Don't just blame teachers

Mr. Navarrette, this letter is in response to your April 6 column, titled "U.S. not making the grade on reforms."

As a semiretired public school educator, I agree with some of the opinions of Sandy Kress. There are teachers who should not be teaching. The trouble with Mr. Kress' argument is that student test scores are the basis to determine a good instructor. Just as in any profession, there are a small percentage of teachers who should be fired. In most cases, those individuals are easy to spot without knowing how their students are scoring. A student's environment outside of the school building is a larger factor in determining school progress, but, as your article helps perpetuate, it is easier to jump on the popular teacher target.

Using test scores as the criteria for results is also my main problem with No Child Left Behind. I agree this legislation has been one factor for improved education accountability, especially with minorities. But it also has made schools spend an inordinate amount of time teaching for the test.

In an era when business people are asking for employees who can use and interpret information intelligently, NCLB is forcing schools to emphasize rote learning. Do you know the ultimate goal of NCLB is that 100 percent of students will be able to pass a certain standard? In what other line of work is everyone required to be above the norm?

School is not like a science laboratory in which results can be discerned from figures alone. Students are not robots who should be able to spit out answers. Our public school system certainly needs to improve, but Mr. Kress' opinions are one side of an issue. I would appreciate a column from you on the other side of the story.

Wayne Russell

Elgin