No Child Left Behind

My own version of No child left behind is the idea that at the end of the day I put the ones that ride the bus on the bus and all the other parents showed up to get their child... ;) and there is no child left behind

The President says we must educate all children equally and all should learn. He has raised the bar and expected schools to "reinvent" how they do things with students, which I don't have a problem with, but he wants them to do it with less money, not more. The legislature of Texas has met in at least 3 special sessions where they were suppose to come up with a way to create revenue for schools rather that 65% of school funding coming from local property taxes. I think (I really get so upset with politics it is best I don't know all the cold hard facts), the other 35 is state funded. There are specific places each kind of funding can cover or go. Anyway, the legislature can't come up with a solution for more funding, or better funding, I think, mainly because they know they want to be re-elected and if they do the "right" thing, they probably wouldn't get re-elected.
Anyway, the money that goes to buy new textbooks and ship them to schools was approved to be spent in May 20-05, but our illustrious governor did not release the funds until last Friday, after more than half the state had been in school for a week. They had a perfect quote on TV from a young man in a computer-related class who said something to the effect of "They want no student left behind, but that is exactly what they have done, we are all left behind without books to learn from". His textbook won't be arriving for another month. My own son, who failed French last year and is retaking it, informed me today that his 'new' French textbook won't be in for another month. Use the old one was my solution... well his teacher wants to wait and use the new ones so they are going to do other things until then.... not that I agree with that, what I don't like is that my child is being "left behind" because of the freakin' governor and the state legislature not doing their jobs. Rick Perry (governor) was in San Antonio this morning and talking double speak as usual.

Funny, a Texas legislator's child can come home complaining there were no sprinkles on the birthday cupcakes at school and the legislature will immediately, the very next day, in fact, pass a law that the birthday cupcakes can have sprinkles on them, but they can't make the decision as to how the schools in the state will be funded to give their child and all the others in the state a decent education.... not to mention the salaries of the teachers who work with his child.

I am ashamed of how public education is viewed in this country, but I am more ashamed of how little the lawmakers respect learning and educators.

You take any one of them and put them in a room of 22, 5 year olds and see if they make it through the day without wanting a raise... and a decent snack for those kids...

Kindergarten isn't even funded by the State of Texas, the individual school districts fund it so the students can be prepared for 1 st grade and not be "left behind". Why are we not working to pay teachers like they have their Doctorate? Wouldn't that be showing that education is valued?

(ok, d.K. You inspired me. I know it isn't a great politically written post, but it has heart)