Who You Calling A "Failure?" (MA Educrats Won't Use The "F" Word)

Boston Herald ^ | March 27, 2008 | Michael Graham

[suspects]

For Massachusetts’ worst public schools, failure is not an option.

Literally.

The Department of Education is considering a request to drop the label “underperforming” for failing schools in places like Randolph, Lawrence and Holyoke. Instead Massachusetts would declare these schools “Commonwealth Priority” institutions.

For those institutions that truly excel at incompetence, currently known as “Chronically Underperforming,” the new title would be “Priority One” schools.

You can just imagine the delight in the hallways of Lawrence High. “Our school’s a ‘Commonwealth Priority!’ I wish I could spell that.”

“Don’t worry, they’re going to grade our spelling tests on the ‘Commonwealth Curve’ too. Now we can be illiterate and feel great about it!”

For those of you in Roslindale, “illiterate” means the inability to read.

I mention Roslindale because the principal of Washington Irving Middle School won’t accept failure, either. His strategy for kids who can’t do basic math er, who are “non-traditionally enumerated,” is (allegedly) to hand out the MCAS tests to teachers in advance.

And he’s not alone. These alternative testing strategies - also known as “cheating” - are on the rise at schools across the state, according to the Department of Education. Last year alone, 20 teachers were involved in MCAS cheating.

Why do they do it? “Those who can, do; Those who can’t, cheat,” to quote George Bernard Shaw’s dyslexic cousin.

School bureaucrats hate standardized testing. They hate academic standards even more. But most of all, they loathe accurate reporting of their results.

And so Larry Azer, chairman of the Randolph School Committee, begged the Department of Education to abandon unfair, loaded labels...

“When schools are labeled as underachieving, I don’t see what it serves other than just to call them out,” Azer said. “When the town hears ‘underperforming,’ the average person thinks these students are underperforming.”

[Nathan Zachary]

Then they wonder why the welfare rolls are so high. “graduates from their high schools aren’t even fit to work at mac Donalds.

[Jim Noble]

The hypocrisy of all parties, right and left, to the public education debate, is staggering.

The Boston public schools, like all other large urban systems, enroll a student population with an average IQ of about 85.

It is an entirely unproven hypothesis that such a population can sustain (or needs) a high school education.

And yet, when such schools are rated in terms of "100% success" or "no child left behind", failure is inevitable. Failure is a design feature of the system.

Now, my children don't go to public school. I would abolish public schools, if I could, and for many reasons.

I do NOT, however, criticize them for failing when failure is inevitable.

The notion that low-IQ students and peasants from the third world can and should achieve, past fifth or sixth grade, to the same standard as average Americans (IQ 100) is cruel and absurd.

Unless the students destined to fail are given their own separate system, so they can achieve what is possible for them, on their own terms, the downward spiral will continue.

[txzman]

Just watch this country 20 years from now. Liberals will be screaming about 2 new ‘classes’ in America - those who can read, write and think and those who cannot.

The latter will be educated and raised by said liberals. Just like their precious welfare state.

[Maceman]

Michael Graham is a hoot. He can be heard live at wtkk.com. He’s on Monday-Friday between 9am-12 noon EST.

[trisham]

I listen to him five days a week. He’s smart and funny.

[MarkL]

Unless the students destined to fail are given their own separate system, so they can achieve what is possible for them, on their own terms, the downward spiral will continue.

Which is where "mainstreaming" comes in, in order to pull down those who CAN achieve. That way they're able to increase the roles of the uneducated, making as many people as possible dependent on the government.

Mark

[Malesherbes]

The only solution: every child born in the US of A should get three things before leaving the hospital = (1) a Social Security number tattooed on his/her arm, (2) a million dollar annuity adjusted for inflation, and (3) a Ph.D.

[MrB]

Then they wonder why the welfare rolls are so high.

For some reason you don't understand that this is the GOAL, not an unforeseen unintended consequence.

[N. Theknow]