Current Events Watch

George Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act signed into law in January, 2002 certainly seemed like a good idea. Of course, it has turned out to be an enormous failure. Not such a bad idea in theory, though, and the proposition, during campaign season, no doubt won Dubya some votes. I guess that’s all that matters. Once the votes are tallied and you have a winner (I won’t even get started on that), there’s really no compelling reason to fulfill the promises made to fund such programs, I suppose.

According to what I’ve read from various sources:

The Republican budget for 2006 cut funding for No Child Left Behind by $1 billion.

In the four fiscal years following No Child Left Behind being enacted into law, Bush and the Republican Congress underfunded the law by $40 billion.

Republican funding cuts left three million disadvantaged children behind in public schools; and left over 1.6 million children out of after-school programs.

No big surprise. Anyway, you can do your own research. If you don’t know where to start, feel free to let me know, and I’ll send you some links. I’m really not here this evening to point out why this particular program has been such a major failure. Because, like I said, it’s not a bad idea, if executed properly. (Too bad about that lack of funding thing, but, c’est la vie. Or, more appropriately, c’est la Bush. I guess the money is best spent on, well, illegal wars and stuff.)

The NCLB program should, however, possibly be revisited, revised, and re-prioritized. It certainly needs funding! Because if children are our future, and this is what the current educational system is cranking out, we’re in serious trouble! This video is from the Miss Teen USA pageant that aired earlier this week. Believe it or not, Miss South Carolina, Caitlin Upton, still managed to snag fourth place in the pageant. She did attempt to redeem herself, of course. Her explanation follows the video.

So to prove she’s not really an idiot, she agreed to appear on NBC’s Today show this past Tuesday morning to explain her response:

“Personally, my friends and I, we know exactly where the United States is on a map. I don’t know anyone else who doesn’t. If the statistics are correct, I believe there should be more emphasis on geography in our education so people will learn how to read maps better.”

Great save, Miss South Carolina! Jeez.

caitlin upton, miss teen usa, no child left behind, george bush

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I’m a product of public schools and so are my children. We got a great education. I flinch every time I hear libertarian Neal Boortz sarcastically call public schools “government schools.â€? Unfortunately, I’m beginning to understand his disdain.

While politicians fret over academic issues like No Child Left Behind, and educational associations lobby for more money and benefits, not much is being done to protect teachers in classrooms that are becoming increasingly violent.

On Thursday, WKRG News (Mobile, Ala.) reported an attack on a Murphy High School teacher. A student filmed that attack with his cell phone. In early May, CNN featured the video report (linked above) disclosing various teacher attacks.
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