and soon after devolved into “okay, which school hasn’t gotten it yet?” Fortunately, presenting the first year’s award allowed me to observe the culture of the schools that won under the more rigorous standard — and to look for what they had in common.
First, though, the differences. The awards went to schools that were public and private, wealthy and poor, predominantly white and predominantly minority. But amidst all these differences, one common element jumped out at me: the principal. Principals who were the academic leader of their schools and not just good administrators made a big difference. I began to see the results as similar to the efforts of a wealthy benefactor to create the greatest orchestra in the world. He can buy a perfect building and the finest instruments, then hire the finest musicians in the world to play music by the world’s greatest composers — but if he doesn’t have a great conductor to bring all the great pieces together, the music will not be great.
As it is now, principals go to schools more by happenstance than design, mostly because there is no incentive for the system to produce leaders. Schools, especially government schools, will survive regardless of incompetent teachers and/or administrators, so why battle unions or lethargy by increasing the standards by which principals are chosen? In a competitive system, a system that could not survive unless it provided quality education to every child in its care, those principals would be developed and paid accordingly — and, in turn, become models for success.
As I said, building back, better principals probably won’t be a panacea, but thinking of principals more as leaders and less as administrators is an arrow that should be in every school reform quiver. And I will say this: I did see black kids learning and achieving at a high level. I saw them meet rigorous goals. And for the most part, it wasn’t in traditional schools. It is true that all kids can learn, but not all kids can learn in the same way. Cultural background and ethos will always have to be reckoned with, but that is what happens in schools with leadership that inspires academic excellence in the staff and in students, instead of only making sure the buses run on time, and the electricity stays on — or worse, focusing less on helping kids learn and more on filling their heads with leftist propaganda.
Unfortunately, the government school monopoly must be destroyed before our desperately needed educational renaissance can begin.
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I can speak for California schools, our courts and legislatures have held down students. It is not due to skin color or geographical location, it is pure stupid ideology that tries to equalize education for all as one size fits all. How are teachers to teach all levels of math or any subject mater if classes are full of very strong to very weak ability students. Schools cannot segregate kids by ability so they blend them and expect the teacher to do miracles with what they get. Parents cry for help and teachers and specialists come up with a plan to help the student. However these plans are just more work for the teacher and little help for the student. Parents feel like they have some control but their child still struggles and needs aren’t met. Everyone looses. Start classes that are geared to the students need. Let the strong learner compete with others of their ability and let the weak students compete with others of their ability. Address how subject matter is presented stop thinking that you can open a mind and pour in the education.
The answer to both questions above are yes but neighter is going to happen. When you have control over both sides of the aisle, why should he. Another thought is that should he resign we wind up with Harris and the Speaker of the House in charge. I am not sure we wouldn’t be a more difficult problem!
Biden’s mental situation will not ever improve so the more he screws up the better our chances are for 2024 and beyond. The number of Republicans are shrinking. We need to focus on getting greater participation amoung the remaining Republicans and trying to get the younger generation to understand and come over to our side. We have no choice but to recruit from someplace!
The ethnicities of our children should never even be a factor in our school system or in any other government agency. As it is, our government dictated, Progressive controlled school system needs to be completely wiped out and revamped from scratch. Extra curricular activities and subject classes need to be just that; extra curricular, out of the normal time span of the school day. We must stop allowing school systems to be indoctrination centers for hateful Progressives to brain wash our children into being prejudiced of others based on their ethnicity.
Lowering education standards for everyone because of the “no child left behind” hogwash has been a disaster. That is one of the prime reasons we have kids graduate HS and fail college entrance exams. We need the same high standards for everyone. Set the target high; not all will meet the standards, but those who do will have a good education. Everyone is capable of something better, but we won’t see it if we don’t expect it. It gets worse; college entrance exams have been “dumbed-down” so most everyone can pass them. Public colleges have lowered standards making it easer to get in and easier to get out with a degree. Too many colleges focus on enrollment numbers because that is where the money is. The focus should be on the quality of education the student receives. And a final note; GET THE UNIONS AND GOVERNMENT OUT OF THE CLASSROOM! PAY FOR PERFORMANCE AT ALL LEVELS.
State and local supported schools were much better than the ones today with the Federal Government dictating what and how it is taught. The teachers are more interested in getting more Federal money so they can spend it of frivolous things like computers for each student. They should be teaching the students how to read, do math, the history of our country, civics, and more importantly, how to think. I guess you have to be able to think before you can teach it to others.
I am for all of those but he didn’t mention the most important thing. The parents! Parents should be involved in every way possible. Parents should coordinate with teachers, principals and psychologists. Parents should know more about what their children are learning in school. If something is wrong, have a conference with teachers involved in teaching your children. Don’t ignore the signs that your child is in trouble or if are changes in your child behavior. Find it out right away so you’ll know how to help your child and let teachers know right away what is happening. Teachers are humans. Can’t know everything what’s going on in every child especially if she or he is handling over crowded, rowdy children. And go home facing the same scenario with her own children. Parents should be on top of every aspect of their children’s lives in school. Do not think that it’s because your children are out of your sight while in school is not your responsibility. I know there are parents out there that can’t wait for their children to start schools to give themselves breaks but don’t you think that’s what the teachers are feeling as well to get rid of your children so she can rest her brain, relaxes in her bathtub, sleeps and get ready to be pounced again the next day? That’s why if the parents and teachers will only find a common ground so their jobs will be easier, I bet the children will benefit. I have so much to say but I’ll stop now.