In addition to programs that employ fuzzy math, “Social Justice” mandates from the federal government are destroying education
Between EveryDay Math and the rush to implement “de-leveling” (classes that are not designed for grouping students according to their ability to grasp the material — or “homogeneously”) we wonder when the dumbing down is going to end?
The federal department of Education has meddled enough over the years and this de-leveling push, on the basis that it creates “equality”, is the very thing that brought down the Soviet Union. Everyone works in a group and gets an A?
Children are not being deprived high level content, but they are being educated so they can eventually UNDERSTAND and benefit from such content in the most practical way for the teachers. In classrooms where the the ability level is wider, the teaching must be dumbed down to accommodate the slowest of learners. This hurts those who can move on… and if geared toward the more able students, the slower learners lose. This almost always means minorities and those whose second language is English.
Any good teacher will tell you that.
This development would seem unbelievable, but it’s here in black and white — a civil rights case? Are they kidding? Civil Rights Investigation? What right does the federal government have doing this in the first place?
U.S. Department of Education Announces Resolution of Manchester, N.H., School District Civil Rights Investigation
Agreement Provides Greater Access to College and Career Prep Courses for Black, Latino Students
APRIL 10, 2014
Contact: Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights today announced a settlement with New Hampshire’s Manchester School District, School Administrative Unit #37, aimed at providing greater access to college and career preparatory courses for black and Latino students.
OCR examined whether the school district discriminated against black and Latino students on the basis of race or national origin by establishing policies and procedures that result in excluding these students from these programs and courses. The district’s advanced courses include honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses and dual enrollment programs that offer college credit through local post-secondary institutions. Before OCR completed its review, the district expressed an interest in voluntarily resolving this case, resulting in the agreement announced today.
One of the “remedies” agreed upon by the Manchester schools was “Specifically assess the impact of assigning students to academic “levels” upon arrival at the high schools on their participation in higher-level learning opportunities, and consider eliminating the system of student assignment to levels or altering the current criteria or method of implementation.”
As a student who was not good at math, this writer would have welcomed being placed in class that was more suited to his ability to grasp complex math concepts such as geometry and algebra at slower more deliberate pace, and it would have given him the foundation and advantage needed to be able to handle more advanced math. This did not happen and therefore this writer is terrible at anything better than basic math.
Now you know where this insane idea of “de-leveling” comes from. Let’s make it harder for teachers than it already is? NO!