No Child Left Behind Nonsense

The Federal Establishment has requested clarifications from the Michigan State Department of Education before it grants the state more time to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. Michigan believes it needs extensions beyond the current 2014 deadline for reading and math proficiency. No matter what the outcome of this minor struggle in the larger battle, we are always amused that in an area which preaches diversity such as modern, institutionalized education does, it doesn't seem to want diversity in how government approaches education. We have a 50 state union here; it strikes us that that should mean 50 different systems of education, if not more once you factor in private education and home schooling. It's hard not to have diversity when there are that many shows on the road.

Yet what else can you expect but conformity once you get the behemoth which is Washington into the fray? Who's the strongest force when it comes down to DC or any given individual state, locale, or person? Who is bound to win?

This is not to argue against effective education. It is to argue against the brick wall approach which naturally results when you are dealing with a structure as massive as our federal bureaucracy. It cannot move quickly enough to effectively address issues such as K-12 education. Particularly when you consider that groups of students will vary from year to year in talent, industry, and inclination (as will teachers, quite honestly) then it seems a fool's errand to demand rigidly equal results from all involved.

There are certain basic needs which must be addressed for education to help its pupils. They are readily traceable to the famous three R's. While we are not all that sure ourselves in how many ways and in how many directions they might be effectively taught, as two plus two must always equal four and George Washington was our first President no matter how we present the information, we cannot help but feel that if there are better ways to do that they are more likely to be found when many people are attempting the chore rather than by a few dictating the process from on high. Those folks will get pointlessly caught up in the minutiae, or worse: they will become dictators.

The larger the organism the more likely that it will stifle rather than encourage creativity. That is why the No Child Left Behind Act cannot work in the long run. It gums the gears of education rather than greases them to run smoothly.

There are times and events which cause us to seek Washington's aid. Education is not one of them.