Choosing Sides

Andrew Delbanco, author of "Two Faces of American Education" reveals two opinions on American education from Michelle Rhee and Diane Ravitch. While I did read all thirteen pages, I was particularly interested in Michelle Rhee's perspective on how to reform our education system. Delbanco writes about Rhee condoning a "culture in which teachers rank their students and families prod their children to raise the ranking" (Delbanco, 2013). I found it interesting that just as the subject is glossed over in debates in education, it seemed that the discussion in class primarily focused on competition as a general concept.

Although I support a competitive edge in the classroom and think it promotes a great learning environment, I do not believe that this is universally applicable to all schools. For instance, this works in college and suburb high schools where most students come from middle to upper-middle class families and have families who encourage their children to be successful. So if Rhee is saying it is the family's responsibility to raise their child's ranking, where does that leave the children coming from families that do not promote academic success? In a perfect world, okay. Except this is not a perfect world and college students are poor and we still don't get snowdays at Gettysburg. In the real world, particularly in urban areas, many students come from uneducated families with very little support from anyone. 

I remember a girl in one of my classes last year came from a Korean family and shared that in her culture, families push the child to succeed academically. The majority of their savings go towards sending their children to the best schools and providing all of the resources needed to succeed. So kids with families with that mentality are set! Except there are at least four million other children unaccounted for (90% of all statistics are false). Seriously though. How is it even remotely feasible to rely on every family to raise the child up the academic ladder of success? This raises another interesting point. Is it the school's responsibility to give the child the tools he or she needs to surpass the level of achievement of their peers on top of teaching the curriculum?

I mean . . . I don't want to choose a side, but . . .