A recent, big announcement for a local high school stated that this particular school has qualified for Newsweek Magazine's 2011 list of the nation's top high schools. Schools named to this list have met a particular formula for the number of students taking AP (Advanced Placement) exams as well as including the students' scores on the exams. Yes, it is a fine feather in the cap of the school's administrators, teachers, school board, students, and community. The article in the local paper that heralded the accomplishment went on to state that this improvement has occurred over the past three years, resulting in national recognition.
But, I am going to write, "Hold on."
I'm quite certain that I will be hung and quartered in certain quarters (pun intended) but can it be argued that this academic achievement has come at the expense of other segments of the curriculum? My children graduated from this institution and they received a fine education. I taught in one of the 'feeder' schools for this district so I have first-hand knowledge of the quality of education being offered locally. One cannot dispute what is offered but one can question what is not offered as well as question the hoops that students desiring to major in anything other than 'core' subjects must jump through to simply meet graduation requirements as well as college entrance requirements. Curriculum areas, 'other than core subjects', have been squeezed to the point of arterial spray when it comes to administrative and board support.
Are we, here in the United States, so enamored with chasing Pacific Rim countries and their academic prowess that we are losing sight of educating the 'whole' student? Are we sacrificing students who wish to continue their studies in Fine Arts or technical areas? Is it possible to marry quality academic classes with Fine Arts and Tech Education? I believe it is but we, the taxpayers, need to wake up and stop voting down referendums. State governments are proving to be poor subsidizers of education so just where are districts supposed to to find money with which to not only offer well-rounded educational opportunities but basic education? We read about school districts across this nation requiring students to bring toilet paper to school as part of the traditional beginning-of-the-year school supply list. We have our priorities mixed up, somewhere.
It is only a matter of time until every school district in this nation faces the question of whether or not to put a referendum request on a local ballot. Supporting our local districts with our pocketbooks is the only way to support our youth. Let's stop nickel and diming our local districts and see to it that toilet paper is removed from all school-supply lists for next year.
Ancora imparo
