A wise end to social promotion [by a new, black columnist re: Jeb ends social promotion]

The Orlando Sentinel ^ | May 25, 2002 | David Porter

[summer]

David Porter

A wise end to 'social promotion'

by David Porter

Published May 25, 2002

I still remember walking home from the school bus stop with Eddie Velazquez.

It was mid-June 1963. Because it was the last day of school, I was pretty happy. Eddie was not. He walked as though he was headed for the gallows.

Eddie had good reason to dread the walk to his home. On the last day of classes at my parochial school, the principal visited each classroom to distribute report cards.

The word "promoted" was printed at the bottom of our report cards. Next to that word there were two boxes. One was marked "yes," and the other was marked "no." On Eddie's report card, the "no" box was checked.

Eddie's mother didn't know too much English, but she knew the difference between being promoted and being held back in third grade. Eddie didn't have to tell me that he was going to be in for a bad time when his mother saw that he was being held back a year.

Being promoted was not a foregone conclusion 30 years ago. Kids used to get held back all the time. Unfortunately, that practice was surrendered to social promotion years ago when some education "experts" decided that being left back was too damaging to a child's self-esteem and could cause the student to drop out of school. But now the pendulum has swung back in the other direction, with school districts throughout Florida poised to hold back thousands of fourth-graders who fared poorly in class and on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

I feel bad for all the youngsters who will likely be held back a year. Yet to keep promoting them even though many of those failing fourth-graders can barely read is insane. To push them ahead would be like taking a non-swimmer and throwing him into deeper and deeper water until he drowns. Holding a student back for a year is an opportunity to save that child.

I know what it's like to struggle in school. I had a horrible time with math, but at no time did I ever consider giving up. From my first day of kindergarten to the day I graduated from college, I've always been a strong believer in the value of education. That's why I felt very comfortable last week when I wrote a column calling for lawmakers to end compulsory education. The overwhelming majority of kids in our local schools want an education, and they go to class willing to learn.

But why should those interested students have to put up with kids who are in school only because the law forces them to be there? It's better to let the uninterested kids stay home and goof off.

Yet there are some people who despise that idea. A woman I encountered this week outside of a store lambasted me for suggesting an end to compulsory education. "You're as bad as Clarence Thomas," she ranted.

The comparison made me wince because I disagree with many of the Supreme Court justice's ultraconservative opinions. Yet the one point I agree on with Thomas is the importance of an education. In telling his life story, Thomas spoke of his grandfather who reared him in Georgia. The grandfather had gone to school only through the third grade. But the old man always stressed the importance of education. That just proves that one doesn't have to be educated to understand the importance of an education and to pass on that value to a child.

The woman who accosted me certainly meant well, but she's stuck in the old paradigm that makes schools responsible for fixing all problems. I wish she could have read everything sent to my e-mailbag, which was overflowing this week. Most of the messages came from classroom teachers, and they strongly supported the idea to end compulsory education. They said that the kids who aren't interested in school are making life miserable for the students who want to learn.

My buddy Eddie wasn't a bad kid and didn't dislike school. He really wanted to do better, but he was struggling.

I lost track of Eddie a few years later. So I don't know if he became a better student or dropped out. But I do know this: If he had not mastered third-grade work, promoting him to fourth grade would have done him no good.

David D. Porter can be reached at dporter@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5533.

Copyright © 2002, Orlando Sentinel

[summer]

I believe this man is a new columnist at The Orlando Sentinel, and I think his column here is quite interestng.

He too is against social promotion, which Gov. Bush ended, by law, in 1999, and then school districts ignored the law. Consequently, Gov. Bush then signed new legislation, to withhold funds from schools districts that continue to socially promote. Maybe now these school districts will stop this practice, which does not help students (and is certainly of no help at all to teachers).

This writer, David Porter, supports Gov. Bush on ending social promotion.

Also, this writer says he is against compulsory education -- and, teachers wrote in support of his position. As a teacher myself, I have written on this forum that I believe after 8th grade, a student should be allowed to take a legal leave of absence from school. If a student wants to remain in school and learn, fine, but if not, do other students and teachers who want to be there a big favor, and get out and get a minimum wage job and work. If a student decides to return to school, that's fine with me, too. David Porter in his above column does not consider himself an "ultra conservative," and I do not consider myself one either.

