Free Republic

When standardized tests take up the latest political fad, the credibility of the test suffers, doing a disservice to those who desire a true education.Across America, it’s becoming increasingly common for school districts to advance alternative versions of American history that focus almost exclusively on the nation’s faults rather than its exceptionalism. Even elite preparatory academies like Manhattan’s Brearley and Dalton schools are instituting “critical race theory” curricula that define people by race rather than character. At the same time, schools have forgone the study of great authors like Homer, Horace, Dante Alighieri, and Fyodor Dostoyevsky — luminaries whose ideas...

Advanced Placement for Dummies by: Deborah Lambert, July 15, 2009 Should AP classes be available for everyone, regardless of their skill sets? Absolutely not, says Laurie Rogers, author of the book, Betrayed, who noted in EducationNews.org that she thought it was a “really stupid idea.” A theory among educators is that even if the kids aren’t qualified, “they’ll learn just by being there.” In fact, many educators think in terms of “equity,” “opportunity” and the fact that these classes are “challenging” the kids. Rogers disagrees, especially about math. While young children usually enjoy math and science, Rogers says that “by...

Facing challenges at school RALEIGH--Sometimes the elusive quest for equality gets in the way of meaningful progress for minorities. The latest example is the educational theory of "differentiation" as adopted by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district. Under differentiation, students of all abilities and socioeconomic backgrounds are taught in the same classroom in order to provide equal access to quality instruction for all. While that sounds great in theory, in practice differentiation has a dark side that impedes achievement and limits opportunity. Consider the scenario that's playing out now. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board voted to eliminate advanced language arts courses...