[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.

[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. :)