Failed Schools? The Meaning Is Unclear [To the NYT's Richard Rothstein: YOU ARE CLUELESS!]

The NYT ^ | July 3, 2002 | Richard Rothstein; summer

[summer]

Back during Election 2000, as a lifelong Dem and not yet an independent, I was hesitant to vote GOP in November 2000 -- but, I was struck by GW's constant and powerful refrain about "the poverty of low expectations."

He was hitting a chord that really resonated with me, and what he said concerns a problem too many political leaders fail to recognize. This was not a sound bite from GW. This was something he obviously learned about education, and I am sure his wife, Laura, a former teacher, deserves some credit here for teaching him. GW was right.

However, sometimes the "low expectations" results from the inability of the typical public school teacher -- a white woman from the suburbs -- to recognize that "feelings" must be set aside, and the business of learning must take center stage. Yes, you want to hug these kids when you hear their very sad and heart-breaking stories, but everytime you "excuse" the student from work, you are contributing to that student's failure.

I think this is one of the toughest lessons for some teachers to learn, and frankly, some well-meaning teachers never learn it.

That is another reason I welcome retired military personnel into public schools. A former army colonel is not interested in hearing the kid's latest tragic tale in the sorry saga of inner city homelife. Praising a student for a job well done? Yes. But focusing on yet another episode in what some may call the pathetic and never ending American Soap Opera of Inner City Youth? NO.

And, IMO, that is a message many teachers need to hear over and over.

[summer]

FYI.

[summer]

Christina, I did not send this to Rothstein, but if you are friends with anyone at the NYT, tell them to dunp Rothstein as the only columnist in the LESSONS column, and allow other voices -- from ANY WHERE ELSE -- to also have chances to write. Here is an example of where they can find more writers: TEACHERS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE. Maybe you. Maybe me. Maybe many teachers on this forum. And, maybe the NYT would increase their readership as well. Because Rothstein is not ringing any bells for me any more at all. Thanks.

[summer]

dunp = DUMP

[summer]

BTW, that is just a suggestion. :) !

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Being liberal should be criteria enough to fail the student. Keep the student back until he/she lears common sense. Liberals have NO common sense yet try to rule the world because they have read a few books. It's mind boggling. Even worse, people vote for the clueless idiots!

[Ben Ficklin]

Missing from this article is the fact that New York state is ranked in the top four nationwide for their school assessment/accountability program.

[summer]

LOL...that's because many Dem voters believe are the non-stop demonization of the Right. Most Dem leaders would have you would think the Right is a bunch of monsters, while the Dem leaders are all angels. Not quite... !

[summer]

Ben, Where are these rankings you mention? I am just curious to read them...

[summer]

BTW, kudos to FL Gov Jeb Bush for eliminating social promotion - and demanding teachers maintain high expectations!

3rd-graders who can't read won't move on [Jeb: Financial penalties for "social promotion"]

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

[Joe Brower]

Good op-ed, summer. You should indeed seek that it be published to counter this leftist's intentional propaganda.

And let's face it -- that's what Rothstein's column is: propaganda. He knows exactly what a failing school is, and he also knows damn well the reason why. Thirty-plus years of dumbing-down, feel-good, everyone's-a-superstar social engineering has resulted in not just the students, but the schools themselves failing.

Part of him is still in denial, and he and his ild stand wide-eyed and dumbfounded now that they've been b!tch-slapped.

I'd pity him and his kind, if I didn't despise them so much.

[summer]

FYI.

[Congressman Billybob]

summer, my friend,

That is a beautiful response that came straight from the heart, and the gut. Please do two things for yourself, for all those students, and even for the New York Times.

First, proof-read your piece with care. I'm sure you wrote this in a white heat. For instance, "they" should be "the" in the first sentence of graph three. While you're at it, eliminate the all-caps and use minimal italics where you really want to punch the point.

Second, submit your piece to the Times. It is against the grain of their corporate mantra, and publishing it might just embarrass them. Still, because it is so self-evidently real, they might just publish it.

With greatest respect,

Congressman Billybob

Click for: "Stupid is as Stupid Does, Even Among Federal Judges."

[summer]

And let's face it -- that's what Rothstein's column is: propaganda. He knows exactly what a failing school is, and he also knows damn well the reason why. Thirty-plus years of dumbing-down, feel-good, everyone's-a-superstar social engineering has resulted in not just the students, but the schools themselves failing.

You hit the nail on the head. Thanks.

[summer]

I'm sure you wrote this in a white heat.

That accurately describes me whenever I write about education. Thank you for constructive criticism about proofreading and the like.

[Freee-dame]

...."the poverty of low expectations."....

The actual expression was "the soft bigotry of low expectations," a statement so powerful in its expressed and underlying meaning that the leftist media almost never quoted it. Had a Dem said anything so profound, we would have heard it the hundred or whatever times needed to have people less informed than we Freepers learn it.

Whatever the leftist media wants the public to know will be repeated every half hour on radio news for about three days. I remember this happening frequently with X42. It never happens with President Bush's positive statements or actions. It's a good thing he's out there almost every day giving a new speech which at least gets mentioned once. He has terrific stamina.

[daviddennis]

Well done - great response to the usual from the Left!

I wonder what Richard Rothstein would think of what goes on in a real inner city school.

I know that I was never that conservative until I saw what actually went on in a slum area, by living in one for a while. Sadly, those who live in the slums largely deserve to be there :-(.

D

[summer]

Thank you for your kind words, Congressman Billybob. I will think about what you suggested. :)

PS I am serious about my desire for the NYT to dump Rothstein. Maybe the NYT could have rotating or alternating writers for this column, with Rothstein being ONE of MANY!

[summer]

the soft bigotry of low expectations

Yes, that was it. Thanks, Freee-dame. I appreciate it.

[summer]

Thank you. And, thanks for sharing your thoughts here, daviddennis. :)