Clare Ochsner, the author of this piece was one of those students around the table that evening and her leadership and accomplishments in high school have prepared her well for college. She has a refined opinion here and it's this type of perspective that she brings to all MYAC meetings. Congrats Clare and thanks for making Durango proud!***
»Op-Ed » State does not make education feel like a priority
from www.durangoherald.com
Article Last Updated: Saturday, March 19, 2011 4:13pm
Signs of the apocalypse: the Haitian earthquake, global warming, last week’s tsunami in Japan and the failing American public education system. It’s safe to say that recent, drastic budget cuts to education and unfavorable legislation can be included in the latest apocalyptic events. In no way does the horror of an earthquake or tsunami compare with budget cuts, but such melodramatic hyperbole is necessary to communicate the bleak state of American education in 2011.
Our country’s future relies heavily on America’s youths. The latest generations of students will become the power brokers, CEOs and innovative thinkers who will solve the world’s toughest problems. An investment in education is an investment in the future.
That being said, does it really make sense to undercut public education? International competition to dominate the global economy calls for an educated population, equipped with the skills to contend against rising powerhouses. China has become the bogeyman lurking in the closet, and American public education, once on the forefront of learning, is failing. China is rising up to take our place.
Overcrowding because of multiple cuts and understaffing is plaguing the nation. I have felt the repercussions of recent cuts and effects of reducing the deficit at Durango High School. In 2008, my freshman year, the average sizes of my classes were around 17 students. Now the average class size has swelled to well over 25 students. Most classes are filled to maximum capacity, with an empty seat nowhere to be found. In one of my classes this year, when all 26 students were in attendance, at least a couple of kids had to sit on plastic chairs.
The new oversized classes make life harder for everyone. Teachers struggle to keep a crowded room of teenagers focused, and the students who are focused must try to ignore the constant din of rowdy classmates.
Two years ago, the guarantee of teacher layoffs hung over the high school like a gloomy, stormy sky. Newly hired teachers and veteran educators alike feared for their positions. At the end of that year, many students lost their favorite teachers who had become mentors and even friends. In one case, a popular teacher was laid off for what seemed to be a matter of over-qualification. Doesn’t it seem wrong that schools can’t afford quality, skilled educators, and students aren’t even guaranteed a desk? Students need every resource and opportunity to achieve personal excellence.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper recently proposed a $332 million net reduction next year in total spending for public schools. The deep budget cut would come to about $500 less per student. What will this mean for families, especially ones with multiple students? Foreseeable methods of compensation, such as paying for textbooks out of pocket and excessive class fees, are unreasonable and unjust.
All other viable options for deficit reduction should be exhausted before even considering slashing education funding.
Before I wrap up, I’d like to open one last can of worms. Monday, President Obama called for an overhaul of the No Child Left Behind Act. He said, “I want every child in the country to head back to school in the fall knowing that their education is America’s priority.”
Right now, I feel that public education is not a priority. The incentives created by NCLB for improvement have caused states to lower their standards in order to access more funding. The emphasis on standardized testing as the main means of assessment has encouraged a narrow set of skills, rather than concentration on acquiring understanding of the full curriculum. Schools that perform the most poorly are not awarded extra funding and sometimes punitive measures are taken. Struggling schools need the most aid for improvement, not punishment.
Clare Ochsner is a roving editor at El Diablo, the Durango High School student newspaper. She is the daughter of Frederick and Deborah Ochsner of Durango.
