EDUCASHON








When U.S, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (former Chicago Public Schools CEO) was in Chicago recently he spoke to a group of reporters and made a few statements that horrified me.


The Tribune wrote, “Duncan said new results showing only slightly more than half of Illinois high school students passed standardized tests in math, reading and science aren’t relevant to students because passage is not required to graduate.”

Go back and read that sentence again.

When the Secretary of Education says that he does not see it as a problem that CPS students aren’t educated to a level where they can pass a test which students in the rest of the country pass, in the rest of the country something seems wrong. To him, failure does not matter, because CPS does not require a passing grade on standardized testing as a requirement for graduation. Wait! If a CPS student cannot pass simple tests in math, reading and science, why should they be allowed to graduate? Of course the test scores should be relevant! Duh! A passing grade SHOULD be a requirement for graduation.

When asked about the Illinois statewide results poor math scores, the Sun-Times quoted Duncan as saying, 'The test in Illinois makes no sense. There are no stakes for the child.' The Sun-Times goes on: "What happened to the child who doesn't do well in the high school exam in Illinois? He answered his own question. 'Nothing,' said Duncan. 'It is irrelevant.'"

Now he is the secretary of education for the entire country and yet he thinks that, “It is irrelevant,” if Illinois students do so poorly on the tests? If the tests are “irrelevant,” then why are they given?

If they are “irrelevant” then that means they serve the same purpose as testing the intelligence of dogs and cats instead of students. The scores would be immaterial in either case, according to Duncan’s reasoning.

So what are Duncan’s future plans? Symposiums on education? Figuring ways to get more money for schools? No. Duncan told reporters, “Starting in mid-October, I will be out across the country working for a variety of candidates.”


I guess the plight of education is like catnip to Duncan. At first he gets excited about it, rubs it, rolls over it, kicks it and generally goes nuts for a few minutes. Then he loses interest and goes out on the road stumping for political candidates. When he gets back to D.C. the catnip will attract him again. He needs to be attracted full time and not diverted by other scents.