Some racial groups are not scoring as well as others in academic testing. Some demographics have a higher number of behavior issues. How do we fix this? Should we "dumb-down" the standards and rules to close the achievement gap? Because that is what I'm seeing from our education system right now. Don't tell me some people can't live up to the standards. That is simply not true and another backhanded form of discrimination. If you work hard and obey the rules, good things should happen.
My wife is from a family of immigrants and she was born across the world from where she lives now. Her family were refugees when she arrived in the USA. She now has her Master's degree in Education and teaches Art. When I met her she was teaching jr. high. The artwork the students created was spectacular. When the art program was cut due to funding, she left that district for a new one with a new emerging art program for elementary age kids. I expected the artwork would be less... spectacular because of the younger ages of the kids. I was wrong. I asked her how her students could do such great work? She answered simply, "I have high standards and the students try hard."
That is the direction we should be heading instead of treating some people like they are unable to achieve. That is telling them it is OK to be underachievers. That is telling them that they can't do it; so don't try.
This liberal idea that we need to lower the standards is not working. At a parent engagement event at our school district last evening, I was alarmed to learn that in-spite of such misguided efforts, the gap still exists. Shall we lower the standards more?
Shouldn't academic achievement be celebrated more than becoming a street thug? Because until we address attitudes and help to create strong, caring families for kids, this will be a problem for a long time. No matter their color, religion, origin—they can achieve. Don't try to tell me they can't!
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