I don't use the American public education system directly. I attended a small girls' parochial school (30 in my graduating class), a private university and a private law school. I spend a small fortune to send my teenage children to schools with acceptance rates that mirror the Ivy League Colleges. So why did I recently apply to join the board of my local public high school, a sprawling institution with more than 2,700 students from 100 zip codes, that is embroiled in debate about how to finance busing half its students from outside the district as the budget shrinks?
As a practical matter, I was activated by two things. First, I read my friend Bim Ayandele's moving piece for this section of the Huffington Post about his response to Waiting for Superman, the education documentary by Davis Guggenheim. Second, I was reading my local newspaper and saw a small notice requesting applications for the board of the local high school. I noticed with interest that in addition to parent representatives, the school was looking for two community members who do not have children enrolled in the school.
I sat at my computer and began typing:
I have been active in charitable work to increase diversity in independent schools in the Los Angeles area, but have been looking for a way to aid our public school system, the backbone of our nation's educational system and the prerequisite for meaningful democracy. My teenage children attend private schools that have very small classes and tremendous resources. I hope in some way to help all children have access to the tools necessary to prepare them for full participation in the political, economic, cultural and social fabric of American society... I would be grateful to serve as a community representative on your Board of Directors.
My experience with the Independent Alliance for Minority Affairs in Los Angeles has introduced me to top educators whose schools are breeding grounds for young minds who easily gain acceptance to the top ranked universities in America and abroad. For the past ten years, Alliance students have received $52.3 million dollars in financial aid from member schools, and 100 percent of Alliance graduating seniors have gone on to college, often at Ivy League institutions.
It has been my honor to help open the doors of excellent independent schools to children of every race, ethnicity and socioeconomic background. This diversity is not only beneficial to the kids on scholarships, but to every child who gets to learn from his or her fellow classmates as they prepare to participate fully in an increasingly global and interconnected world. Children who attend these schools continue their education after high school and find economically and intellectually stimulating work as a result.
I will never forget listening to a lecture at an Alliance meeting by the Reveta Bowers, Head of The Center for Early Education. A recognized leader in her field, Bowers has served as president of the California Association of Independent Schools and treasurer of the National Association of Independent Schools. Dr. Bowers spoke about the abysmal failures of the California public educational system to educate and graduate our youth. Although official statistics put graduation rates at around 50 percent, Dr. Bowers revealed that the number is actually lower as the school system does a poor job of keeping track of families who move often.
And this disastrous graduation rate is not unique to Los Angeles. In a report on graduation rates around the country, the America Promise Alliance also showed that
"nationwide, nearly one in three U.S. high school students fails to graduate with a diploma. In total, approximately 1.2 million students drop out each year -- averaging 7,000 every school day or one every 26 seconds. Among minority students, the problem is even more severe, with nearly 50 percent of African American and Hispanic students not completing high school on time."
The American Promise Alliance report "Cities in Crisis 2009: Closing the Graduation Gap" also looked at the economic and employment landscape for those with varied educational levels, including those without a high school diploma. It revealed that
"those who drop out of high school are less likely to be steadily employed, and earn less income when they are employed, compared with those who graduate from high school. Approximately one-third (37 percent) of high school dropouts nationwide are steadily employed and are more than twice as likely to live in poverty. Nationally, high school dropouts were also the only group of workers who saw income levels decline over the last 30 years."
I like the starfish parable about the child who is saving a few from dying stranded on the sand by throwing as many as he can back into the water. An old man tells him his task is futile and that more starfish will be stranded by the tides than the boy could ever save. But the boy continues because every starfish he saves has significance despite the statistics. That metaphor certainly applies to every child who is saved through a great education. But I once heard a retelling of this parable by Jim Kennedy at the UCLA Lab School in which he said that his goal as school head was not just to save as many starfish as he could, but to raise the tide so that all the star fish have a chance.
That idea motivates me to move beyond my efforts to move selected students to exceptional schools that can practically guarantee success, but to dedicate myself as well to raising the tide for the majority of children at my local public school. I will continue with both endeavors because each child is precious, and "Justice delayed is Justice denied." It will take years and a great national shift in priorities to correct what ails our public school system.
I do have a personal desire to work toward the day that every child can have excellent educational experiences like my own children enjoy. I encourage my fellow Americans, regardless of your parental status or direct utilization of our tax supported public educational system, to consider making a personal commitment to public education in your community. Volunteer work, donations, charitable giving...there are so many ways to become active in the future of the next generation of American citizens. This investment is sure to pay off in many ways, including a greater connection between ourselves and those who will inherit this country.
Yesterday I received notice of my acceptance as a member of the local high school board! My next report will be from the front lines. I hope you will join me there.
External data and advice had little influence on the School Reformer. No data, no logic, no facts, no reason will change him. No ill-advice that blew was bitterer than he, no failing test scores were more intent upon its purpose, no earnest press less open to entreaty. Foul polls didn’t know where to have him. The heaviest fears, and cries, and tales, and pleas, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. They often “came down” profoundly, and the Reformer never listened.
Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, “My dear Reformer, how are you? When will you come to my public school?” No college implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was to read to learn, no man ever once in all his life inquired the best way to teach, of the Reformer. Even the uneducated man’s dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, “No education at all is better than an evil lie, dark reformer!”
But what did the Reformer care! It was the very thing he liked. To edge his way along the crowded paths of schools, warning all human sympathy to keep its distance, was what the knowing ones call “nuts” the Reformer. "Public! School! Bah! Humbug!" "Kids! Bah! Humbug!"
