America's Disdain for its Children

America's Disdain for its Children by Valerie Strauss

If we did actually give a hoot about kids: 

• We would never tolerate a poverty rate among children of 21 percent.

• We would never pretend that any single institution, especially public schools, can overcome the problems caused by a life in poverty. 

• We would stop our hypocrisy over standardized tests.

• We would not demonize teachers, but rather treat them as professionals.

• We would stop thinking that we can tell anything about really young kids by subjecting them to silly tests...Quality pre-kindergarten would be a national priority.

• We would stop underfunding public school systems. 

• We would stop pretending that charter schools are the be-all and end-all of public education.

• We would stop pretending that teachers unions are the cause of all of the ills of public education,

• We would really try to consider what kids need and think.

• We would remember that the public school system is our most glorious civic institution.

Valerie Strauss shows once more why she's one of the most important voices in education today.

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