Scribbles by ME

No Child or Sports Hero Left Behind!

I don't know how your school works, but I will bet it is no different than mine under the NCLB (No Child Left Behind Law) or a State's Athletic Standards. 

Two weeks before the end of the SEMESTER last December, I had five students pulled out of my junior English class and enrolled under another teacher in Special Education so they could pass.  Most of these students were not passing because they didn't come to school or they just flat wouldn't do their work. One in particular sticks in my mind as doing nothing but walking the halls all day.  So, if they are enrolled in some way in the Special Ed department, they are not allowed to fail because of the No Child Left Behind law.  They must pass and they must get a certificate of graduation or the state or national government will step in and cause all kinds of chaos for my school. 

First of all, let me be perfectly clear on one thing:  Students who are handicapped or qualify for Special Ed full time, I have no quarrel with.  I do have a quarrel with their our schools trying to get every Tom, Dick, and Harry that can't pass because they are lazy or don't want to come to school like everyone else, put in Special Ed class.

My gripe here is two-fold:  Why didn't "they" (the Powers That Be) get concerned at 5 weeks or 9 weeks?  AND  what is it that "they" can get the students to accomplish in two weeks that I could not in sixteen weeks?  I am told they must do the same work, but Special Ed people would decided how it is to be done.  Among other things, we wrote four papers this semester.  How does one bring up a grade of 33% over 16 weeks to 60% in 2 weeks?  How does one go about writing two, let alone four papers and other classwork in TWO WEEKS?  Please keep in mind that I have taught Special Education students and do use the techniques in my classroom for those who require a bit more than the average student.

New Topic, sorta.  I am a huge sports fan.  I also believe that students who play sports have an obligation to fulfill all the rules like everyone else. Football paid for at least two college educations in my family.  But, they were not given any breaks nor should they have expected any.  Yet, the athletes that are failing in my school are given a study hall usually with a one-on-one teacher to try to make sure they pass. (No other student in our school has a study hall.) Miss too many days?  Don't worry about coming to Saturday School or After School make up times.  Why don't you just come to school at 7 a.m. everyday and sit out in your truck in front of school with your girlfriend and make up an hour a day that way?  Need a job?  We'll let you work on the construction of the new concession stand and you can use those hours to make up your classroom time also.  GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!!  Today we had an assembly and during this meeting our principal explained how our state was now only going to let athletes be eligible to play with one F.  Well, that solves everyone's problems but the poor teachers who already had enough pressure put on them to to get these athletes passed.  I never could understand how come one of our players who had a least three F's was out there playing anyway.

The whole idea makes me sick.  But, the thing that gives me ulcers over this is that not all students are allowed such conveniences.  How about a few of my students from the lower echelons of the pecking order being given these same opportunities?  Surely it is not because they cannot dribble or block or swing a golf club or run fast. 

I could say a lot more, but this will suffice for today.  Sorry to become such a ranter.  I promise to have happy thoughts tomorrow.  It's not like the sports thing hasn't been going on for the whole 37 years I have been teaching, but the No Child Left Behind Law is one huge joke.  I have jumped through so many unnecessary hoops since I have been teaching I have collapsed arches.  But, in the final analysis, I love this job; it's the politics I can't stand.  What else is new?