Democrats Offer Plans to Revamp Schools Law

[flashl]

Democrats are dividing into camps as they debate a new course for education policy after President Bush leaves office.

On Wednesday, a group of a dozen prominent educators and lawmakers, led by Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein of New York and the Rev. Al Sharpton, said the United States’ public schools shortchanged poor black and Latino children in a way that was “shameful,” and urged Washington to squeeze teachers and administrators harder to raise achievement among minorities.

On Tuesday, about 60 prominent educators and academics issued another manifesto, which criticized the federal No Child Left Behind law and argued that schools alone could not close a racial achievement gap rooted in economic inequality. They urged a new emphasis on health clinics and other antipoverty programs that could help poor students arrive at school ready to learn.

The groups issuing the statements were composed overwhelmingly of Democrats.

NY Times

[HereSince1628]

1. Blame the teachers...

...urged Washington to squeeze teachers and administrators harder to raise achievement among minorities...


That's just dandy.

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2. "They urged a new emphasis on health clinics and other antipoverty programs that could help " ...

"poor students arrive at school ready to learn."

[HereSince1628]

3. In the article there is also the quote that I cited

I didn't just make that up.

There are MANY contributors to the variance in literacy and numeracy.

[flashl]

4. Exactly, and the point of the follow-up. It's larger than a teacher/parent/student blame game. nt