This is actually an excellent, well-reasoned column (up until the final paragraphs where Juan begs for more money for the teachers unions). Academic success has always been 95% parents and 5% schools, and it (hopefully!) always will be. Kids were generally getting pretty well educated with very little in the way of resources throughout the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century (up until about the time of ‘Brown’, ironically).
The decline of most urban government schools over the past few decades is the direct result of feel-good liberalism, which relentlessly “lowered the bar” until the most under-achieving students became the common denominator, and welfare-state socialism which all but destroyed the inner city family unit by replacing the family father with a welfare check. (Thank you, Democrats.)
(Why in God’s name blacks remain overwhelmingly Democrat is a mystery for the ages. There MUST be more to it than stupidity.)
I guess Juan doesn’t realize the teacher’s unions always want the status quo. The left calls itself progressive, but when it comes down to it, the left never wants to step out into the vision. Their primary attraction is to the security.
And we call ourselves traditional conservatives, but it is the right that is willing to try new things. Newt has fascinating ideas for education, but the left won’t let their gravy train of control ever be disrupted.
Could you pull out a quote that undergirds your assertion. I've read the last paragraph, and I just don't see "show me the money." I see "the challenge for brave leaders now is to deliver on the promise of a good education for every child." His quote, "The federal No Child Left Behind plan has many critics, but there’s no denying that it is an effective tool for forcing teachers’ unions and school administrators to take responsibility for educating poor and minority students" would seem to undermine the assertion that it's all about money.