"Waiting for Superman"

I have never been more appalled at the insane cruelty of the American School System.  Pitting child against child.  Tracking children for appropriate 'placement' so they can achieve into the 'best' category of worker for the USA's work force.  Is this like something we used to hear from Iron Curtain countries, or what?

When I was a student in the public school system in primary and secondary school I was never 'categorized,' never told I should follow a 'certain career track,' had any kind of record other than my academic record with the school and never was a disciplinary problem.  Very few of my classmates were disciplinary problems.  We were middle class kids with parents who gave a damn and we turned out 'just fine.'

I cannot believe how 'controlled' this issue has become.  Every aspect, other than focusing on improving the socio-economic educational status of 'ghettos' was completely bizarre to me.  Completely bizarre.

I don't believe for one minute there are teachers that don't care about their students and do nothing in a classroom all day long simply because tenure allows them to do that.  No tenured teacher is allowed to do that.  None.  There are consequences for unprofessional demeanor and poor ethical standards when a teacher doesn't do a good job.  I know the film and the 'scenes' of students misbehaving, but, that wasn't uncommon when I was a student either.  Students misbehaved and sometimes they got away with it and sometimes they didn't, but, it was never such a problem that they didn't learn.

I hope Arne Duncan sees this film and realizes how correct he is to 'standardize' learning in the USA while seeking out 'trouble spots.'  There is no way there should be one school in the USA teaching a different cirriculum to their students from another school.  When did it happen that all of a sudden school districts are 'designer schools' whereby 'standard educational goals' are not part of a student's cirriculum.

Sorry, folks, but an A is an A and the number 1 is still the number 1.  There isn't much that can be done with that.  Either be a parent that sincerely cares about your child and do some parenting and involvement with them, or do them a favor and let them know they need to seek out a support system for themselves that will remove 'disadvantage' from their lives so they can compete.

The parent I most admired was the one that did not bring her youngster to a 'lottery,' and the parents whom's child said a lottery was a game of chance.  I mean cruel.  Those children don't understand what is going on with this lottery mess and they should be sheltered from its reality.  I was simply astounded at the level of cruelty American children are subjected to on a regular basis in order to COMPETE.

When I was a student I never competed unless I was hitting a softball or riding to fences at a 4-H horse show.  In school?  What are you joking?  My best friend was the valedictorian of our class, but, we didn't talk about grades or tests or aceing the Bio Lab Exam.  We talked about boys and birth control and the class trip and the car we were going to get with the part time job we each had.  Compete?  For grades?  What are people daffed? 

Secretary Duncan has his work cut out for him.  To begin, he needs to STOP THE STRESS of learning in the USA.  One young boy stated (He was eight years old.), when I grow up I want things to be better for my children than I had them.  Like what kind of mess is that from an eight year old?  It is called 'a parenteralized child.'  I dont' think so !  We all ought to be ashamed.