Whats Wrong Essay, Research Paper

Yates French

Hr. 2

12/17/99

What is wrong with American schools? That?s the million Dollar Question, or should I say the Multi-Billion Dollar Question. In the past, America?s solution to our abysmal public school situation has been to throw money at the problem. But that obviously isn?t working. American students are consistently scoring less on standardized tests than other nations children. Personally, I believe the problems are more complex than a simple budget problem.

The truth is, American culture is to blame. For some reason, American students are not raised with the desire for academic success that occurs in other countries. In Japan, students often commit suicide after doing poorly on college boards. In America, I know of people who have taken their SAT’?S while under the influence of drugs. Many of our students just don?t want to learn.

Not only do other countries produce students who are far more highly skilled than many Americans, but they can?t seem to keep any of them from immigrating to America. In 1998, South Africa was able to retain two percent of their Computer Programming graduates. So I guess America has plenty of skilled laborers in the work force, it?s just that none of them are Americans. This is not acceptable. Now the solution to this is not to change our culture, because it won?t happen, some of these people cannot be helped. Instead, America must foster an environment where those students who wish to excel are given the chance. Instead of spending millions on special education classes, we need more places like Springs. This nation needs more college prep schools, schools that are not designed to educate factory workers, but instead focus on training future lawyers and doctors. If an inner city school can?t send any of its graduates to college, close it. The funds from that school can be used to buy better equipment for other schools. If you?re not interested in getting a full education, than you don?t get any.

I don?t really believe that. I don?t think it is morally right, and I?m pretty sure that it is unconstitutional. However, that doesn?t mean it wouldn?t work. What?s wrong with schools in America? The students. How can we fix that? Cast off those who don?t want to learn, and encourage those who do. Going to springs, we are kind of sheltered from this. But I spent five years in public schools. The schools themselves are just as good as most private schools. It is the students who are showing up to school high. It is the students who think it is funny when they have a 1.0 GPA. It is the students who don?t feel that they need to succeed, because they know that the government will take care of them for all of their lives. The only thing wrong with public schools is that they are open to the public. I would like to say once more that I do not believe that my solution is right, just that it could work. And if we were to throw morality to the wind, I think these five ideas could greatly improve our public schooling system.

1. Create a Tiered system, in which students are assigned to certain schools based on standardized test scores. Schools assigned to those students with the highest scores would receive the best teachers and the most funds. This would separate the wheat from the chaff immediately. Opponents may say that it would widen the gulf between the well intelligently gifted and the less fortunate. I say that is one of its greatest virtues. It does not take much of an education to work in a factory; most resources spent educating factory workers could be better spent on educating a future physicist. By allocating most of our resources to an elite group of gifted, dedicated students, we could ensure a that the leaders of tomorrow have the necessary tools. This would also undoubtedly lead to the development a class system. Those who had received a superior education would have an inherent advantage over others.

2. Adjust the curriculum in the schools to reflect the type of students that it contains. For instance, a higher rated school would contain math courses up to and exceeding calculus, while lower rated schools could stop at basic algebra.

3. Do not tolerate failure. If a student is failing his classes, don?t pass him on to the next grade just to keep him with his peers. Fail him, and if necessary, move him to a lower tiered school.

4. Lower the age for required schooling. As Jobs become increasingly less physical and dangerous, child labor becomes more acceptable. If a person has received all the education they need at the age of twelve, quit wasting time on them and get them into the work force.

5. Improve public colleges. If we lower the age of required schooling, we also have to raise the age at which a quality education is still free.Rightnow, countless gifted students are relegated into sub-standard colleges because they lack money. We need our brightest students, not our richest, going to Harvard. If we improve community colleges to the point where they provide a quality education to those who qualify for admittance, we can ensure that our educational resources are going to the best use.