What do Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal, Juan Williams and Cory Booker have in common? Well, for one, they all spoke at the recent American Federation for Children (AFC) Summit in Jersey City, New Jersey. But, more significantly, at the summit, each openly and passionately shared their own personal stories through family reflections that led them to have a deep and abiding commitment to the education of our kids.
Governor Christie reflected on his parents' decision to move when he was a child so that he and his siblings could attend some of the better schools in New Jersey. He spoke of his parents' hopes and dreams for himself and his siblings and their willingness to do whatever they could to give them a good education. Similarly, Governor Jindal shared his own experiences growing up with parents who were committed to watching him excel in his education. Governor Jindal relayed how, as the son of immigrants, he understood first-hand the opportunities that were available in America, but only through hard work. Jindal related the taskmaster trait of his father, something he appreciates now more than he did when he was young. Jindal has adopted his parents belief that education is the gateway to the future and that all Americans should have an equal opportunity to access a quality education.
Then there was my friend Juan Williams, who shared his personal story of his own struggle to achieve a quality education when he spoke about his mother's dedication to seeing her son succeed. Only educated to a fourth grade level, Juan's mother always wanted more for her children. Juan's mother worked hard to get him in a highly regarded private school so he could have a better life.
Finally, Newark Mayor Cory Booker shared the heartbreaking story of how his parents put it all on the line so that their children could attend a school outside of their neighborhood. When they tried to move in order to place Cory in a better school, they were unable to because of the color of their skin. But his parents were determined. Only after getting a lawyer were they able to move into a neighborhood with a good school system. Cory has become a leader of the urban education reform movement because he understands that a zip code should not determine the outcome of one's future. Mayor Booker also understands the clear civil rights component to the education reform movement.
In articulating their own stories, each of these men spoke passionately in support of parental school choice. Yes, they support school system reform. Indeed, Governors Jindal and Christie have championed performance pay and other education reforms, but their collective words bring into focus the 'fierce urgency of now' need for school reform, reminiscent of the civil rights movement of the sixties. In other words, we can't wait for schools to get better while we continue to lose kids. We must act now by immediately implementing education reforms for kids in low-performing schools.
This need extends beyond race, class or partisan politics. The beauty of the words spoken by these men at the AFC conference was that they were delivered with sincerity as a result of their own life experiences. Indeed, I have long believed that we will fix education only when our leaders have a personal commitment to the education of our nation's children that mirrors the commitment they have for the education of their own kids. After hearing these men speak, I know that at least some of our leaders are moving in the right direction.
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We, as a nation, have already given way too much money to districts that are full of students that just dont care.
As far as parents moving into better school districts for their children... well, thats because these are the parents that care, and because they care, and participate in their childrens schooling, they will not tolerate the BS that goes on in certain school districts.
Wanting more "reform" from the government will not save anything. Perhaps the parents should be going to parenting school.
The chartered school program is a mystery to me. States are forming chartered schools, for example, states are hiring people from Turkey to run the chartered schools, bringing them into the country giving them jobs, which means taking jobs away from Americans.
The fact that they speak very little English and their credentials are questionable and their countries murder of women without punishment makes me wonder what are we doing? This bears investigation by the Department of Justice, everybody should get behind a push to determine who started this movement and what do expect to get from it, and take it from there.
Turkey knows how to say the right thing "we will not teach religion," even though it is impossible to leave religion out.
The reform must start at home, not at school.
Schools can do nothing when parents expect nothing.
The model to follow is that of immigrant uneducated poor from China, Korea and India (among others)
Those Immigrants dedicate their lives and family resources to educate the next generation of socially mobile children--- by demanding absolute best from them in return!!!
or
Remain mired in the narrative self-victimization and rationalizing personal failure on the Usual Suspects so popular in certain communities.
The days of sending children to school and getting back a decent adolescent with an education and some manners are long gone.
Academic success is mostly based on cultural predispositions and expectations and disciple-- not resources.
In countries like Taiwan, 50-student class without conditioning, with old school books where students are required to sweep the school yard, clean the trash-bins and do janitorial work
Yes student academic progress is far superior to many American urban and even suburban schools. Reasons: discipline, unquestioned teacher authority and refusal of parents to accept mediocrity. This is where it begins. And no amount of computers, untested teaching theories or wholesale escape from their neighborhoods going to change that.
Neighborhood schools are a reflection of their neighborhoods. Hence, people with adequate resources move into neighborhoods with "good" schools. Typically, there is not much difference between the schools and their teaching staffs - but the difference in the student bodies makes the difference between "good" and "bad".
If you are in a neighborhood with "bad" schools, home / online schooling may be a good option - it is not dragged down by the misbehavior of other students.