[ProgressiveEd] Very much worth reading

Sun, 11 May 2003 21:02:47 EDT

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My Turn by David Finley
Educators know the truth but are afraid to say it: All children cannot learn. 
I am an educator, and in my profession it is a mortal sin to say that all 
children cannot learn. Now that I have said it publicly, I will probably lose 
my job and be excommunicated from my profession. At the very least I am 
certain it will give Arizona's state superintendent of public instruction a 
bad case of heartburn.
Perhaps I can redeem myself by rephrasing the statement: All children can 
learn but all children cannot learn as much as all other children. And all 
children cannot learn to some preset state or Federal standard, as is 
currently mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act and Arizona Learns 
legislation.
I am principal of a school the state has labeled "underperforming." Does this 
embarrass me? Not in the least. The label is a misnomer. Schools are simply 
brick and mortar. They do not perform, over or under. The label really means 
that the school's instructional staff is underperforming.
Since I know that the teachers at my school are effective, dedicated 
professionals who are actually "overperforming," I am not the least bit 
embarrassed by being mislabeled as a result of this ridiculous legislation. 
Color me defensive if you must, but I believe labeling schools is nothing 
more than name-calling, something most of us learned not to do in 
kindergarten. Labeling schools will not improve them and actually runs 
counter to the intended purpose. The goal of the law is admirable and sounds 
great to voters. Schools will be held accountable to ensure that all children 
learn and succeed; the achievement gap between poor and rich kids will 
magically disappear; and no child will be left behind. The only phrase 
missing is that everyone will live happily ever after.
Like the emperor in the classic fairy tale, the No Child Left Behind Act has 
no clothes, but no one is saying so. The punitive nature of the legislation 
is forcing teachers to teach to a test instead of teaching children; 
consequently, there may be a superficial test scores. However, for solving 
the problem of low achievement by at-risk children, it is tantamount to 
putting a Band-Aid on a headache. Saying that "all" children must achieve to 
a predetermined standard on a test is like saying that all children in 
physical education classes must run a six-minute mile on a physical fitness 
exam. And saying that all children must show one year's academic growth for 
one year in school is like saying that all children in the school lunch 
program must gain 10 pounds and grow 2 inches in one year.
Children are not created equal in athletic ability or physical 
characteristics. Neither are they created equal in their ability to learn. 
Any first-year teacher knows this; apparently politicians do not. They have 
created a law that is focused on fixing the schools and just possibly the 
schools aren't broken. I am not saying the schools are perfect or that we 
cannot improve. And I firmly believe that the education profession must be 
held accountable for what it does. But this is true of every profession, 
including law and medicine.
The professional educator, however, seems to be at the bottom of the food 
chain. Unlike any other profession, we are constantly asked to do more with 
less. And politicians, who say things that are politically expedient but not 
educationally realistic, relentlessly criticize us. Doctors and lawyers are 
never subject to such political philandering and shortsighted legislation.
Doctors are not required by law to cure all their patients. It is 
acknowledged that there are circumstances with each patient that are unique. 
Some patients will not follow their doctor's instructions; some simply have 
illnesses that cannot be cured. Lawyers are not required by law to win all 
their cases. It is recognized that every client has a unique set of 
circumstances that will directly affect their attorney's ability to bring 
them success in court. Teachers, on the other hand, do not fare so well with 
lawmakers. The law ignores the fact that schools in the low-income areas 
serving predominantly at-risk children have much higher percentages of 
children with special "medical problems and legal circumstances." Under the 
threat of a "failing label" teachers must cure every child irrespective of 
his or her illness; win every case in the courthouse of the classroom no 
matter the legal circumstance of the child.
In "The Emperor's New Clothes," it takes a small child to tell the truth and 
bring the adults to their senses. Maybe our legislators need to come into the 
"underperforming" schools. They might learn some things they did not know 
before. Perhaps this would bring about some responsible legislation aimed at 
solving some of our problems instead of creating new ones, such as an exodus 
of quality teachers from the at-risk schools, where they are needed most.
Fairy tales usually have a happy ending, but I fear not this one.
David Finley is the principal of Webster Elementary School in Mesa, AZ. He 
has been an educator for 32 years.
