PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE A PUBLIC DISASTER

In Bibb County, we are faced with the sad fact that our education system is flawed with http://ed.stanford.edu/suse/news-bureau/displayRecord.php?tablename=notify1&id=285 so many failing the science and math portions of exit exams. I am including a link from Stanford University that has an interesting take on what happens to high achieving white students in states that have exit exams. The states that have high school exit exams are mainly located in the South, and the authors of this particular article discuss that when schools focus too narrowly on achieving passing grades on high school exit exams that high achieving white students score lower on the SAT than their peers that go to schools where such tests are not given. Please see the article in the link above for more information.

I had a math teacher at a Bibb County public high school tell me how frustrated she was with trying to just teach the test to students. This teacher told me that the students that were intelligent became bored with the drills of repetitive questions that would be required for the test, and that she had to keep these high achievers suppressed to get the rest of the class prepared. This particular math teacher became frustrated and resigned. I have another friend that is a teacher in a public high school that must counsel students to get them enrolled in the right classes for graduation requirements, and he is so frustrated that so many rising seniors still cannot read! This dedicated teacher is getting a masters that will allow him to be a media specialist, and he will be able to work in the library. He told me that at least everyone that walks into the library should be able to read. Now this is so sad to me to hear these stories about our public schools.

It is ridiculous that at Macon State College students continually enroll in remedial classes to get prepared for regular college classes. A college is a school of higher learning, and I just do not get this dumbing down of a college degree.

Fortunately, we can afford to send our son to private school. I am sad for the children that cannot afford to go to a private school, as they are being robbed of a quality education and a future. I was a poor child in Indiana, but I got the same education as an upper middle income class child. I do not buy into the theory that financial status has anything to do with educational achievement. You either have the DNA for learning or you don't, and that is a fact.