Look at Iraq and Hurricane Katrina - Why Should We Think NCLB is Good for Schools? -

This is a press release for a new book, which might be worth a read. It's by

Debra Craig, ... her newly released, sassy-titled book, 'Why Is the Teacher’s Butt So Big? Plus 111 Other Mysteries of Public Education' hopes to become the touchstone of the new education revolution in America. Her first target: Deconstructing No Child Left Behind

Sounds like a plan to me. Here's some more...

"While I believe the government had good intentions when they passed this bi-partisan legislation, the basic premise of NCLB is very flawed," Debra elaborated. "It's truly absurd to think that EVERY child, regardless of race, background, motivation, biological ability, parental support, or lack of parental support is able to become "proficient" or even "advanced" on some artificial and arbitrary state assessment test given at the end of the school year. I don't know if there's anything we can say all people are proficient at except maybe breathing and even then, people with asthma might want to argue that statement."

Debra also thinks if children are all able to obtain some assigned government standard, then why stop there? "Why doesn't the government come up with a No Adult Left Behind program mandating that all adults earn a minimum income of $50,000 a year. Look at all of the problems that would solve in our society."

She also is upset that the government thinks schools are "leaving behind children" because of race. This Southern California teacher agrees that an "achievement gap" exists in schools, but disagrees it's because teachers aren't teaching to certain subgroups of students. "It's ridiculous to think teachers aren't teaching to all students. The achievement gap isn't about race, but about socio-economic levels.

The premise of NCLB is alot like blaming the leaders of all those poor black folks in New Orleans for the destruction of Katrina. Those with means got out of town everyone else got left behind. Sounds like our education system to me. Maybe we, as a society do need to give everyone the means to get out.