[reaganaut1]

The achievement gap between black students and other will not be closed, because there is an IQ gap of about 1 standard deviation between blacks and whites, as documented in the Wikipedia "Race and intelligence" article and other places. I think vouchers, charter schools, and especially better curricula (Singapore or Saxon instead of Everyday Math for example) can improve results, but they would do so for everyone and not close gaps.

If the Republicans have brains and guts, they will make an issue of Obama allying himself with a racist demagogue such as Al Sharpton. Many of us know about Sharpton's shameful role in the Tawana Brawley hoax, the Freddie's Fashion Mart arson, and other cases. The general public needs to know.

[blackdog]

If you come from a home where educational excellence is(NOT) demanded,

Sorry, it was my mamma's fault!

[Moonman62]

I thought this article was going to be about more women in college than men.

[Arrowhead1952]

He praised the health care overhaul and the auto-industry bailout, and castigated critics who he said had developed “amnesia” about the shape the country was in when he took office.

I saw this posted earlier. FUBO, you &(^*(^ *^*&^*& communist, marxist, democrap, liar.

[yldstrk]

The parents don’t value education so the kids don’t either

[cartan]

People have been trying to narrow the achievement gap for many decades. All such attempts have failed. So, here is another Big Fail coming up for the Messiah. The only question is how expensive it is going to be this time…

[tsomer]

Just curious, but what exactly is it that IQ tests are supposed to measure?

I’ve noticed some things:
1. Some really smart people are doing really stupid things.
2. A lot dumb people accomplish far more than their tests scores would lead you to expect.

People are complicated. The world is complicated.

Discussions about genetic determinants are ominous.

[Red6]

That's where he belongs! In front of an audience talking about race, inner city, and these soft issues like global warming. That's where his interest and experiences are, that's what he's good at. Not even that he has any real viable solutions to anything he's talking about, but he can get the people stirred up and chanting.

The “Beer Summit” summed it all up. He tipped his hand and showed what he's really all about: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2009/07/30/beer-obama-racial029.html

You're dealing with someone that like many at this level has a huge ego and no issue with self confidence. You're looking at a highly competitive and type A personality and that describes most people at this level or even in the senior ranks of corporate America or defense (Generals). He wanted to be number one and no office, no position in this nation has a higher status than the office of the President. However, he at a personal level isn't even really interested in the performance of the actual duties of a Commander in Chief (or “Commander of Chiefs” as he called it repeatedly on the campaign trail). This is witnessed by the themes he picks up on, his lack of interest and time devoted to military personnel, visiting troops, etc etc etc. His true interest is in social issues. He's the first “non-president.”

He came to office with little business, executive, law enforcement, intelligence, staff, foreign affairs, economic, defense/military experience. A junior Congressional Senator who played the race card as a provincial Illinois State Senator and spent his entire life looking at the world in terms of class warfare and in a provincial manner (micro level). With a law degree which doesn't fill the void in those areas lacking experience, with a weak entourage (hasn't been around that long and doesn't have an army of highly experienced people riding his coat train) and little life experiences (one of the younger Presidents ever and not a very diversified career history) he came to the office as probably the least qualified of any President we had post WWII and possibly ever.

His tenure as President has been as vapid in ***”substance”*** as his campaign was. He was elected based on symbolism, feel good and opposition politics, but the only true skill he has demonstrated is an ability to apply his courtroom/legal training in the area of rhetoric, poise and oration to give nice speeches. Nice speeches don't make for good security, economic, foreign affairs policies.

[FrankR]

We’ve had integrated schools for generations now, if they can’t keep up (especially as dumbed-down as the schools have become in the last 50 years) then maybe there is something to “The Bell Curve”.

[indthkr]

education bump for later.....

[Onelifetogive]

a renewed effort to eliminate the achievement gap

My daughter busted her ass to be the top of her high school. If Obama can get all of the other students of every race to match her effort, he will be the greatest President ever!

[kcvl]

“That’s not a white, black or brown problem. That’s everybody’s problem.”

And the solution, O'Genuis is what exactly?! You can't make baby mamas/daddys care whether their children get an education since they are busy making more babies to get more checks from Uncle Sugar.

Stop the checks and either the babies stop or they will have to actually W O R K to raise them. As it is now they can whip out that government credit card and buy a BIG birthday cake at Sam's for $52.99 for ONE of the sperm donor's birthday and expect the shcool to feed their kids.

[Altura Ct.]

“That’s not a white, black or brown problem".

Then why are you focusing on blacks? Not only that how do you propose 'closing the gap' without penalizing whites?

[achilles2000]

There are unquestionably statistically significant IQ differences between blacks and other groups. That is a measured and casually observable fact. BUT, there is a further important question: the degree to which IQ is heritable. Studies of twins raised separately put the correlation of genetic inheritance and IQ at about .75.

This means that factors other than genetics account for IQ variations that are greater than one standard deviation.No one, of course, knows exactly what these factors are. Nevertheless, they would appear to be cultural/environmental. A further point to ponder is that development of the field of epigenetics, which further complicates the nature/nurture issue.