No Child Left Behind must be repealed
I am writing concerning the Oct. 31 news article titled “Educators want break from federal goals.”
As a student who has seen the damages the No Child Left Behind Act has wreaked on our educational system, I stand in total solidarity with educators. the act must be repealed.
No Child Left Behind forces schools to overemphasize standardized testing. Effects of this overemphasis include de-enrichment of the curriculum, labeling and tracking of students, false accountability, cultural bias and excessive class time and financial resources devoted to narrow test preparation.
Federal law should support teachers and students, not punish them. A recent study by the Harvard Law Review showed that schools are becoming more segregated. By punishing underperforming inner-city schools, No Child Left Behind broadens the gap between city and suburban schools, spurring an increase in the use of private vouchers.
Funding for No Child Left Behind should be cut, and the money should be allocated to constructive initiatives such as Head Start.
The media plays an important role in exposing the flaws in our current education system. I trust that the Daily Herald will step up its efforts to expose the effects of the unjust and counterproductive No Child Left Behind Act on our schools and students.
Mark Mahoney
Wheaton