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Thursday, February 16, 2012 | 9:11am
Detroit Public Schools Are Failing Our Children
How can children have hope when there is no hope?
The other day, a local TV news station showed a hidden camera investigation where they acted like out-of-towners, and asked Detroiters what they thought of the city.
Some said that Detroit was a good city. Most said that Detroit was a shithole.
And funny enough, the argument of the news channel was that ‘now is the time to say good things about the city.’ That’s right: instead of looking at Detroit with an objective eye, the news channel said that it was more important to say good things about the city; that we could talk Detroit out of the problems they have.
Yesterday, the results of the annual Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) tests were released. The MEAP tests are given annually to all students, and measure how well students perform in Reading, Math, Science and Social Studies.
And so, all day yesterday, the news channels were talking about how scores are ‘improving’, and how we’re ‘moving in the right direction’. One representative of the Detroit Public Schools even had the nerve to say something to the effect of ‘we’re doing well, we just have to tweak things a little’.
Since no one in the city is willing to tell the truth on the subject, I guess that’s left to me. So here it is: the Detroit Public Schools are failing our children; and failing them badly.
The results of this year’s test paint a bleak picture: only 9.7% of third graders are reading at the level for their grade. 9.5% of 7th graders can pass the math test. Only 6.1% of 9th graders can pass the social studies test. By the time they reach the 9th grade, only 24% of the students have caught up on their reading.
A lot of air time was given to the changes in the way tests were scored. Prior to this year, ‘passing’ meant scoring more than 39% on the test. Starting this year, ‘passing’ is anything higher than 65%.
That right, according to our educators, ‘passing’ used to be anyone who could answer 39% of the questions. And even now, ‘success’ is considered anyone who can answer a little more than half of the questions.
And it’s not a question of money. Teachers in the Detroit district earn an average of $71,000 per year, 15% higher than teachers of other districts. And the superintendent of schools makes a whopping $280,000 per year.
And still… our children can’t read. They can’t do math. They can’t do science. We push them into the world totally unprepared for a career in the real world. But it’s OK, as long as people don’t talk bad about the city.
How can a child feel hope for the future when there is no hope? How can a student feel optimistic about their chances in the world when they are receiving a diploma they can’t read?
FILED IN Editorials
This is also a problem in ________(insert city here). Really, where is it not a problem?
I have a few questions. What if you had to pass a test in order to recieve your paycheck? This test would encompass the things you, or ANY particular person in your field would experience, would have learned or should have learned between the last pay period and this one, or at any particular time at your level in such field. How would you fare? Do you approach the test with excitement or would you wind up hating your job?
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Having a child in the 4th grade, NYC public school, where he is required to pass a test to progress to the next grade, I have mixed emotions concerning the testing. I believe there is a way to approach learning.
1. Direction: Tell a what needs to be done.
2. Process: Show how to complete the task at hand. In a way that is as simple as possible.
3. Purpose: Explain how the task is beneficial.
4. Follow up: Affirm that what is needed and reqiured is understood.
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From what I see somewhere these steps are eluded, for my son is reading 3-4 levels above where he is supposed to for his grade level, 2-3 levels above most kids in his class, but still and consistantly fails the “standardized” reading comprehension pre-tests. So, that gives me the idea that something is not wrong with my son, he reads and comprehends well, but something is wrong with the system and how they are teaching. Are they teaching to pass a test or are they teaching so that children can learn? It seems that they are only teaching to pass a test.
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Now, I’m not one of these “not my baby” type of parents. I see the short comings of my children and swifty correct them. But, after they are properly adjusted and they seem to perform at your understanding of their abilities, how do you get them to perform at levels dictated and enforced, by not you, a teacher, or not even a school principal but, by the expectations of some school official with little to no classroom time or classroom time that predates the testing they enforce.
(steps off of soapbox)
According to a press release from earlier this month, Detroit Public schools were ‘happy’ to announce that the dropout rate is ONLY 38%. One out of three children is dropping out of school. In a more logical world, whoever ran such a school system would be marched out of town in shame.
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I understand what you’re saying about standardized testing. For years there has been discussion about whether standardized tests unfairly work against one or another demographic; but I don’t think the solution is changing the tests; especially when the students will eventually have to survive in a world that is run by the standardized test.
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You are, of course, correct about your own child. If he’s a genius in your own home, something is happening outside the home to cause him to not be a genius outside of the home.
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Being from the restaurant industry, I’m actually used to an environment where employees are required to pass tests in order to keep their job. Employees are required to recertify in positions every 6 months; and managers are required to take a nearly-impossible 300 question test.
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The difference, in a way, is that at these businesses, an employee is EXPECTED to be proficient in their positions.
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At least in the case of the Detroit schools, I think the education problem is just another symptom of the larger ‘Detroit’ problem. But that would take an hour to fully explain.
Oh, my son is in no way, shape or form a “genius”. THIS kid is a genius; http://news.yahoo.com/boy-geniuss-book-reveals-life-college-age-8-075047170.html
If my son was a genius he would figure out a way to pass the damned test.
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I think you hit the nail on the head. Why are we expecting children, 8 and 9 year olds, to be proficient in grade school matters, rather than merely knowing and understanding.
My solution to the school problem is so old fashioned it’s downright radical:
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Separate the boys and the girls into different classrooms. Put them all in identical and simple uniforms so there’s no conflict over who has the new shoes, etc. Drill them on the basics and ignore all the social BS that’s screwing with their heads.
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I think of my grandfather, who went to a school with dirt floors, and his math ability was beyond anything I could ever touch. Or the next door neighbor where I grew up, educated in the German schools and required to know 5 languages to graduate. Then I look at the Detroit schools and I realize that all hope is lost.
Hold up you sound like the Taliban of schooling.. LOL I would take it a step futher and give a child a two weeks off from school after every three months and kill the summer vactions.
I can agree with that. I would save $600 a year not sending my son to camp for the whole summer and you wouldn’t have kids dump all they learned form the previous year over the summer break. Once I had kids, I was complete supporter of year round schooling.
I have a mixed feeling about testing. I feel that maybe changing from pure testing to a mixed project,testing and quiz overall performance might be a better way to evaluate the students. Some students don’t test well. But when it comes down to it making it practical and put in use might be a better way of showing what they know and method of learning. But one of the main problems with any school system is the parents involvement. We need to help create a culture were learning and producing is seen to be on the same or higher value as sports.
100% agree.