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Part of a Series on Education

We’ll take a slight diversion due to a major news article published this week on what’s wrong with the U.S. education system. A national opinion poll found that 68 percent of adults say parents are to blame, while only 38 percent said teachers. It’s almost like the old question: “Have you stopped beating your wife?” Both answers are wrong.
We’ve known for years there is a parent problem. If all parents did what they should with their kids there wouldn’t be a school problem (and there would be no need for a Third Grade Academy). But we don’t live in a perfect world. We have to play the hand dealt us. Actually, irresponsible parents are not a school problem, they are a social problem, but their delinquencies have a major impact on schools. If we think we can’t educate kids until we solve all social problems, we’ll be here ten years from now arguing about the same things.
When these children come to school, it becomes a school problem, because schools are the agent of change. We cannot use the problem as the answer. We cannot write-off these ill-prepared kids and move them along with “social promotion” on a track that only leads to failure.
We all would like to see all parents step forward and do a better job, but Richmond (and other places) has never had an effective parent improvement program. Next week, I’ll cite one that has been highly effective, at least better than anything we’ve done so far.

Vic Jose :: Dec.27.2010 :: Uncategorized ::

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