It is his first major speech devoted solely to education since taking office, but officials say he (President Obama) plans neither to detail any requirements to achieve his goals nor to change President No Child Left Behind program.and...
Obama's economic includes a $5 billion incentive fund to reward states for, among other things, boosting the quality of standards and state tests -- much-needed money for some states.not to mention...
Obama advisers say they will use the economic woes as a way to sell the country on his agenda.Cause the tripleheader of quotes above sure appear to add up to More Bush Standardized Tests, Just More of 'Em (and Improved, Too!). A great way to greet the early IEPs lined up beyond the 5:45 a.m., Moon-lit horizon this morning. Inspiring stuff, especially the following:
--NYT. 3.10.09
Obama also planned to continue his support for charter schools, although officials call them ''laboratories of innovation.'' Educators' unions generally oppose charter schools because they divert tax dollars away from public schools, one spot where he splits with the traditionally Democratic Party-backing constituency.Hey, I voted for the guy and all, but pretty much everything outlined in this education speech he is giving today is wrong, and headed toward marketing idiocy-land. What, folks don't like charter schools because they take money away from other public schools? Well Hell, let's just change the name of 'em! This after new Dept. of Education head Arne Duncan said the problem with No Child Left Behind wasn't the testing, it was the "branding".
We all, or just about all, want tougher education standards. But if the Obama Administration is going to sell higher standards by just slapping some new paint on the broken Bush Administration TEST-TEST-TEST!!!!!! wagon, and going around the country selling old, crappy Republic education ideas in new bottles labeled "great for economic woes!" I'm going to throw up.
So it looks like I'm going to be throwing up quite a bit. And throwing up right before yet another IEP meeting is never a good start to a morning where it ain't even light yet.
Have a nice day, everybody. Can I get a bucket?
3 comments:
I don't understand this post. I'm looking forward to my compensation and job security being tied to the one day performance of a room full of middle school students who came to me unable to add and subtract. I think that's a perfectly fair system.
So if your teaching the gifted end of the spectrum as opposed to the mentally retarted, you can make more money huh?
Obama doesn't quite get it. Yet.
Today, everyone from the president on down to the teacher next door, and every parent is making excuses for the students. Administrators turn their backs on behaviors and no one says, "ENOUGH".
Let's face it NCLB, the charter movement and politicization of the public schools have spelled doom for what has probably been the most successful government program of all time. The vast majority of people in this country have taken and are taking advantage of a free public school opportunity. The rest rejected it and now we all have to cow-tow to them and their disruptive behaviors. The drop-outs are the failures. If someone wants to allow a charter to start it should be catered ONLY to those who've dropped out of the regular opportunity provided by the neighborhood school, which should continue to offer the full-spectrum curriculum that I was given 30 years ago (only updated). I'm sad to be a witness to the narrow-minded and focused "success" that is offered by charters, and test-mongers. ENOUGH already.
Post a Comment