Nowhere in the U.S.
Constitution is the role of the federal government to absorb itself in
education, for the 10th Amendment clearly implies that this
should rest with the states. The reason education should be a national
priority is to prevent a brain drain within this country, to set uniform
standards for achievement across states so that a diploma has meaning and is
comparable, and lastly to fulfill the promise for the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act funding at 40% concomitantly removing legislative
wording such as the “least restrictive environment” and working toward “the
most efficient and productive learning environment.”
President Bush’s
historic education reform package, the “Leave No Child Behind Act,” which
drew bipartisan support as well as North Carolina’s ABC’s of Education Act
and the Excellent Schools Act all promise more with less being rendered in
terms of resources to implement these plans. Educational rhetoric seeks to
measure achievement solely through test performance without questioning the
impact on all children, particularly those at risk, or concerns about who is
paying the bill and from whence cometh the funds.
This state and
nation need to change their paradigms of thinking in reference to
education and
return to the democratic constitutional and capitalistic principles, which
made us the great nation,
we are and can continue to be.
We should
seriously consider the Fisher
Principles of Education, which will work without burdening the economy while
putting accountability where it primarily belongs, with the students.
1.Support public
education,
but encourage optional learning
environments within the public schools, e.g. military schools, alternative
schools which
are for kids who learn differently
and may benefit by programs such as a focused Orton method with their
smaller class size.
Allow
kids who are failing or not performing at grade level or who have
special needs to take the per pupil state expenditure as vouchers to
seek an accredited learning environment suited to their needs which
could be within the system or to outside institutions.
2.Closing the minority
achievement gap
–acknowledge that the disaggregate data
on student
performance reveals the gap is widest in reading, writing and advanced
mathematics. These
disciplines require a good grasp
of English
and require that we commit to making English the national language for
business, legal and publicly funded enterprises or risk perpetuating the
disadvantage based on language.
Repeal
President Clinton’s Presidential Executive Order 13166, which requires
that any non-English speaking child must be taught in his/her native
language.
Compliance is difficult with this law because of the number of languages
now being spoken by a multitude of ethnic groups.
Adopt
English Immersion programs,
which would teach English first and then allow students to proceed on.
3.
Raising Student Performance
– Education
discussions should speak of the positive benefits for student achievement
applying capitalistic incentives for performance achievements.
Grant to
any student who completes high school with an unweighted GPA of 3.0
plus a 25 ACT or 1000 SAT or in the top 5% of his/her class full support
for his education at a trade school, state university, etc. as long as
he/she maintains a 3.0. For others who borrow the money and graduate
with honors, loans taken for their education will be forgiven.
This plan is
race, color, ethnicity, and socio-economic neutral. This performance-based
initiative puts the responsibility on students and rewards excellence and
achievement.
4.Recruiting, Retaining
and Promoting Teaching Excellence
For those certified teachers making less than
$35,000 per year,
an exemption from federal
income taxes should be given. Community based
benefits should also be considered such as low interest home loans and
discounts on professional expenses.
For those credentialed teachers willing to
serve at-risk students or work in low performing schools,
state support via progressive retirement credits will get results, e.g.
someone with 5 years experience with outstanding performance evaluations
who teaches in these situations would gain 1/3 year/per year of credit
toward retirement; thereby allowing a teacher of excellence to retire
after 20 years of service in areas of need, rather than wait to hit the
traditional 30 year mark This would also mean that the state government
would need to quit raiding the retirement fund to balance its
budget.
- Affirmative Opportunities for male
teachers
at all levels must be promoted for these role models are being lost and
its impact under appreciated as more children come from female headed
single family homes.
5.Oppose unfunded federal mandates for education
and other programs less we further burden state taxpayers.
Legislation in education and other disciplines, which isn’t research and
scientifically based must be reexamined and programs funded must clearly
define how compliance will be monitored, success measured and
achievement reported or face elimination.
It is time we quit
playing politics and support policies, which can be determined as working,
not those that sound good and buy votes. Support for public education must
be a commitment with an insistence that everyone in the chain of command be
accountable starting with students and parents, including legislators and
ending with taxpayers. The bottom line--if our children aren’t valued and
educated, we all pay, either now or later. Our children are our future. If
we do not foster within children and this society the value of education, we
are crippling job markets, stifling innovation, hindering productivity and
compromising our future.
Dr. Ada M. Fisher is a
licensed teacher for secondary education in mathematics and science,
previous elected school board member, physician and is the Republican
candidate for the NC House 77th District. Contact her
at P. O. Box 777; Salisbury, NC 28145, telephone (704) 637-6134 or DrFisher@DrAdaMFisher.org.
