Re: misplacing blame

[Juanita Doyon <Jedoyon@AOL.COM>]

In a message dated 9/26/01 2:12:21 PM Pacific Daylight Time, aburke@VANSD.ORG
writes:


> Enrollment in public schools is at record or near record levels.
>

but the make-up is different than in the past, and homeschooling is way up,
among those who have it as an option.  Of course there are still 49 million
children in public school.  And many public schools are educating the
children they serve very successfully.  So why is it necessary to use a
testing scheme that costs millions every year, when we know good and well
that some schools are doing a fine job and others need help, though they may
be doing the best they can in difficult circumstances-- low parental
involvement/responsibility, transient population, overcrowding, etc....
What good does a test do in this situation?  The testing is premature.

 I'm not sure I quite agree that people are more satisfied with their local
school than they have been in the past 20 years, though.  That, it seems to
me, is a line of propaganda.

You haven't commented much on all that stuff I wrote last week about what
would actually improve education.  Don't get me wrong, I love my public
schools.  I just don't like what's happening to them in the name of
accountability.  I think there are better ways of improving schools than
testing students more and with higher level tests and with tests that are
slated to become high stakes.  This raise the bar for a meaningful diploma in
the 21st century is a load of mac sauce, Art.  (and anybody who has worked at
McDonalds knows several descriptive definitions of Mac sauce)  You made no
comment when I mentioned local, community control or funding flaws either, as
I recall.

Whereas I enjoy polishing my own rhetoric, I'd appreciate reading a little
more than one liners in return.
Juanita