Education

Education is a cornerstone of a well-functioning nation and democracy. I have family and friends that are teachers. They are to be commended for their tireless work to help our children learn, often under difficult conditions and not enough in-classroom support.

However, too many schools are simply failing our children and it goes beyond simple tax formulas and money. Some teachers do not give their best effort and yet remain in their position for years. Some school districts are well above the state average in per pupil spending, but well below average in graduation rates and achievement. We must re-think our kindergarten through high school (K-12) system to be performance and results driven, period. But to get there:
• Parents must get more involved in, and given more choice over, their children’s school and curriculum. Vouchers for non-public schools, expansion of charter schools, etc. must be ‘on the table.’ If parents are more invested in their child’s school, they will be more invested in their child’s educational performance.
• Patronage havens of bureaucracy like the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education, where the chief was arrested on theft charges (see SouthtownStar editorial for more information: http://www.southtownstar.com/news/opinion/editorials/1991885,011510edit.article ) must be shut down. If a program or system doesn’t help children achieve in the classroom, it deserves the highest scrutiny for possible elimination.
• Principals and local school boards should be given more latitude to dismiss poorly- or under- performing teachers.

But we can’t put this all on a teacher’s back. If a child comes to school hungry, they cannot focus. If there are no jobs or career opportunities, young people will have little hope for a prosperous future an education can help them attain. If neighborhoods are unsafe and gang-ridden, children will fear just getting to and from school every day.

Improving our state’s education system can be done if we continue to push practices and policies that we know work for kids (as seen in test scores, graduation rates and the percentage of kids that go on to higher education) and eliminate those policies that are failing our children.