Is the Death of American Education Preventable?
The death of public education may be ours to forecast, to experience firsthand or ours to prevent. It is entirely up to you. ~Paula Baack
I’ve previously addressed what’s wrong with American education. Here is a summary:
America’s universities are NOT providing real world teacher training because their professors do not have real world experiences.
Chronically complaining parents and entitled students, who seldom are condemned by those in authority, pride themselves in driving out teachers.
Inept administrators, who find it challenging to navigate today’s issues, hide in their offices acting more like adversaries than advocates for their staff.
Teachers, who chose the profession for the wrong reasons, continue to shortchange our children.
The overt infiltration of political organizations, with an agenda to change the fabric of a democracy through its vulnerable children, are altering subject matter and teaching ethics.
School boards, who act as a rubber stamp for ideologues or don’t act at all, starve our students of a competitive education for the world they are about to join.
A culture who accepts low pay and poor conditions for teachers as the norm, acts as a conduit for low expectations and low outcomes of its children.
A country where education is not first and foremost looses respect and recognition on the world stage.
But there is yet another factor causing our country’s public education to suffer: the quality of our public education appears to be defined by our zip codes.
I was five years old when this country shook from within at the volcanic wake up call from civil rights leaders. That call boldly shouted through the din of ignorant opposition: our children of color were not receiving the same education (instruction, facilities, supplies, quality of teachers) as those of white children. Whereas at five years old, the full impact of the civil rights movement seemed more like black and white pictures of angry people and frightened children, it did leave an impression on me. I would hope that impression served itself well in my 46 years of teaching. I believe it did.
In my opinion, segregation is rearing its ugly head some 68 years later. The schools which house those children of color and the poor cannot compete with schools in higher socioeconomic areas. How do we fix this? It is time for this country to embrace school choice and/or the voucher system. Here is an interesting chart from the Foundation for Economic Education:
The argument for school vouchers and school choice is actually a separate conversation. School choice allows parents to move their children to schools which are better suitable. Such a move is not funded directly with state or federal monies but school choice does negatively impact the funding of public schools in general. Currently there are 21 states offering school choice (American Federation for Children).
School vouchers are a sort of scholarship program which allows students to use state/federal funds for their school of choice. In other words, the per capita state/federal money follows the child. Currently there are 16 states using the voucher programs.
This is from USA Today:
Christopher N. Ruszkowski Opinion contributor
Survey after survey shows bipartisan public support for school choice policies, notably among families with the most at stake in our education system. And while some fellow educators and I may still have reservations about nontraditional choice ideas, we have a responsibility to listen to what many families and communities are saying.
According to a survey of likely 2020 voters, Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) found that 81% of voters — including 81% of Democratic primary voters and 89% of black Democratic primary voters — support expanding “access to more choices and options within the public school system, including magnet schools, career academies and public charter schools.”
A recent EdChoice public opinion survey found that 78% of Democrats agreed with 78% of Republicans and 77% of independents in favoring education savings accounts, which let families access money usually funneled to school districts to spend on education-related expenses for their child. Current school parents were 85% in favor of ESAs, as were 78% of African Americans and 79% of Hispanic respondents.
Whether it be school choice and/or the voucher system, they both ignite conversations of hot debate. The one resounding question: would the school choice/voucher system deplete public schools of needed funding? The short answer is “yes.”
Perhaps it is time for our public schools to take on more of a business model where it is survival of the fittest and not survival of the poorest, supported by federal and state funding. The word “competition” in this new world order has taken on negative traits. In the constructs of socialism, competition is not warranted nor is it welcomed. Is that where American education is headed? Another simple answer is again, “yes.” The elimination of trophies, prizes, recognition, “winning” and even grading is a direct result of a society embracing mediocrity so that everyone feels happy. Unfortunately through this boneheaded approach, American children have lost their place of future membership to a fast-paced world. According to Business Insider, US now ranks 27th in the world in education.
America must stop ignoring her children, who are her future. The time is now and the actions are these:
run, do not walk, to the closest ballot box in November to insure elected leaders reflect this country’s ideals and not the political whims of a small minority
legislate school choice and/or the voucher system in all states
at the same time, improve educational delivery through better teacher preparation at the university level
insure all schools are well-equipped with rudimentary things like WiFi, computers, clean facilities, books, supplies
make sure administrators and school boards are properly vetted
mandate "lack of success” schools receive immediate consequences
stop teaching ideologies of socialism and get back to preparing our children for the 21st century of a country built on achievement and competition through democracy
The opening of this blog stated: The death of public education may be ours to forecast, to experience firsthand or ours to prevent. Let’s vote at the ballot box for the latter: it is time we prevent the further downward spiral ending in the ultimate death of American education.
TUNE IN SOON. Here’s a tease: How to deal with the Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde administrators who are driving away good teachers and lessening the impact of productive education.
PLEASE SHARE THIS LINK WITH ANY AND ALL . Read more of my thoughts at: rescuetheteacher.com. If you’re experiencing unfair practices in your teaching position, please reach out to me at rescuetheteacher@yahoo.com! Here is even a better idea: propose a book study of Rescue the Teacher, Save the Child! for your school district. I would be happy to come and lead it!