September 28, 2006
THE ANTI-WOEBEGON:
As 2 Bushes Try to Fix Schools, Tools Differ (SAM DILLON, 9/28/06, NY Times)
Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida has long played the dutiful younger brother.Well before President Bush signed his No Child Left Behind law, Jeb Bush poured his own ideas into a school improvement program for Florida.
Over the years since, Governor Bush has mostly held his tongue about the president’s very different law, even as detractors of all stripes have attacked it.
But in recent weeks — perhaps seeking to cement his legacy as a school-policy expert as he prepares to leave office — Governor Bush has been speaking out about the federal law, mixing dollops of praise with measured criticisms — and taking an occasional potshot. He has been caustic, for instance, about the requirement that 100 percent of the nation’s students be proficient in reading and math by 2014.
“I mean perfection is not going to happen,†Mr. Bush said Sept. 12 at a news conference in Orlando, arguing that achievement targets are important but that unrealistic ones discourage educators. “We’re all imperfect under God’s watchful eye, and it’s impossible to achieve it.â€
Which is the point of the law--by making sure that the standards are unattainable you make what Democrats thought would be minimal remedies (like vouchers) universal instead. Can't blame local officials though for minding "failing." Posted by Orrin Judd at September 28, 2006 8:30 AM
You can't reform this system. It simply must be destroyed.
Equal funding for each child (through individual scholarships) with in a state. Each school an independent charter, and the abolition of fake bureaucratic constructs - school districts.
Funding education by property taxes is "education apartheid," and should be ruled unconstitutional, as it clearly violates the 14th Amendment.
Posted by: Bruno at September 28, 2006 9:55 AMEcrasez l'Infame.
BTW I agree with Bruno's 14th Amedndment analysis. Local governments, including school districts, are creations of the several states. Equal protection requires unitary funding. That this will hasten the going-under of L'Infame is, as they say, a feature, not a bug.
Posted by: Lou Gots at September 28, 2006 10:35 AMHa, Ha. Property-tax funding of education violating the 14th Amendment. That's a good one, Bruno!
The idea that a judge will say that is an even funnier one.
Posted by: Brad S at September 28, 2006 11:21 AMAll schools have to do is refuse federal funding to escape the mandates that go with it. No one ever turns down the money.
Posted by: oj at September 28, 2006 11:36 AMThe idea that a judge will say that is an even funnier one.
As the Left has taught us well, ya only gotta find one for the fun to begin...
Posted by: Raoul Ortega at September 28, 2006 2:27 PM