For any who are interested here’s my personal story. I think it is instructive in this matter. I went to my Baptist Church for kindergarten. It was a good preschool. I then was enrolled by my parents in St. Camillus Academy for first grade. This was a catholic school run by nuns and suchlike. It was a private school. Discipline was extremely strict (don’t ask about the punishments for misbehavior: let’s just say corporal understates the truth by a long shot.) I proceeded from first through third grades at St. C. During Summer break between third and fourth grade, I found out that all of the neighborhood kids went to Corbin Independent School. I wanted to be around the neighborhood kids as they were my friends, so I talked my parents into enrolling me there. C.I.S. were not exactly private schools, but they weren’t county schools either. (The county schools were and remain some of the worst in the entire country.) As it stands, they were much better than the county schools in all aspects.
So, the fourth grade year started and I started at C.I.S. On the first day or so, the administrators at my new school gave me a test. I’m not exactly positive if it was an IQ test or what. But, after seeing the results, the administration put me into fifth grade. This being exactly the opposite of what I wanted (to be around my friends), I rebelled. (They even had to call my Mother in from work to calm me down.) Needless to say, they put me back in fourth grade. (Full disclosure: I’m not the fastest shooting star in the galaxy, but the superior education and discipline had advanced me at least one grade level above my peers.)
I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had wanted to attend the county school instead. Would they have tried to advance me TWO grade levels? I guess not considering that the primary goals of teachers at those schools was to pass everybody and draw a paycheck regardless of the abilities of the students.
Just from my personal experience, I can attest to the difference that can be made by a good school with strict behavior standards and a rigorous curriculum. And here’s the thing: At St. C., I wasn’t even considered to be one of the smart students. Barely average if I remember correctly.
Here’s the bottom line, folks: A good education requires two things: Good schools and good parenting. I was very fortunate to have both. My parents cared about my education. So did my teachers. If either of those things are missing during the formative years, then the child has a much lesser chance of becoming a productive member of our society. Unfortunately, Washington, DC has just lost one half of that formula. The parenting in DC may be questionable at times, but the schooling definately isn’t. At least now it isn’t. It’s bad for the kids as anyone can see. Those kids that have been removed fron the good schools are now relegated to the underclass for life unless they have exceptionally dedicated parents.
regards