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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><BODY WIDTH=3D"72" HEIGHT=3D"100" SRC=3D"=
cid:[email protected]" BACKGROUND=3D"cid:[email protected]" DA=
TASIZE=3D"4038" ID=3D"MA0.1052701367"><P ALIGN=3DJUSTIFY><FONT  SIZE=3D2 FAM=
ILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">My Turn by David Finley<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Educators know the truth but are afraid to say it: All children cannot learn=
. I am an educator, and in my profession it is a mortal sin to say that all=20=
children cannot learn. Now that I have said it publicly, I will probably los=
e my job and be excommunicated from my profession. At the very least I am ce=
rtain it will give Arizona's state superintendent of public instruction a ba=
d case of heartburn.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Perhaps I can redeem myself by rephrasing the statement: All children can le=
arn but all children cannot learn as much as all other children. And all chi=
ldren cannot learn to some preset state or Federal standard, as is currently=
 mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act and Arizona Learns legislation.<BR=
>
<BR>
<BR>
I am principal of a school the state has labeled "underperforming." Does thi=
s embarrass me? Not in the least. The label is a misnomer. Schools are simpl=
y brick and mortar. They do not perform, over or under. The label really mea=
ns that the school's instructional staff is underperforming.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Since I know that the teachers at my school are effective, dedicated profess=
ionals who are actually "overperforming," I am not the least bit embarrassed=
 by being mislabeled as a result of this ridiculous legislation. Color me de=
fensive if you must, but I believe labeling schools is nothing more than nam=
e-calling, something most of us learned not to do in kindergarten. Labeling=20=
schools will not improve them and actually runs counter to the intended purp=
ose. The goal of the law is admirable and sounds great to voters. Schools wi=
ll be held accountable to ensure that all children learn and succeed; the ac=
hievement gap between poor and rich kids will magically disappear; and no ch=
ild will be left behind. The only phrase missing is that everyone will live=20=
happily ever after.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Like the emperor in the classic fairy tale, the No Child Left Behind Act has=
 no clothes, but no one is saying so. The punitive nature of the legislation=
 is forcing teachers to teach to a test instead of teaching children; conseq=
uently, there may be a superficial test scores. However, for solving the pro=
blem of low achievement by at-risk children, it is tantamount to putting a B=
and-Aid on a headache. Saying that "all" children must achieve to a predeter=
mined standard on a test is like saying that all children in physical educat=
ion classes must run a six-minute mile on a physical fitness exam. And sayin=
g that all children must show one year's academic growth for one year in sch=
ool is like saying that all children in the school lunch program must gain 1=
0 pounds and grow 2 inches in one year.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Children are not created equal in athletic ability or physical characteristi=
cs. Neither are they created equal in their ability to learn. Any first-year=
 teacher knows this; apparently politicians do not. They have created a law=20=
that is focused on fixing the schools and just possibly the schools aren't b=
roken. I am not saying the schools are perfect or that we cannot improve. An=
d I firmly believe that the education profession must be held accountable fo=
r what it does. But this is true of every profession, including law and medi=
cine.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
The professional educator, however, seems to be at the bottom of the food ch=
ain. Unlike any other profession, we are constantly asked to do more with le=
ss. And politicians, who say things that are politically expedient but not e=
ducationally realistic, relentlessly criticize us. Doctors and lawyers are n=
ever subject to such political philandering and shortsighted legislation.<BR=
>
<BR>
<BR>
Doctors are not required by law to cure all their patients. It is acknowledg=
ed that there are circumstances with each patient that are unique. Some pati=
ents will not follow their doctor's instructions; some simply have illnesses=
 that cannot be cured. Lawyers are not required by law to win all their case=
s. It is recognized that every client has a unique set of circumstances that=
 will directly affect their attorney's ability to bring them success in cour=
t. Teachers, on the other hand, do not fare so well with lawmakers. The law=20=
ignores the fact that schools in the low-income areas serving predominantly=20=
at-risk children have much higher percentages of children with special "medi=
cal problems and legal circumstances." Under the threat of a "failing label"=
 teachers must cure every child irrespective of his or her illness; win ever=
y case in the courthouse of the classroom no matter the legal circumstance o=
f the child.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
In "The Emperor's New Clothes," it takes a small child to tell the truth and=
 bring the adults to their senses. Maybe our legislators need to come into t=
he "underperforming" schools. They might learn some things they did not know=
 before. Perhaps this would bring about some responsible legislation aimed a=
t solving some of our problems instead of creating new ones, such as an exod=
us of quality teachers from the at-risk schools, where they are needed most.=
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Fairy tales usually have a happy ending, but I fear not this one.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
David Finley is the principal of Webster Elementary School in Mesa, AZ. He h=
as been an educator for 32 years.<BR>
<BR>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT><BR>
<BR>
</P></P></FONT></HTML>
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