Re: orchestrated blame game

[aburke5054@aol.com]

-----Original Message-----
 From: gbracey1@verizon.net
 To: arn-l@interversity.org
 Sent: Mon, 4 Dec 2006 6:44 AM
 Subject: [arn-l] orchestrated blame game
 
 ...It was noted that 200 times as many kids use choice outside of NCLB as in. From the floor I suggested that that was likely due in part to the stupid way in which the law defines failing schools [NOTE TO ART: THE CONFERENCE WAS CALLED "FIXING FAILING SCHOOLS," NOT "FIXING SCHOOLS IN NEED OF IMPROVEMENT"]....
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 Note to Jerry: The name of a conference does not control reality; if it did, all we would have to do is hold a conference titled, "Every Child Is Doing Just Fine in Public School" and all the nation's educational problems would be solved. 
 
 If children in one group are consistently underperforming their peers, shouldn't schools have to improve the way they serve those children? What is "insane" about requiring schools to do that and attaching consequences if they don't? Outside of NCLB, what other formal structure exists for protecting the interests of those children? 
 
 Again, where is the "orchestrated blame?" You say that parents in schools identified for improvement do not necessarily see those schools as "failing." You also say that presenters blamed lack of progress on structural deficiencies within NCLB instead of blaming teachers, parents, or students. NCLB is clunky, no doubt -- some of the things its authors though would be drivers of change -- such as the option to transfer and the SES provisions -- clearly haven't worked as well as expected. Whether this is a structural defect in NCLB or whether states and districts just aren't getting themselves going on these things is not clear to me. In my opinion the most serious structural defect of NCLB is that it really does not force the hands of states to improve their schools. All of these are serious, and real, concerns. Continuing to pretend that the purpose of NCLB is to orchestrate blaming public schools so people rush off to support vouchers for the children of corporation CEOs is a disservice to parents and children and to public education.
 
 Art  
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