Teacher/Author Debra Craig Raises Concern That Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings Might be 99.9% Delusional
High school teacher, author, and founder of the anti-NCLB Million Erasers campaign, Debra Craig, gives proof why No Child Left Behind is not like Ivory Soap, “99.9% pure” nor is it like Mary Poppins, “practically perfect in every way.”
Moreno Valley, CA (PRWEB) September 6, 2006 -- Anti-No Child Left Behind crusader Debra Craig, has not only started teaching, but has hit the press release and publicity circuit again thanks to what she calls “an inane statement” made by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. In an interview with reporters at the Department of Education, Mrs. Spellings told them, "I talk about No Child Left Behind like Ivory soap: It's 99.9 percent pure or something. There's not much needed in the way of change." Debra, a public high school teacher from Southern California, found her statement to be “outrageous, or something.”
“Her audacity to even suggest that NCLB is without problems is shameful and disturbing. Isn’t her job to look out for the best interest of the children who attend public schools and not just be a blatant shill for George Bush’s legacy of failed policies, which NCLB has the honor of being number one,” commented this nine-year teaching veteran.
“I wrote a book and gave it an absurd title to reflect the absurd thinking that went into creating this legislation that has been wrecking havoc with schools since 2002.” Debra was referring to her book “Why Is the Teacher’s Butt So Big? Plus 111 Other Mysteries of Public Education” which was published in 2006 and is available at Amazon.com. “If NCLB is so brilliant, I’d love to hear Mrs. Spellings explain why more and more schools are being placed on the Program Improvement List and why the “achievement gap” still exists as much as before four years after NCLB was implemented.”
Debra did have something good to say about Margaret Spellings. “Thanks to her quote and ludicrous assessment of NCLB, it has motivated me more than ever to educate the public about the reality of NCLB, why it is a mistake and needs to be eliminated, not just changed.”
This mother of two, whose own children attend public schools, has 14 major reasons why NCLB is not “pure” or “perfect” and should become a thing of the past. They are:
1) NCLB unfairly puts no responsibility for academic success on the parent or student; it’s ALL on the schools and teachers.
2) NCLB does not take into consideration and conveniently ignores the impact that 12 million illegal aliens and their children have put upon our public school system.
3) NCLB is a fraud and based on the myth that teachers were only teaching to white and Asian students, commonly referred to as the “achievement gap.”
4) NCLB has an absurd and convoluted definition of success.
5) NCLB has unrealistic goals.
6) NCLB wrongly thinks the way to motivate schools is by labeling them then punishing them with the threat of taking away the things they need to succeed.
7) NCLB fails to recognize the role our culture and parents play into creating successful schools.
8) NCLB ignores the fact that test scores compare one set of students with a completely different set of students.
9) “Teaching the test” comes at the expense of teaching other important subjects.
10) NCLB is creating a teacher shortage with its unrealistic expectations placed upon teachers and low morale for the ones who do stay.
11) NCLB dictates the same of amount of growth despite the fact states use different tests in determining proficiency.
12) NCLB incorrectly defines what constitutes a “high qualified teacher.”
13) NCLB's obsession with testing comes at the expense of other important educational issues.
14) NCLB fails to recognize that standardized tests scores are not the holy grail of an educated society.
“As you see, I can say with 99.9 percent certainty that NCLB is terribly flawed. Schools do need to be held accountable, but NCLB is NOT the way to do it,” concluded Debra. "It would be the best thing for everyone if the government just scraps it and starts all over again."
For a more in-depth look at her reasons and to find out more about the “Million Erasers” campaign, readers may go to Debra's web site.
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