Give Us Our Schools Back!

I was just watching an interview with an area superintendent about the down side of missing so many days for snow.  The superintendent exclaimed, "We want to be in school, because we are concerned about out kids test score."  She did not qualify it with something like 'and they are missing out on valuable learning time.' Her primary concern was no doubt test scores.  I do not say this to slam this particular or other superintendents.  They are playing with the hand they are dealt.  

We started about two decades ago (believe it or not I believe under a conservative administration) trying to "fix" the public school system by requiring federal mandated testing.  Under the current administration the federal control has tightened even more and testing has increased in quantity and significance.  

You would hope as a result of this testing and federal control, our children would be smarter, but all indications are they are not.  As a matter of fact, we are being told now we rank toward the very bottom amongst developed countries educationally.  

Our solution?  It appears to be more of the same, more control and more testing. 

Folks, we have taken the role of teacher out of the school system.  I remember when we used to applaud our teachers for their creativity and skill in the classroom.  We do not do that anymore though because creativity is frowned upon.  Our teachers are now virtually robots told by the federal government what to teach, when to teach it, how to teach it, where to teach it, and exactly what kind of results their students should display.  

The result is an education system that is no longer concerned with the individual child or with education of our children in general.  It is concerned simply with whether or not our schools make the grade.  

I do not say this to slight our teachers in the least.  I believe we have some of the most talented, most caring teachers in the world.  The problem is they are prisoners to the federal government.  They are not allowed to teach any more.  

What is the solution?  I do not claim to be an expert educator.  I am a parent though, have worked in education in and around education all my life, and currently work closely with the education system.  

Maybe I am too simple, but to me the solution is simple.  Go back to the way things were at least thirty years ago before the federal government started butting in to such a large degree, to a time our children ranked high among the nations.  Give the responsibility for the education of our children back to the local community.  Let the local school board oversee the education of our children.  

Trust our communities, trust our teachers, trust the American system of centuries old.  Let the people govern the people.  Let us free our teachers to teach.  Let us take our kids back.  Let us send the federal government packing.  Let's once again lead the world in the education of our children.  Free our children to prove once again they are the best of the best..