In a Utopian Society, it would be nice if everyone took responsibility for themselves and the ones they spawn; however, we do not live in Utopia. We live in the REAL world. Simply put, the government is trying to find a way to elevate the median educational standard by setting standards of achievement. I have never heard of an effective business without a business plan, goal, or mission which is what NCLB is trying to do for education. And while it is true that schools' scores are published in newspapers and publicly announced on television, why shouldn't they be? This is the public's right to know. The government does not desire to see students fail as you imply. It simply wants the people to know the facts as they are. If we are failing as teachers, we should admit that and move on to figure out how we can be better despite the conditions from which students come. The first part of getting better is to know where you stand and then focus on where you would like to be. Set a time goal. Determine what you need to make your goal achievable. And make every effort to achieve it. To complain that NCLB is "designed to give public schools a failing grade" is not helping the status quo. If you know students are not being provided a quiet place to do homework, then provide them with what they need in class. Quit giving them homework. Do not complain about what you cannot fix. I must admit that, I, too have felt the frustration and longing for things as they used to be, but our society is different. Parents do not do as they should. Teachers are the parents of today. If that is your calling, your purpose by and of God, then you will find a way to make miracles happen. But if you are complacent and reticent to change the ways you have been teaching because you cling to the ways things "should be", your teaching will never be all that and a bag of chips for you and more importantly, your students. Finally, I have never heard of a teacher being fired because of scores. I have heard of a teacher being given suggestions in a written evaluation on how to improve job performance. Teachers are not expected to "do it all". They are not "held responsible for the success or failure of the school or the district." That is laid at the doors of the principals and the superintendents. When things are that bad, more than what is going on in one classroom is going wrong in the school or district. Try not to be so imbalanced and emotional when you write as a teacher, it makes people not want to see reality or listen to the truth. Teachers work hard. We do more than teach in a class room, we parent. We get paid very little. Good teachers will come to the professions if incentive is there. The job is too hard for the lazy and the unwilling.
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