The Democratic primary voters of deep-blue New York City delivered a message clearly, firmly, and loudly: “Defund the police” was stupid and is now over. The first tally of the mayoral primary showed the pro-funding and pro-reform ex–police officer Eric Adams atop a large lead. The next day, President Joe Biden urged Democratic cities and states to spend some of their billions in coronavirus-relief money to hire more cops and put them on more streets.
But as unpopular as “Defund the police” is, local progressive activists have found a cause even more anathema—and are pushing it with even greater vigor. Eighty-three percent of American adults believe that testing is appropriate to determine whether students may enroll in special or honors programs, according to one of the country’s longest-running continuous polls of attitudes toward education.
Yet across the U.S., blue-state educational authorities have turned hostile to academic testing in almost all of its forms. In recent months, honors programs have been eliminated in Montgomery County, Maryland, and Seattle. On Long Island, New York, and in Pennsylvania and Virginia, curricula are being rethought to eliminate tracking that separates more- and less-adept student populations.
Look at that little scholar. I bet my little boy can thrash your little boy. Lol Just funning, I certainly don’t condone that behavior, just thought of it when viewing Einstein.
Has been happening here quite a while too- every level of student gets “enrichment” , whether they have mastered the basics or not. It wouldn’t be “fair” to only allow kids who are capable of it to study at a higher level. Did not find out until he was in high school that my son’s computer lab math was stopped from advancing any further when he reached 6th grade level while still in elementary school- they didn’t want him to get too far ahead. As parents we were told that having computer lab would allow each students to study at their highest capability. Took him until high school to realize how wrong it was and that’s when he told me what had happened. Too late by then of course, but to be honest I probably wouldn’t have done anything about it because the social price for us both would have been too high to pay. In spite of them he now has a doctorate anyway since he studied on her own. Not a “doctorate” in education either. Thanks Worcester County blue ribbon schools! (sarcasm)
Wow – North Salisbury School redux!
How many of the kids that attend that magnet program really belong there? I say test away and may only the smart survive!
Amen – my kid went through NSS. I got a letter at the end of his second grade year about testing him. He took the test and got in, and I am not complaining one bit. I think there are two groups of kids in that program. Those who truly deserve to be there (maybe 3040% tops) and the rest that bitched until they got their kid in. I can say this – my kid was around really smart, nice kids and never had one problem. They all worked hard and earned their way. Now, he is set for his AP classes and none of the riff raff is around.