Rewriting No Child Left Behind: Competing views

CAT Tracks Editor's Note:

An eloquent, passionate plea by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)...

...that once again disregards the real problem driving the injustices she cites...

...the real problem being P-O-V-E-R-T-Y!

Just one example of Senator Murray naivete:

"And, on average, kids from low-income neighborhoods don’t have access to qualified and experienced teachers, like students from wealthier neighborhoods. That needs to change."

But, the Bush/Obama "solution", that Senator Murray wants to continue, is test, test, test...fire, fire, fire the "bad teachers"...close, close, close the "failing schools.

And, then...

..."highly qualified and experienced teachers" will beat a path to the gutted educational institutions in poverty-stricken neighborhoods?

Really?

Hell no!

If these teachers wanted to go to run-down neighborhoods, run-down schools, with students (who through no fault of their own) are not reading or doing math anywhere near grade level, they would have already done so! In our (small "d") democratic society, people (even teachers!) get to choose where they work.

"We, the People" can't force a teacher to work in a "bad school".

And why would such a teacher make such a "choice"? If a "highly effective" teacher relocates in a failing school, guess what, they will soon - after the next high-stakes standardized test - be rated/labeled as failing! And after a couple of years - or whatever the evaluation schedule calls for - that once "high qualified" teacher (who is now a "failing, 'bad teacher'") - will be fired. Next!

Contrary to popular movies about "Super Teachers", well, it only happens in the movies.

The true villain, the 800-pound gorilla that will chew up whatever teacher ventures into these desolate communities is P-O-V-E-R-T-Y!

To dream the impossible dream...

...to fight the unbeatable foe?

Well, good luck with that!

Oh, Senator Murray gives lip service to more money for schools located in areas of poverty.

Bears repeating:

Good luck with that!

It's time for a reality check for Senator Murray, President Obama, and their fellow Democrats...

...the Republicans are in charge of Congress, in charge of the "purse strings"!

Republicans don't do "money" for the 99%, much less for the 20% plus who are mired in P-O-V-E-R-T-Y! Oh, they will pass legislation to facilitate the draining of available resources into the pockets of their business "partners"...the testing companies, the digital providers, et al...which will mean less money for basic necessities...including paying those "highly qualified" teachers who are just chomping at the bit to fill the vacancies created by the next purge of "bad teachers".

Okay, okay, somebody stop me!

Didn't intend to rant this morning, but...

...big "D" Democrats who are drinking the George W. Bush education kool-aid just piss me off.

"It's sad, so sad, it's a sad, sad situation, and it's getting more and more absurd" when teachers have to hope and pray that the Republicans who hate anything that Barack Obama does (like breathing) and the Republicans who championed states' rights (until NCLB) pass a new ESEA to roll back high-stakes testing mania.

Sadly...

If the Republicans were to "do the right thing" (for the wrong reasons) and pass such a bill...

"Democratic" President Barack Obama stands ready to wield his veto pen!