Re: PEN in Print

["Claudia Ayers" <cayers@aptoshs.net>]

Nice piece; glad to see your sound opinions published Juanita!!  Thunderous clapping here!
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jedoyon@aol.com 
  To: undisclosed-recipients: 
  Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 11:05 PM
  Subject: [arn-l] PEN in Print


  The Herald - Everett, Wash. - www.HeraldNet.com 

  Published: Sunday, November 26, 2006
  Solving education challenges only looks like rocket science


  By Juanita Doyon 
  Gov. Chris Gregoire, state schools Superintendent Terry Bergeson and Bill Gates approach the troubles of the education world from different standpoints, but all have a penchant for the use of terms like "global economy" and "world-class education," as well as a proclivity for scary language about a gloomy future if Washington doesn't completely transform its public schools. 

  All are in denial of the fact that for 14 long years we've been smack in the middle of what was supposed to be the education reform to end all education reforms. 

  Departing from Bergeson's frequent bashing of teachers and their abilities, Gregoire recently proclaimed, "I believe we have the talented, committed educators in place for our kids. What we lack is a modern education system." 

  If by "modern education system" she means we should pay those talented, committed educators a living wage, affording them to stay in their chosen profession; restore academic freedom to the classroom; and remove the regressive, oppressive test called the WASL, I whole-heartedly agree. 

  Bergeson wins the prize for lofty generalities. In her recent State of Education speech to 1,000 school board members, she calling for a "new mental model" (whatever that is) to "unleash the creativity of our teachers and our kids." Suddenly, the self-proclaimed "WASL queen" recognizes that a course correction is needed -14 years, 1 million students and God only knows how many hundred-million dollars later, when 44,000 of our 11th graders are set to be denied diplomas in an election year. Unfortunately, she focuses only on a "systems" change in math. 

  Assuming the problems with the math WASL were corrected, Bergeson's continued "stay the course" stance on WASL reading and writing could deny diplomas to 45 percent of low income students in 2008. Diploma denial rates for students in special education, based on reading and writing WASL alone, could be an abominable 69.9 percent! 

  In his latest round of speeches and op-eds, Gates wants to reopen the issue of charter schools - an issue killed by Washington voters, repeatedly. If it were up to him, Washington would look to the states of Texas and California as examples of excellence in public education. The time has come to question whether Washington leaders should listen to the public education advice of a private school graduate now sending his own children to private school or the college advice of a man who dropped out of Harvard before finishing his freshman year. 

  Futuristic gloom and doom of these three "leaders" aside, in order for students to become productive, contributing citizens, there are two requirements our communities and schools must provide: 

  * A good family and community support system. 

  * A strong foundation of basic and intermediate skills in art, science, math, language arts, PE and technology, so that students can build on them, think for themselves and adapt to an ever-changing world. 

  Fortunately, the variety of educational resources and programs available at one's fingertips today is astounding. Our local educators, school boards and parents are capable of selecting curricula and programs that suit the individual needs of their students. All state leaders need worry about is designing a good set of basic standards to guide school districts and a reliable and equitable funding structure to support districts in helping students to meet those standards. 

  It is not, as Bergeson suggested in her State of Education speech, "harder than rocket science," though state leaders have exceeded the standard at making it look that way for the past 14 years. 

  Juanita Doyon of Spanaway is director of the Parent Empowerment Network, a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the relationship between home and school and improving public education for all students. 


  Parent Empowerment Network is a nonprofit, public charity continuing to fight the good fight thanks to tax deductible contributions from good people like you. Please consider becoming a member or making a contribution today. http://www.mothersagainstwasl.org/member.html
  Parent Empowerment Network
  PO Box 494
  Spanaway, WA 98387

  Please forward this email to interested friends and family.