| Things like "No Child Left Behind..." are what I call "knee jerk" responses by the political system/politicians - aka the government - to complex problems for which a simple and quick fix type answer is sought, but for which no simple and quick answer is or ever will be possible. So, the typical political response to many public policy problems like this results in dysfunctional and unworkable public policy without any hope of any real, meaningful change because the actual roots and causes of the problems are never understood, accepted, and honestly addressed. It's politically easier and more popular to blame the schools and the teachers, than to take politically unpopular positions about the family and the general state of society that may alienate the general voting public...The bottom line in politics is the word RE-ELECTION...not problem solving...what is often happening here is the political attempt to make it appear that certain campaign promises are being fulfilled...
The politicians either cannot or will not address the social and economic malaise out of which these problems really emerge - not to mention the overall disintegration of the family - so instead they address the parts of the system they control; i.e.,the schools, the teachers, etc...with programs and policies that are deigned to appease the population - make the voters think they are doing something about a problem - but in reality, they cannot do anything about the problem because they do not understand the problem and aren't willing to admit it, or they don't want to tackle the real issues behind the problem.
Typical public policy...
Read John Rosemond...he offers what I consider to be the most clear, accurate, and intelligent perspectives and commentary on what is going on in this whole arena today, especially in regard to parenting and child rearing, which is a very integral part of the entire educational process. He has columns in many major newspapers and has written several excellent book... |