No Child Left Behind: The Biggest Broken Promise in a Generation

[sfecap]

No Child Left Behind: The Biggest Broken Promise in a Generation

FARGO--In a town hall meeting here today, Governor Howard Dean, M.D., criticized the President's failure to follow through on the promises of No Child Left Behind:

"Today, the President is visiting a St. Louis area school to celebrate the second anniversary of the 'No Child Left Behind' act. Following his speech he will attend a fundraiser where he is expected to raise $2.5 million. Less than 30 miles away, the Northwest School District in Jefferson County is awaiting a February vote on whether to increase property taxes in order to generate $2.4 million to help cover school budget shortfalls of $4.8 million.

"Increased property taxes are just one example of the Bush Tax, the amount that ordinary people pay in increased property taxes and higher payments for services to cover President Bush's misplaced priorities. President Bush had no problem finding money for lavish tax breaks for millionaires, or over $150 billion for his misguided war in Iraq. But when it comes to fully funding his NCLB mandates, schools are out of luck.

"Nothing illustrates the President's misplaced priorities better than the his actions today. Instead of trying to solve problems so that government works for the people again--so that the Northwest School District doesn't need to raise taxes by $2.4 million--the President has illustrated his true priorities by attending a fundraiser where he will raise $2.5 million for his campaign coffers--for a primary in which he faces no opponent.

"The Northwest School District is not the exception. Districts across America have been forced to increase taxes or lay-off teachers, increase class sizes, and consider closing school doors. Many communities have made these sacrifices and have still been forced to raise taxes.

"This year we have the power to change our system, so that it works for the people again. By reclaiming our democracy, we can tell the politicians in Washington that our children matter more than fancy fundraisers and special interest money."

www.blogforamerica.com

[revcarol]

1. As a Kucinich supporter,

I say: RIGHT ON, DEAN!!

[funky_bug]

2. As a Clark supporter

I say, "Well said, Dr. Dean." One mention of No Child Left Behind and my blood runs hot. I'm happy to see our candidates addressing this debacle of unfunded mandates.

[Rowdyboy]

3. Good call, Dr Dean!

See, some of us didn't get the memo that you must hate all candidates but the one you support.

[Scott Lee]

4. No Child Left Behind's real mission - harvest soldiers.

I'm amazed at how often this is overlooked. The NCLB act has a fairly obscure, quiet mission - to harvest soldiers in the public schools. The military takes deft advantage of this new law collects all sorts of personal information on the students so they can recruit, and also have draft information at the ready when the Warchimp (or someone worse) decides that we are running too low on soldiers for the multinationals and war profiteers. Locally, it's all too evident in that the schools are actually designated by the branch of the armed forces that most heavily recruits there.

No Child Left Behind is a quietly ugly program to swell the ranks of the US military not for defense, but as fodder for the PNAC agenda and the dream of US global dominion. The best thing that could happen is that this thing is summarily struck down, or at least replaced with an act that truly seeks to benefit America's kids instead of prep them for a transfer tube.

[ithacan]

12. no, it's to destroy public schools

The military info part is a side issue, though extremely troubling.

The real goal is to ensure that public schools fail. This is a key goal of the "Christian" right which controls the GOP. They believe that government should not be involved in schooling.

And the NCLB act is set up to ensure failure.

Of course, in a roundabout way this does support your point, Scott. Because the kind of "education" kids'll get in "christian" schools will qualify them for little else but fighting for god...

[lcordero]

5. Broken promise?

That abomination was a trojan horse. The only parts that are being enforced are the worst and most nastiest parts.

[Killarney]

6. Well said, Dean. n/t

[Democrats unite]

7. Good work Dean

Everyone keep the preasue up on that idiot!

[eileen from OH]

8. this is all fine and good. . .

but what often gets ignored is that it isn't just that it's an unfunded mandate, but it is a lousy, steenkin' idea, period. It begins with the premise that bad, underachieving schools can be identified by testing, testing, testing. Money that could be used to advance the 3Rs is forced into paying for those 3Ts. IF they had the money in the first place. It is a HUGE bureaucratic boondoggle. Ask any teacher or prinicipal or parent (i.e., people who actually KNOW) what they need and the answer WON'T be more tests. How about schools that aren't falling apart, smaller classrooms, textbooks that aren't years out of date, school supplies so teachers don't have to pay for them, improved salaries for teachers, and ah, jeez, the list goes on.

AND it is so insulting. It basically says that schools fail because of lousy teachers and principals and if we can only IDENTIFY these slackers, well, that'll fix everything.

Honestly, this is one issue that makes my blood boil. I'm a former teacher and just once I wish they'd put somebody who'd actually BEEN in a classroom in charge of some of this stuff instead of simplistic idealogues.

My sister-in-law teaches LD kids, some of whom can barely read, and she was forced to spend a week in prepping and actually giving the SAME tests that were given to the non-LD kids. How stoopid is that? So she's a failure, I guess. And all those kids are too. At the same time, she needs another aide and materials and . . .well, she couldn't even get out the words for how stoopid it all was.

rant over.

eileen from OH

[revcarol]

9. Gee, wh'd I miss?

I have someone on ignore and I miss all the good stuff. How do you turn off ignore?

[LWolf]

10. Click on your profile

in the lobby. It should let you update your ignore list!

[LWolf]

11. Thank you, Dr. Dean!

And for those of you who would like to make your objections public:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=987310