D.C. students rated worst writers in U.S.

The District's schoolchildren are the worst writers in the country, a national report says a month after the same students were ranked the nation's worst readers.

D.C. fourth-graders scored 18 points below the national average of 153 points on writing assessments last year, with more than one-fourth lacking even basic writing ability, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) said in "The Nation's Report Card: Writing 2002."

Book her, Dano.

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Not so. In fact DC, as pointed out by Tom Sowell and others, at one time had superb black schools -- in the days of segregation. In fact the number of individuals, such as General "Chappie" James who went on from those schools to great success was disproportionate.

What destroyed the D.C. schools was not integration nor their majority black population, but the mindless destruction of the "track" system whereby better students could be encouraged to advance at a faster rate with higher achievement goals and thus provide a natural order encouraging aspiration to succeed. Accompanying disasters were the destruction of the once strong ROTC corps, the allowance and even encouragement of the takeover of the schools by the "street" culture and the Marion Barry phenomenon.

By this last I mean organizing white liberals to knock out conservative, sound black leadership, and then turning on all whites with mau-mauing corruption including all the tactics later seen with Bill Clinton, including empowering felons, resistance to the enforcement of the drug laws in the schools or anywhere else in order to protect the "recreational" use of drugs by the leadership gang, payoffs and kickbacks of the crony capitalist variety and intimidation of anyone who tried to correct the situation. In such a climate how can there be anything resembling education?

The system got to the point that there were exactly four elementary schools where parents, battling constantly to do so, were able to preserve anything resembling education. It has not recovered.

And DC has one of the highest per-pupil spending rates in the country (about $15,000 each).
These scores are what has made Mayor Tony Williams move toward accepting school vouchers. DC has a relatively new Superintendent of Schools, and he's done a good job, but he's only been able to get a half dozen schools up to good performance. He can do the same thing with more schools, but he's bailing the Atlantic with a teacup.

They did cut the school budget this year, and the Union is screaming. But the people let go all have titles like "Teacher Coordinator", "Learning Coordinator", "Assistant Principal", etc.

It's time to worry more about education for the kids instead of job security for school employees (few of whom seem to be teachers).

thank you, americanvictory, for your astute comments.

one of the best high schools in the country was the segregated dunbar high school, which produced many students who went on to be doctors, teachers, lawyers, etc. these students had a rigorous curriculum and it paid off for them, even when segregation limited their opportunities. in addition to academics, the students and faculty held themselves in high regard on a personal level.

so, it was with sadness that alumni noted that the new dunbar, which opened several years ago, had a nursery for students' babies. so much for personal responsibility and self respect.

btw - i, like most of the children of dc public school teachers, attended parochial schools. no way were my parents going to put us in a public school.

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