Rename Law? No Wisecrack Is Left Behind

[groovedaddy]

WASHINGTON — Two years ago, an effort to fix No Child Left Behind, the main federal law on public schools, provoked a grueling slugfest in Congress, leading Representative George Miller, Democrat of California, to say the law had become “the most negative brand in America.”

Education Secretary Arne Duncan agrees. “Let’s rebrand it,” he said in an interview. “Give it a new name.”

And before Mr. Duncan has had time to float a single name, scores of educators, policy wonks and assorted rabble-rousers have rushed in with an outpouring of proposals.

The civil rights leader Marian Wright Edelman took the high road, suggesting it be called the Quality Education for All Children Act. But a lot of wise guys have gotten in on the act too, with suggestions like the All American Children Are Above Average Act. Alternatives are popping up every day on the Eduwonk.com blog, where Andrew Rotherham, a former Clinton administration official, is sponsoring a rename-the-law contest.

One entry, alluding to the bank bailout program, suggests that it be called the Mental Asset Recovery Plan. Another proposal: the Act to Help Children Read Gooder.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/education/23child.html?th&emc=th

[MessiahRp]

1. I think the whole act should be dropped altogether

Gearing children to pass inconsequential tests at the expense of other subjects that are now tossed to the backburner is horrible teaching. My son's school geared students to pass NCLB Math and Reading tests but completely cut out or eliminated: Social Studies (Geography and History), Most Science, Music, Art....

My son is not getting half of the elementary school education I had in the 1980s. It's pretty ridiculous.

Rp

[CrispyQ]

2. An old time fave:

;)

[mzteris]

3. most of the homeschoolers I know call it the

No Child Gets Ahead Act.

[shesaidshesaid]

4. Rather than come up with a smartass answer, I'd rather work to rid ourselves

of this attack against TRUE education in this country...