No Child Left Behind and the Brewing Fight Over Education

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Someone needs to stand up and let the nation know that not all humans have the same capabilities and we don't want them too. Everyone is unique with their own abilities. Also, bad behaviors and lack of respect need to be addressed. In addition, cell phones, ipods and other electronic devices that come out while teaching is going on is a joke.

John Smith of CT 9:28PM January 11, 2010

no child left behind is a waste of money. We are spending taxes on slacker students who are not bothered to study like the rest of us.

Hannah Dupre of MA 12:32PM December 21, 2009

Look at what is happening in Palm Beach County. Education is in a mess. One size fits all education is insane. Take a look at the facebook site ..Testing is not teaching. You will be shocked at what is going on there.

mary Enson of FL 7:52PM December 07, 2009

No Child Left Behind requires that by 2014, every student in the US will be required to pass the tests given in his/her respective state. "Every student??!!!" Do we actually believe that we are all created equal relative to learning ability? The present reality, and years of past experience, make it clear that we are not. Some are good at math, some at reading, some at history or social studies, some at science, some at several disciplines, while some are more mechanically gifted than "book learning" gifted, some are artistic, some are musical etc. This is how we were created, and simply passing a law sayint everyone can be educated to an equal standard doesn't make sense, unless the standard is so low that it is meaningless.
And of course, we all grow up under different circumstances, some of which are more conducive to learning than others. I know teachers who have told me that some children come into kindergarten not knowing their name, let alone what a pencil and paper can be used for!!
If we are really serious about education, we need (1) testing at the beginning of each school year that accurately accesses each child's state of knowledge and learning ability (2) customized instruction based on that testing for each child (3) testing at the end of teh school year to see how each child has progressed. When we are willing to devote those kind of resources to education, we will begin to see real improvement.
But even with that approach, No Child Left Behind is unrealistic in mandating that its ultimate requirement be achieved.

Kenneth Ciszewski of MO 9:52PM December 06, 2009

Teacher quality is one of the most important elements of student success. There is a huge body of research that supports this. More important than evaluating teachers in the classroom is getting quality teachers into the field. In most colleges and universities, there are NO standards for majoring in education. There are no gatekeepers because there is no gate. Theoretically anyone can get a degree in education. Imagine we had those same standards for doctors or engineers. And it is for this reason I don't blame Obama and Duncan for not listening to teachers and their unions (I used to be one and I know I'm in the minority among my former colleagues on this).
I completely agree that there is decreased accountability of parents, students, and communities and this has had some measurable impact on education. But as the saying goes, you can't legislate morality.

Paula of MA 5:16PM December 03, 2009

I'm weighing in. Should teachers be judged by student performance? Why not? Almost everybody else is - or at least should be. When you hire a plumber to repair a leaking toilet,he doesn't get paid until he fixes it.

John Meers of MA 5:39PM November 30, 2009

wOw...I'm a student, and I think this program really bites. I can't believe that someone could create something so...stupid. Does anyone know how much the government pays per year for this program? I'm sure it's expensive...they test us way too much, and althouh I'm a good student (according to the test anyway...and those tests only test things like whether you slept well, or had a good breakfast, etc.) there are too many kids who just give up on these tests because they're marked as a failure! I'm all for getting rid of this stupid program...and I just hope he renames it...No Child Left Behind sounds like a good thing, and it's not.

Emma of OK 10:33PM November 29, 2009

iiii haaaaaatttteee iiiitttttt

kelly soprano of VA 4:28PM November 19, 2009

I am a teacher. I am successful with most students but not all. Most refroms call for getting ride of "bad" teacher reforming low performing schools. Reform rarely or ever talks about society and families. The families that value education and intellectual work do well. Those taht pay lip service to it do not. I have parents who will sign that a child did something when they didn't, they return failed papers with notes asking why I didn't do a better job, not their child but me. This parent wanted to know if they could skip a nights homework each week since it conflicted with sports practice. Intellectual thought has declined, we just want to watch someone elses life on TV. My father was a farmer, but he had a degree from the University of California-Davis, I grew up with both physical and mental work to do. Now we've become lazy and undiscipilned.

David of CA 7:14PM November 13, 2009

I have found that one of fastest ways to cut costs is for government to pay to create the baseline with its own money and then make it available for free or a small user fee to build in changes in the future.
What a great way for school districts to be able to stretch those dollars and build in individual learning.

robert guinto of MA 5:55PM November 13, 2009