Paying my taxes pays Teachers to do a job. Do your job, ... Geez. Many of these Teachers and Administrators should be fired for poor performance, thus experience the same job risks as everyone else. How about these Teachers volunteer to help with MY job one of these days? Maybe it would broaden their perspective, help them teach what kids will eventually need in the real world.
I'm tired of people in the education system using our kids as tools to raise taxes. Enough taxes are already collected in the name of schools, teachers, and kids. Teacher's get paid for a full year, yet only work for 9 months. I'd like to have the whole summer off every year. Teacher pay at an entry level is commensurate with other similar lines of work ... long term the pay, benefits, and retirement package of Teachers far exceed that of similar jobs in the Private Sector.
We don't need to volunteer, School Administrators and Teachers need to get to work.
Because they pay stinks and it's hard, thankless work!
The pay sure as hell doesn't stink any you Teachers only work 180+ days for it. ... but I'll admit it sure can be a tough, thankless job as are many other jobs.
My daughter's special ed high school had an 87 percent rate of graduates going onto college...but they are getting KILLED by funding cuts.
So no...paying your taxes isn't enough.
Educating yourself on education? Priceless.
I do not like these Reforms
I do not like them, Jeeze Louise
I would not test them here or there.
I would not test them anywhere.
We test, we quiz
We plan, we meet
But nothing ever seems complete.
Would you, could you
Like the test?
I do not like the test I see
Not test 1, not test 2, not test 3
Another change
A brand new bubble
I think we all
Have lost our minds.
Could you all meet here or there?
We could not all meet here or there.
We cannot all fit anywhere.
Not in a room
Not in the hall
There seems to be no space at all.
Would you, could you meet again?
I cannot meet again next week
No lunch no prep
Please hear me speak.
No, not at dusk. No, not at dawn
At 5 pm I should be gone.
Could you hear while all yell out?
Would you write the words they spout?
I could not hear, I would not write
This does not need to be a fight.
Test here, test there,
Test everywhere
Beware the teachers panic attack.
You do not like them
So you say
Try again! Try again!
And you may.
If you will let me be,
I will try again
You will see.
Say!
I almost like these Tests
I think I'll give 2003.
And kids will practice day and night
Until they say
"We got it right!
http://reading-sage.blogspot.com/
It sounds strange just teaching reading and literacy skills for 20 days but the kids love it. We sing, read great books, poems, fairy tales, fables, riddles, jokes, plays, and have fun. I have done this the last four years and the kids make great gains in speaking English, reading and language arts. 31% class wide average gain in reading this year in twenty days! 37% of my class came in below grade level in reading and after 25 days of boot camp they are 74% at the mean in reading. (NWEA MAP) Thanks so much for taking time to respond to your article post, and visiting my website. Sean Taylor M.Ed. I would love a visit this spring or next fall!
I'm sure they'll be complaining about old out of date textbooks after just a couple of years, low Teacher pay, need to raise taxes again, etc.
Anyway, I did read part of your blog and have a question: What are the limits of Whole Language Learning?
"We are all concerned about the future of American education. But as I tell my students, you do not enter the future -- you create the future. The future is created through hard work."
— Jaime Escalante
I wish more people would realize that when middle class and upper class families pull out of the local public schools, they take not just their financial resources but their knowledge and experience.
Yesterday I received notice of my acceptance as a member of the local high school board!
Isn't That Enough?
I'm afraid not, Lisa. Having never read the little essays (re:)stored on my profile page and elsewhere, you're not only on the wrong page, you're reading the wrong book (and from where I sit, it looks like it might be the book of Mammon). My book (still very much in the rough draft stage at the moment) contains words and phrases like philosophy, 'minimize irreversibility', 'polymathic macroethicist', 'evolutionary psychology', subevolutionism, 'status and comfort addiction', xenoapathy, credentialism, ''normative economics', 'progressive national consumption taxes', 'equalization payments', 'sustainable, healthy necessities', 'unsustainable, unhealthy luxuries', economy, patience, 'hooked on books', horticulture, health, self-defense, , defense, acting, fun, pedagogy, ethics, 'elbow grease', 'chores', 'rooftop community gardens', 'solar greenhouses', 'composting toilets'...
Now that they are called masters, [they] are ashamed again to become disciples.
- Tommaso Campanella
I'll expect a summary on my desk tomorrow morning. Class dismissed.
Girls blindfolded, tied to trees and shot
The African nation of Somalia has been swept up in chaos since 1991. The latest incident to show how anarchy and violence reigns in the countryside are the execution of two teenaged girls accused of spying for the government.
According to a local journalist, the two girls were blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs against a tree and shot. A Beledweyne resident told CNN that Al-Shabaab called on the town's residents to come out and watch the execution.
"Hundreds of people came out to watch the execution," he said. "It was very bad ... the girls looked shocked and were crying but [no one] could help."
"My cousin, Ayan Mohamed Jama, was just 16 years old and she was absolutely innocent," said one of her relatives, who did not want their name used out of fear of retribution from Al-Shabaab. "And Al-Shabaab caught her and the other girl between El-gal and Beledweyne and simply accused them of what they were not."
The other girl was reportedly only 15 years of age. Al-Shabaab refused their families' request to see the teens while they were in detention, "and they executed them at a public gathering, so this is inhumane and [cruel]."
(Catholic Online)