These chapters continued the discussion we started about the efficiency of the NCLB Act and the fraud that this system perpetrates within the public school system. Chapter 3, focused on the differences that already existed between different social classes namely Black, Latino, and Caucasian and how NCLB maginifies these disparities by trying to “equalize” education based on standardized test scores. According to the chapter under NCLB if the schools do not achieve 100% passing from all its students, funding and other government monies will be taken away from the schools and they will be placed on the failing schools list. After reading this chapter, it brings to mind the previous class discussion we had about White Priviledge and the prevalence of contemporary racism. I agreed with this view though many in class did not, this chapter highlights the obvious discussion that many people do not want to have. Though education in terms of integration and overall standard curriculum has evolved it would be impossible to say in my opinion that racism and class priviledge is not apparent. It was obvious as it is still obvious that in certain neighborhoods like the suburbs certain opportunites are afforded to these children. The chapter discussed how if children do not have adequate nutrition and health insurance for example they may not perform well in school which will lead to bad scores on standardized tests and the revocation of federal funding. Alot of times we as a society are quick to pass judgment on schools and teachers but many times factors such as home environment, financial ability, and general security in terms of having a home and the actual presence of parents outside of the school environment is as important to a child’s performance in school. NCLB makes the point that these disparities came into play because of the decreasing standards of education which they are supposely gong to fix with their Act but in effect the issue is not a recent one but one that has been swept under the rug for many years.
I agree with the concepts presented in Chapted 4 which states that education should be placed back in the hands of ordinary citizens because they should control something that directly affects their children and the future leaders of tomorrow. For some reason it appears that public education is being controlled by everyone besides those who it directly affects, as presented in the chapter though Democracy is messy, it is one of the founding factors of our country so why is the public being denied their constitutional rights. I think that if the public were able to directly control education and its standards then its classes would come together and realize that though class differences do exist, it is more about the children than the disparities that have always existed and they can change that stigma for future generations. I think it would encourage an inclusive educational culture instead of the one that we have now and the continuation of this culture as perpetuated by NCLB.
Is Democracy really a messy concept when discussing the solution to public educational disparity or is it a scape-goat being used by the government to encourage class educational disparity? What role do students and teachers really play in the usage of NCLB tactics, should students and teachers take more of an active role in protesting NCLB and the disparities it encourages?Are Special Education students to blame for the low test scores on standardized tests , should they be tested separately or should their test scores even be counted on a large scale to represent part of the public school community?
