Based on many years of classroom teaching would say you have presented the questions correctly: first starting with student ability–students have different levels of ability and this is a point often ignored in establishing standards/policies/etc and those abilities vary by concepts and areas such as could have average to above ability in one area but serious learning problems in others (some people ignore the concept of IQ or other measures that display a wide range of ability to learn for population); motivation to want to learn whether home based (and often a major concern) or culture of their group of friends; administration policies and expectation including support –this “administration” includes federal, state, local right down to building and department level where teacher is dependent upon many policies, supplies, can do/can not do because of policy or financial considerations, etc. etc. and there are difference in the way teachers can and do handle whole subject or class or individual situations. This issue is far more complex than simple catch phrases can ever capture.

I haven't read Mr. Murray, but I find the idea that IQ is the main predictor of academic success hard to believe. Go to a Mensa meeting and close to half of them never went to college, and a handful never even graduated high school.

LOL..inncercitymom is right. Most of the Mensa members I know have the common-sense of a toad.

The post was about Gene White's assignment of blame. If you do the research, you'll find that everywhere he's been, he's good at placing blame. To be fair, he's also good at motivating and big-picture ideas—most of the time.

I don't know that administrative staff can be blamed for this, but everything Abdul posted is to blame. I do find it interesting that Dr. White almost always increases administrative staff, pays them more, and elevates a lot of folks whom people don't like. That is his choice, of course. Then, that powerful cabinet has an audience of one: they must pelase the King.

In all cases–lest we forget–the elected school board can monitor and if necessary, reign in an overly-aggressive Superintendent's plans. I haven't seen that yet, in Washington Township or IPS. They're all lap dogs.

Dr. White also seems to be searching for something I call the “Bill Cosby moment.” It's when distinguished minority leaders, with good educations, lash out at the societal ills that befall public education. Hoping they'll light a fire or get attention beyond their borders. And make no mistake–Dr. White is a media junkie.

It's cheap to say, but if you don't match it with solid programs and measureable goals, it's kinda meaningless. And the school board has already shown us how they feel about hiim, with contract extensions and bonuses.

At some point, if teachers and staff are the problem, you've got to roll up your sleeves and dig in, and get rid of the dead weight. Or stop flapping your jaws about it. It's difficult to get rid of teachers, and it probably should be. It takes a lot of work. Maybe one of Gene's cabinet, a/k/a the Gang of 12, can dedicate their time to that process. It's not like they're overworked.

Just to weigh in on the IQ commentary: first, will agree with the idea of distribution of abilities even if use more “modern” measuring philosophies—anyone who disagrees is likely taking a far too simplistic attitude; second: Mensa has no direct connection to academic achievement in the sense of having higher degrees. A “simple” backwoods farmer/hunter/etc. could have very high ability as far as intelligence and very well may be able to rank high on abilities testing as done for Mensa nomination. The point of having had exposure to academic, social, political, etc. exposures and demonstrated well in that arena does not define “IQ” or other such considerations.

When (and if) it become acceptable to understand not everyone has (or ever will have) the same set of abilities to learn or achieve then a lot of stressful related policies can be put aside. Example: every student should go to college—-colleges (at least in the past –that is, major universities–were established to work with the upper 25% or so as to academic ability (and yes, this sometimes did work against the student from a low income and/or school system without higher levels of math, language arts, or science coursework)). Now, with the “everyone to college” we are going to change the whole issue of what universities were established to do and in the process reduce their ability to do the most for those capable of the highest achievement levels. Those needed to advance any field of endeavor. As a part of this: I endorse the community college system in addition to secondary education programs that address special interest of students and at a level each is capable of mastering.

“Is it parents who are uneducated themselves and could care less?”

Don't you mean “couldn't care less”? “Could care less” means they care.

All those things are a factor. But by far the hugest challenge is children who grow up in homes with uneducated parents who don't have the tools or ability to help them even IF they wanted to, and many many don't. You could put the entire population of an IPS high school into Carmel HS or some other high acheiving public or private school with great facilities, and they likely wouldn't do much better. Conversely, if you replaced the student population at any of the IPS high schools with the students currently enrolled Brebeuf and Park Tudor, from homes with largely college-educated parents.. the IPS high school test scores would miraculously improve. And teachers would somehow look great! (though admittedly they'd likely also be more motivated and able to teach)

There are always a few IPS kids even from the worst poverty with uneducated drug addicted criminal parents who can and will “break through” But it's rare. The problem of how to break the cycle, even if you had the best educators and administrators in IPS is an overwhelming challenge. It's a societal problem that extends far beyond the education system, and at this point you have to deal with the kids you have, not the kids you wish you had from the kinds of homes you wish they had. I am one of those who believes that slightly higher test scores at charters and private schools that draw from the IPS area population largely are the result of motivated parents who are motivated to get their kids in.

Getting wholesale change given the backgrounds of many of the kids would require very intensive one-on-one intervention with these kids at a very young age and continuing intensely throughout their childhoods. Something that is beyond the reach of most public or private programs and something that society as a whole probably cannot or does not want to pay for, whether it is through public education and programs like Head Start, or private charitable programs. The billionaire Christel DeHaans of the world who can afford that, and want to, are few and far between and will never be able to reach more than a few kids.

I should point out that while you, Abdul, tend to focus on IPS, this is every bit a rural problem. The same problems of overwhelming drug use, under acheivement, low graduation rates, teen pregnancy, reliance of welfare, etc. exists in many rural counties too, it's just not as concentrated and not in major media markets. Ask someone from Greene County when percentage of kids removed from homes for drug (meth) addiction is staggering. The schools have the same kind of problems, and what 20-something new teachers graduating from college want to move to these communities? Very very few. Increasingly, they have to take whatever teachers they can get. And school choice, for example in counties where there is only one high school for a huge geographic area, no charters or private schools and no capital to start and build them, and no public transportation, is not an option. It's very sad.

