Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dayuhan who wrote (4852)	2/5/2001 12:19:45 PM
From: Lane3	Respond to of 82486

I suspect that if we gave the education of inner-city youth the sort of national priority that we once gave to putting a man on the moon, something might be accomplished. Possibly not. Interesting column from William Raspberry. <snip> Here's my tentative analysis: Schools fail most often because the people who run them don't believe their children are really capable of serious learning. (And don't tell them Catholic schools are succeeding with these "same" children; the kids in the Catholic schools, almost by definition, have parents who believe their children must learn and who are prepared to undertake some sacrifice to make it happen. That alone sets these parochial school youngsters apart.) We've all learned to say we believe all children can learn -- but then we start listing the excuses why they aren't learning: poverty, official and parental neglect, outdated and unwired classrooms, lead poisoning, neighborhood violence, junk food. The fact that the excuses are made by people who truly feel sorry for these children doesn't undo the fact that they are being damned by low expectations. It's a simple thing: If you believe the children can learn, you teach them. If you don't, you excuse them, setting yourself up to swallow every piece of whole-child, self-esteem, differently abled piece of flotsam that comes drifting from downtown. <snip> washingtonpost.com