Quote of the Month

TEACHER LAYOFFS

Last year’s economic stimulus money kept many school budgets afloat, but since that money is now dwindling, there is a risk that hundreds of thousands of teachers and support staff might lose their jobs. Secretary Duncan and the Obama administration are pushing for legislation that will give $23 billion more to schools. However, not everyone is eager to open up the nation’s cash register. House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) argues: “Giving states another $23 billion in federal education money simply throws more money into taxpayer-funded bailouts when we should be discussing why we aren’t seeing the results we need from the billions in federal dollars that are already spent.” Final vote on the bill is to come.

FAILING SCHOOLS/FAILING TEACHERS REDUX

In my March blog, I included an item regarding the firing of the entire high school professional staff in Central Falls, Rhode Island, by the Central Falls School Committee because the school was considered one of the lowest-performing schools in the nation. Now the overriding Board of Trustees that runs all the city schools in Rhode Island has voted to rescind the termination if the teachers fulfill the following requirements: write an essay, conduct a five-minute lesson, and interview with the school leadership team. BIAS ALERT: And maybe they should be asked to write 100 times on the chalkboard, “I will not fail again.” A cowed and disgraced teacher will have an even greater challenge to reach students. Perhaps some of these evaluative measures could have taken place BEFORE those teachers were hired and put in a position to fail. And how about some accountability for the administrators and parents who also “failed”?

COLLEGE FOR SOME?

According to the latest projections from the Department of Education, perhaps no more than half of students who begin a
4-year bachelor’s degree program will get that degree within six years; and for those who ranked among the bottom quarter of their high school classes, 80% will probably never get a bachelor’s degree or even a two-year associate’s degree. With tuition costs skyrocketing, the ROI for these students and their parents is alarming. Now, a small but influential group of economists and educators is pushing for another choice—no college at all for some students, steering them instead to credible alternatives such as vocational and career training or corporate apprenticeships. The huge pharmacy chain CVS has an apprenticeship program in which aspiring pharmacists’ assistants work as apprentices in their pharmacies, with many going on to study to become full-fledged pharmacists themselves. BIAS ALERT: There is dignity in all kinds of jobs—as long as they are done well. We need to get away from our elitist attitude that one is inferior without a college degree. And when my garbage disposal breaks down (which happens monthly, it seems) I need a licensed plumber and not a graduate with a B.A. in English.

THE FINAL VOTE IS IN—TEXAS APPROVES NEW SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS

(See related item in my March blog.) On May 21, the Texas State Board of Education voted 9–5 in favor of the new social studies curriculum standards for Texas public schools. Several concerns and challenges to the proposed standards were presented to the Board before the final vote of approval. The final standards include amending, or “watering down,” the teaching of the civil rights movement; Jefferson Davis being treated in a similar way as Abraham Lincoln is treated; teaching that the “separation of church and state” is not in the United States Constitution; and teaching that the Civil War was fought over states’ rights, with reference to slavery minimized. Proponents of the revisions said they’re simply compensating for the liberal bias that has long pervaded education. Since textbook publishers traditionally have published their social studies basal to align with Texas’s standards to then distribute nationwide, it will be interesting to see how many states now ask for a customized version. Stay tuned.

CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS

Texas seems to be everywhere in the education news these days. According to the Texas Education Agency, in all but the rural areas of Texas, Hispanic enrollment is rapidly surpassing that of white children. Hispanic students now make up nearly 49% of the state’s 408 million pre-K through 12^th-grade school population. About one-third of the students are white. Leaders must confront the realization that the state is not adequately funding the education of this growing Latino population, which is generally poorer and less proficient in English. Jacqueline Lain, Associate Executive Director for the Texas Association of School Boards, states that “this changing demographic will trigger greater demands for dual language programs, more Hispanic school teachers, and an increased focus on Hispanic contributions to Texas history.” Time to put Cesar Chavez back in the new social studies curriculum? Just asking.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE—SOMETHING TO PONDER

Recently, I saw a program on CNN that reported on a pilot study of children’s attitudes on race. It was one of the most profound television experiences I have ever had, and I can’t stop thinking about it. Rather than explaining what I saw, I’m recommending that you find it and view it yourself. I’m sure that CNN has this archived on its website. The name of the program is “AC360” special coverage “Black or White: Kids on race.” I would be very interested to hear your reaction to the piece.

JUST IN . . .

The final Common Core K–12 standards in reading and math will be unveiled publicly on June 2 in Atlanta, GA. Watch for further details about this in June’s blog.