doodledee

And talking about academic standards, what I want to know is this: when people freak out about Closing the Achievement Gap, are they advocating improving the quality of education for all students and helping all children - regardless of race, socio-economic background, etc - achieve their maximum potential? And if that means spending a little more time and/or a little more effort and/or a little more money on some group of students so that they can learn to read better or do math better or take some post secondary classes to get a jump on college, then that's what they're advocating? Right?

I would really hope so. Because man, it'd really be awkward if instead they were trying to dumb down academic standards in an attempt to create some sort of Solidly Mediocre Utopia where every kid is the same and - lest we forget - they're all winners. Can't being a 'winner' just mean that you've succeeded to the best of your abilities? I think so. But that's just me. And I'm a loser. So there.

I find it hard to rage against both plutocracy and a meritocracy at the same time. I'm not even sure it's possible. Huh.