MCLB "Anniversary?" Millions of children left behind. It's really a Yarzheit.

[ShopMathEdu@aol.com]

Dear ARN Folks:

They are calling this the first "anniversary" of the NCLB (aka: 
MCLB....millions of children left behind) act.

How can the one year mark of such an inhumane piece of legislation be called 
an anniversary?

Is there to cause to celebrate the one year mark since the educational 
equivalent of martial law has been declared against students, teachers, and 
curriculum?

For me, this day is more like a yarzheit, the Jewish tradition of marking the 
first year since the death of dear one.

The NCLB leaves millions of children behind.  When children are left behind, 
their educational careers, inquisitiveness and enthusiasm for life becomes 
derailed.  Without education, people are doomed to a lifetime of servitude, 
uncertainty, insecurity and an early death.

For me, this is a yarzheit, where we pause to reflect on the many wasted 
lives which NCLB will impose upon this land.  This is a tragic day of 
mourning for our community; a mourning for lives which have been lost, and 
for lives which shall be lost.

We have seen the results of NCLB-esque practices here in Birmingham, and they 
are devastating.  Young people pushed out of school to raise test scores.  
Teachers and administrators acting like guards and wardens instead of student 
advocates.

We have seen the blood stained sidewalks, and the fresh dirt shoveled onto a 
cement vault, containing a casket, which contains the cold body of a young 
person who sincerely believed they didn't have a future and whose dreams were 
deferred....deferred....and deferred once too many times.

Please keep NCLB far far away from our students, our schools, and our land.

Thank you, ARN folks, for all that you do to defend students and education.

Warmest peacebuilding greetings,

Steve Orel
Birmingham, Alabama