I found this article from the Education section of the New York Times via Facebook, but it's from the writers of a blog that I get in my reader. I am a Facebook "fan" and a subscriber to the blog of Two Writing Teachers.
The article brought tears to my eyes and fury to my soul. It's about a dedicated principal in Burlington, Vermont, who did astounding things at Wheeler Elementary, a school that makes our Title I schools in MISD look like Highland Park. However, the district has removed her as the principal so that the district can receive $3 million in federal stimulus funds. Asinine.
I hate politics, and I just can't bring myself to type a monologue about our broken educational system. But I will say this: Before anyone who reads this jumps on the Blame-Obama-Wagon (which is a very popular ride these days), please realize that this atrocity stems from NCLB. I'm not saying that President Obama is free from blame in this MESS, but it stems from the Bush administration's insane obsession with standardized testing. Standardized testing is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. When will we realize that it is STUPID to expect ALL kids to excel on ONE TEST on ONE DAY?? Wait. There I go getting all political, and I'm starting to pound the keyboard. Breathe...
Okay, please read the article AND the 292 comments. They are enlightening, and I actually enjoy reading comments on the NY Times website because they are (for the most part) written by open-minded, intelligent people, and they always get me thinking even more.
My heart is broken again by my Google Reader. I need to find some happy reading in that thing!
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