Reply #32: Today, our nation's public schools

[teacher gal]

are confronted with a student population that presents challenges unprecedented in our history and in the world. We are the most diverse nation on earth and we have the highest rate of childhood poverty among all the wealthy nations. Quite shameful given we are the richest nation on earth.

Poverty and its deprivations and other societal ills have a huge impact on childhood growth and development..cognitively, socially, behaviorally. Rather than confront directly the issues at the root of the achievement gaps, our public schools are routinely scapegoated with never-ending cycles of useless reforms imposed upon them - recycled reforms that divert the nation's attention from the real elephants in our classrooms.

I've posted this before, but if anyone is interested, here is a post on poverty and the scapegoating of public schools from my blog: http://aplacetorespond.blogspot.com/2008/01/were-number-one-erin-childhood-poverty.html