The Washington Post reported Tuesday that D.C. public schools have now set reading and math proficiency goals for black and Hispanic children lower than for white and Asian students. Additionally, goals in poorer areas of the city are lower than those for affluent areas.
Since the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, it has been the goal of all public schools to reach reading and math proficiency for all children by 2014. Getting all students proficient in reading and math within the next two years is both a lofty and laudable goal, and some even believe achieving this goal is completely unrealistic – a common criticism of the Act. Whether or not this goal is actually achievable, shouldn’t the goals for all children be same?
As reported in the Washington Post article D.C. schools argue that, “this new approach is a way to speed achievement for black, Latino and low-income students” in an effort to close the achievement gap. It’s not exactly clear how through lowered expectations schools expect to get more out of students. And how is expecting less from them going to help them in school or in life? Frankly, this is nothing more than thinly veiled prejudice, or what the Washington Post notes George W. Bush called “the soft bigotry of low expectations.”
Of course there are additional challenges for children in low-income areas, most of whom happen to be minorities, but that does not mean that they are incapable of learning. It certainly does not mean that they are incapable of meeting or even exceeding the same expectations as those for white and/or wealthier children. If these separate and unequal expectations are to become the norm, how do we ever expect to close the achievement gap? The problem can only be solved through the hard work and dedication of great teachers, who also instill in their students the belief that they are capable of anything. Mediocrity should never be the goal. Excellence should always be the goal – for ALL children.
As reported in the Washington Post article D.C. schools argue that, “this new approach is a way to speed achievement for black, Latino and low-income students” in an effort to close the achievement gap. It’s not exactly clear how through lowered expectations schools expect to get more out of students. And how is expecting less from them going to help them in school or in life? Frankly, this is nothing more than thinly veiled prejudice, or what the Washington Post notes George W. Bush called “the soft bigotry of low expectations.”
Of course there are additional challenges for children in low-income areas, most of whom happen to be minorities, but that does not mean that they are incapable of learning. It certainly does not mean that they are incapable of meeting or even exceeding the same expectations as those for white and/or wealthier children. If these separate and unequal expectations are to become the norm, how do we ever expect to close the achievement gap? The problem can only be solved through the hard work and dedication of great teachers, who also instill in their students the belief that they are capable of anything. Mediocrity should never be the goal. Excellence should always be the goal – for ALL children.
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