Comments on: On the blogs: Olson exposes Obama’s ed. myths http://ppsequity.org/2009/03/12/on-the-blogs-olson-exposes-obamas-ed-myths/ Covering the beat of Portland Public Schools Sat, 27 Mar 2010 00:00:36 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Steve Buel http://ppsequity.org/2009/03/12/on-the-blogs-olson-exposes-obamas-ed-myths/comment-page-1/#comment-27406 Steve Buel Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:40:51 +0000 http://ppsequity.org/?p=221#comment-27406 This article by Terry was terrific! It gives a pretty good indication of what is wrong in Portland. Using national trends to solve Portland's problems hasn't worked and won't work. (How are the small schools doing?) We need to attack the problems where they exist -- not theorize about what things might work. There is too much of that and not enough rolling up the sleeves of teachers, parents, and administrators and going after what is getting in the way of a good education at each school. Less theory -- more practical, common sense. But be careful, you might bring back recesses, music, art, PE, librarians, and a good general education. We wouldn't want that now would we? What do the studies say? This article by Terry was terrific! It gives a pretty good indication of what is wrong in Portland. Using national trends to solve Portland’s problems hasn’t worked and won’t work. (How are the small schools doing?) We need to attack the problems where they exist — not theorize about what things might work. There is too much of that and not enough rolling up the sleeves of teachers, parents, and administrators and going after what is getting in the way of a good education at each school. Less theory — more practical, common sense. But be careful, you might bring back recesses, music, art, PE, librarians, and a good general education. We wouldn’t want that now would we? What do the studies say?

]]> By: PPS_Parent http://ppsequity.org/2009/03/12/on-the-blogs-olson-exposes-obamas-ed-myths/comment-page-1/#comment-27381 PPS_Parent Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:15:29 +0000 http://ppsequity.org/?p=221#comment-27381 In urban districts half of minority students drop out and that nationally the average Black 12th grader achieves at the level of the average White 8th grader. President Obama, liberal politicians such as George Miller and Ted Kennedy, as well as an overwhelming majority of America's civil rights establishment and many liberal and progressive groups are in fundamental agreement on the need for addressing these problems through the schools. The Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, for example,says federal education policy of the past eight years stands with America's most important civil rights legislation. Somehow the urgency for change gets lost in these endless quibbles over test scores, which might in fact be some people's agenda. In urban districts half of minority students drop out and that nationally the average Black 12th grader achieves at the level of the average White 8th grader.

President Obama, liberal politicians such as George Miller and Ted Kennedy, as well as an overwhelming majority of America’s civil rights establishment and many liberal and progressive groups are in fundamental agreement on the need for addressing these problems through the schools.

The Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, for example,says federal education policy of the past eight years stands with America’s most important civil rights legislation.

Somehow the urgency for change gets lost in these endless quibbles over test scores, which might in fact be some people’s agenda.

]]>