“Dropping out is quitting on yourself”
This concludes my look at President Obama’s plans to improve American education. CLICK HERE if you missed part one.
President Obama does not accept the current high-school dropout rate in America, which is among the highest of any industrialized nation. The rate has tripled over the past 30 years. He also is opposed to charter schools, which operate outside the public system but still receive taxpayer funding.
Student performance is also a serious issue. Former President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act was toothless, so President Obama vows to set more “uniform and rigorous” standards for reading and math tests at the elementary school level. Current law forces states to measure student achievement by standardized tests. If yearly progress is not evident, the school loses federal funds. Yet the main weakness in the program is that individual districts have been allowed to low-ball their standards so that they won’t be seen as failures.
How’s that for working the system at our kids’ expense?
President Obama’s answer is clear. “The solution to low test scores is not lower standards – it’s tougher, clearer standards.”
Attempts to exorcise No Child Left Behind in Congress have previously stalled, as teachers’ unions complained that the requirements were “too rigid.” Some Republicans passed the buck by claiming it wasn’t the federal government’s job to help educate it’s citizenry. Of course not. That way, the people might be informed enough not to vote for the likes of you. The horror, Republicans!
American dream at stake
“The relative decline of American education is untenable for our economy, it’s unsustainable for our democracy, it’s unacceptable for our children,” said Obama. “What’s at stake is nothing less than the American dream.”
More funding is clearly needed. But President Obama doesn’t stop there. As the most important education a child receives comes from his parents, the president calls upon mothers and fathers across the nation to be more accountable for their children’s learning.
We must spend time with our children in enriching activities. Allow for less time in front of the television, Xbox, Facebook or cell phone; honor the commitment you made to them when you created life. Show your children love.
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I take issue with the implication that educated citizens would not vote Republican. In truth Republicans in general are opposed to free handouts to citizens who expect ‘something for nothing’. We are for offering a helping hand when needed. We just expect that once citizens are back on their feet, they will contribute back to society. With that said. I’m all for better education in order to prevent the need for a helping hand to begin with.