LOL, so are you done with the subject or would you like links to solid research? I mentioned two books, which is one more source than you mentioned, but I'd be happy to list as many as you like. Just give me a number. I'm not saying ability or IQ isn't a factor at all, but it's not even close to a major contributor. Below-average IQ students from high-income families usually graduate from college. High IQ students from low-income families usually do not. The smartest people do not do the best in school (either k-12, college, or postgrad). Drug users tend to have exceptionally high and exceptionally low IQs. Groups of people who historically were thought to have low IQs (Jewish and Asian people) produced children who are top students. There are multiple cultural factors that affect education from all directions (student, parents, and educators). But IQ is really low in the whole mix of predictors of academic success.

Just FYI, I'm pretty libertarian myself, so I'm not coming at this from a bleeding heart liberal. Instead, I feel public education is proof of just how incompetent our government is. We are paying a fortune to NOT educate kids. We can either NOT educate them for free, or we need give non-government schools the opportunity and the funds to educate them.

Abdul, you called this right (again)!!! The problem starts in the home. Lack of work ethic, family values, education is thought of as nothing more than daytime babysitting.

Student ability (IQ) is also a factor. But students from the above homes don't get to utilize their potential and just don't try. Children learn what they live.

It goes on to the incompetent administrator, whose policies are NOT based in reality! How do you have “community schools” and expect grade 5 – 12 to be in the same school? The maturity level and need for supervision is totally different. Then you have the thug factor. The 5th grade “wanna be” thug observes the behavior of the 10th grade hard core thug, and begins to emulate that behavior…except that when the current 5th grader is in 10th grade, he's 10 times worse than the current 10th grade thug….that cycle will self-perpetuate.

Lack of discipline in the schools also adds to the problem. When the incompetent administrator allows violent behavior in the school, refusing to treat criminals as such, the violent behavior is perpetuated: there is no punishment. What are they going to do if I attack staff, give “in-school suspension” or, worse “suspension” so the student can go out and victimize others during the day???

Sheri my dear, it's nice to welcome a fellow English undergrad degree-holder…if you're new to blogs, you're going to have a field day.

Absent the typical typos and fat ftumbs on small BBerry keyboards, blog grammar is, well…Palinesque. It has its own style.

At least until the use of the word “progress” becomes preferred as a verb. Sorry Sarah needs to go back to school.

Happy blogging, Sheri!!

Who were the heroes of the young two generations ago? Who are the heroes of the young now? Why are the current heroes looked upon as heroes and role models? Who benefits from promulgating such heroes?

Education, is not the providence of government, or the domestication of intellect by an “enlightened” few. At several times the legitimate cost; we don't need government to tell us what is education, art, entertainment, sport, business, etc. Over reliance on government (others forced to pay with THEIR TIME / THEIR LIFE & PROPERTY) is unenlightened.

834512 has a lot of it right there. But, also, school is amazingly dull and boring … especially, sometimes, for very bright people who are either unchallenged, unengaged, disappointed with the experience or just plain don't fit in socially and therefore don't blossom.

The system teaches at a 'least common denominator' speed and is regimented like a military operation sometimes which can stifle more creative people. School curriculum often fails to fascinate and create a sense of awe about knowledge, history or the world and it is largely because the focus is on the wrong things or the information is so dull and watered down.

This is a prime case where government near monopoly of the education system keeps choice out of the marketplace and puts limits on what kind, style or method of education kids can get. At the end of the day, it's become all about memorization and regurgitation (short term). Critical thinking is increasingly a lost skill and we graduate kids who, it seems, know nothing about the real world and what they need to know to operate in it.

There is also a valid debate that could be had regarding whether we've allowed College to become what High School used to or should be.

Yeah, Aires, THAT'S the ticket. That'll work REAL well.

Dave, your comments always intrigue me…but I think you mean “province,” not “providence.” Unless you meant to imply divine cooperation.

See what I mean, Sheri? ;-)

More food for thought…

Channel 6 News interviewed the IPS school board president, who advocates spending nearly $700K for those silly signs. Then I saw Gene White also advocating those signs.

Clearly, there is absolutely NOTHING of educational value that this money could be spent on…nothing at all.

Abdul and his Talk Radio ilk have created this “blame the teacher.”mentality. Especially blaming experienced teachers over younger ones and stupid stuff like the weak IEA union. He has, along with Tully, created the myth of the “bad teacher” that oddly enough teaches ONLY in urban schools with at risk kids. He's lied about IPS using Title1 funds wrong and about the bus driver who took students shoplifting. Never happened. He tears down IPS because he drinks with charter school lobbysists. He fails to tell you about the charter schools that are just like “John Marshall Thunderdome” that are still operating. His radio show is pure fantasy, screencaller and all.

Talkradiolies:
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The difference with Abdul from most other media sources is he will very likely let you present your viewpoint on his show. There is NO ONE, from listening in multiple states and cities over too many years of public affairs broadcasting, that does a better job in directly airing the public's viewpoint. I suggest you or your representative contact the Abdul show. If you're reasonably coherent(LOTS of latitude here based on past guests), you can probably have a whole interview segment to present your side of the issue.
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And, I bet I don't agree with the guy maybe 40% of the time!
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Abdul- If I have overstepped or misstated your booking or operational framework of the show, please correct me.

I will never forget a friend who was a special education teacher boasting that her students could now write footnotes. What for, they were reading on the fourth grade level although they were in high school. Not college material.

Just today I had a student tell me about her sister, who finally graduated out of an alternative program. her younger sister believes she is studying to be a pediatrician, she thinks she is “pre-med” at Kaplan Business College.