I know this thread will result in some posts of 'get the government out of education,' but what I am trying to highlight here is the following:

If many teachers and other voters actually agree on an end to social promotion -- and, let's say, an end to requiring all kids to be in school beyond 8th grade -- then, a very different view may be emerging from the broad place called 'the middle' -- which is where elections are won.

BTW, another article not long ago was headlined: student misconduct is the #1 reason cited by experienced Palm Beach County teachers for their decision to leave teaching.

As many changes that have already taken place in FL education, and there have been a lot, I think there is room for even more. But, I do think Gov. Bush deserves enormous credit for what he has accomplished in his first term here. And, social promotion will probably return if a Dem ever becomes governor, because Dem leaders do not listen to teachers. They think union officials and wannabe union officials give them the whole story -- and, they don't.

[summer]

For index.

[concerned about politics]

Vote school choice canidates. Try another type of school before giving up on these kids. Maybe they're not indoctrination material. They may have their own minds, a sign of higher brain function.

[demkicker]

I've been against social promotion since its inception. I'm also in total agreement with the idea of not forcing kids to attend school beyond 8th grade.

We all know there's many problems with public education. This is a good START at repairing a broken system. Much, much more has got to be done, however.

[Tuor]

I know this thread will result in some posts of 'get the government out of education,' but what I am trying to highlight here is the following...

Actually, I think you idea is a good one. Short of getting government out of education, this idea seems to be one that might return the classroom to a semblence of a place of learning.

Now, if only we can get the curriculum fixed as well... I guess you take what you can get. Hopefully, more people will speak in favor of your proposal.

Tuor

[summer]

You make a very important point, and I am all for school choice.

I do not want to sound like I am giving up on kids, but there are also kids that I myself have met, who will tell you: 'I already know I want to take over my dad's small business electrical company,' or, 'I just hate school and always have, but I might be interested in owning a franchise,' etc. School choice is a very valid point, but I too have a valid point, alongside yours.

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts, concerned about politics. I agree with what you said.

[summer]

Actually, I think you idea is a good one...

Tuor, thank you very much for your entire post #5! :)

BTW, FL has done a lot in the area of improving the curriculum on a statewide basis, and aligning curriculum objectives with testing.

[summer]

This is a good START at repairing a broken system.

Thank you very much for your post, demkicker. I agree: Gov. Bush has made a good start -- in fact, I would say a great start, because I know about ALL his programs. :)!

[Real Cynic No More]

As usual, you're right on top of the issues, Summer. Keep up the good work!

rcnm

[summer]

Thank you so much, RCNM. :)!

[summer]

FYI. :)

[summer]

FYI.

[summer]

FYI.

[catonsville]

They eliminated social promotions in Baltimore last year. It was a gutsy move. Now almost 70% of the kids will be taking some summer courses this year.That is a comment, not so much on the kids involved, but how bad the system has become.

I am not knocking the teachers either. I live close to a good middle school. The temporary classroom housing modules keep expanding over the school yard yearly showing how crowded the school has become.

There was very little anger at the new no social promotions policy, the parents realizing that pushing an unprepared kid into a difficult world is not education.

[backhoe]

When I get back to my "better" PC I'll do something with this article...FYI- I'm communicating from my "backup browser"-- a 66 mhtz. 486 with a sticking keyboard & gritty trackball- so excuse the weird typos, they are hard to go back to & correct.

[summer]

There was very little anger at the new no social promotions policy....

Thank you for your post #14, catonsville.

BTW, on a related note, here in FL, where so many newspaper headlines once screamed about the end of the world coming to FL all because of Governor Bush's "One Florida" plan, the recent St. Pete/Miami poll showed that 65% of FL voters now support One FL. There is definately a change in the air as far as education goes, with people more and more willing to get out of their old ways of thinking. It takes time, but it is happening, certainly here in FL. That's why these FL Dem gov candidates sound more out of touch than ever before.

Thanks again for sharing the Baltimore info. :)

[summer]

No problem, and thanks, backhoe! :)

[pabianice]

Screech! Racism!

[MeekOneGOP]

bumpers!

[not-alone]

Plam Beach canceled summer school this year ..too bad