what do you think of the No Child Left Behind Policy?

Answer 1

I think it's a LOUSY policy!

Michael Jackson has no right going anywhere near Children's Behinds!

Answer 2

It makes public school children take too many tests.

My mother is a principal, my grandmother was a teacher and my aunts are all teachers, counselors, professors, etc. They all have won awards for educational service and turned schools around, etc.

I tutor children in the public schools and charities and churches, especially now that I have graduated from high school.

Kids in what they call at-risk schools are already very behind and before teachers can teach them fundamental math, reading, writing, history, social studies, etc. they have tests. They test so many times per year, more than the 2 or 3 my sister was tested.

You need an early test to determine where kids are, and then subsequent tests to measure what they have learned and how far they need to go, not a test every month!

This emphasis on testing makes teachers "teach tests". They are not like the "old-school" teachers my family members are, most teachers are very new, so they don't know how to do anything but what the system regurgitates at them.

It also deemphasizes music and physical education courses.

I think the spirit is right, that the drafters of No Child Left Behind mean well, but it really translates into disaster.

It is just more work for people who work in schools where children are not "at risk", so they don't care, it is not a big deal if you have children who know basics and more (college prep).

And lastly, it does not really help the main problem with the youth, which is parental involvment.

No program will work until parents who are lazy, wrapped up in their own problems, confused on how to raise children to be achievers, people who give kids too much, or want to be friends with their kids are taught how to parent effectively and get involved with their kids' education. Parents must instill in children a love of learning for a lifetime and a work ethic to get what they need.

If you really want to know, not just superficially, investigate it for yourself. Talk to teachers, students, parents, and other educational staff across this country or go to the library and read what the people actually involved have to say. It is a mistake.

There are other political people who are using it to withhold money, which is what they wanted to do for years now.

I read Congressional Record and other things...my family being involved means I have seen more of the inside of this issue...I pray for all the children
***EDIT***Yes 2Beagles, it makes it hard on children who are having difficulties...N Cognito, it can hold the average and above average kids back if the teachers have to teach only at below average level, but mostly not a problem for others...this does not take into account learning styles or behavioral problems...it is just screwed up...God Bless America...***

Answer 3

On the surface it is a good policy. The problems arise when we factor in the difficuties of dealing with illegal immigrant children, who are usually illiterate in their own language, and special needs children who will never achieve at the same rate as a child of normal IQ. The sad fact is there will always be those that can and those that can't and should we punish school districts or teachers for these "failures?"

Answer 4

I live in Florida and I absolutely hate this policy due to my son. He has reading comprehension problems, but in Florida you have to take the standardized tests in order to graduate. My son went to every study group available and was still unable to pass that darn test. He wasn't able to graduate high school due to this and it caused him to have to pull out of culinary school. Fortunately though, I remembered an article in our local newspaper about a school that students could go to for situations like my son. We enrolled him and he is now a high school graduate. He will be attending culinary school in August. I hate the test because not all kids can work at the same level. The state forgets to remember this.

Answer 5

To be honest with you, being a "higher level" student myself, I feel it does nothing but keep me bored out of my wits and having my lowest grades being 98s and 99s. In the 4th grade with this "Policy", my teacher forced me and my "Higher Level" friends to tutor the "Below Average" students. I think the policy is basically saying, "We don't want the slow kid to feel bad, so we're going to keep everyone at their level." Yet, we wonder why the US is behind other nations in education. If we want to improve our educational system and raise more intelligent citizens, then let the "Higher Level" students continue to be higher level, and then try to get the "Below Average" students to their level. That's the only way to improve the US and stay ahead in the world.

Answer 6

It was a bunch of lip service, it sounded good and looked good on paper and they passed it, but they never funded it, so it is just another program that helped people get elected, they could say see the program i got passed, I'm such a great guy, but unless they have a way to fund the program it just kind of sits there useless, I don't know where you live, but her in Los Angeles I see thousands of kids that have been left behind!!! it's all lip service, we don't even help our own!!!

Answer 7

It's a start. Our education system is a total mess. Teachers worry more about non-issues like what color ink to use when grading papers than on actually TEACHING.

1 in 5 adults in this country are functionally illiterate. If the blame does not fall on our schools, where does it fall? Teachers unions have a stranglehold and they are not willing to cede any power - even if that means keeping totally incompetent teachers in our schools.

Answer 8

What policy?

I heard Bush say that hundreds of times while campaigning.

He's been in office for going on 7 years now, and hasn't done a damn thing.

It should be renamed "All children left behind."

Gimme all the thumbs down you want, doesn't change the fact that the policy hasn't done *anything*.

Answer 9

I have a problem with the name. the point of the policy is to completely leave children behind if their school doesn't succeed.

Answer 10

It's a joke.