Schools cater to underachievers

I would like to preface this letter by saying I am not a teacher but a taxpayer, and that this letter is directed, but not limited to, Schaumburg Elementary District 54. It has come to my attention in the past few years that our education system is failing us.

The administrations are dictating to the teachers not only how they teach, but are withholding learning from our students. They are sacrificing education and are only concerned with test scores, not learning. Teachers who had previously scored in the very good to excellent rankings are now being told they are incompetent, are placed on remediation and threatened with involuntary transfer.

Our system is catering to the underachievers. The class cannot move forward until every child passes a set of standards dictated by the administration. The standards are low and each student should easily be capable of passing these tests. Students are coming into the high schools with poor reading skills, poor math skills and little knowledge of science.

Teachers who are committed to teaching and not willing to conform to the mandates being set by the districts are being punished, and in turn the students are being punished. The teachers being lauded are those who don't want to “rock the boat” even if this means a lack of teaching a part of the curriculum because “they are uncomfortable” with their knowledge base.

Contact your principals and administration and let them know how you feel. Thank you to all of the teachers who are out there trying and giving their all to their students. Shame on everyone else for letting this happen, all at the expense of our future.

Christine M. Arce

Arlington Heights