Letters: Democrats hinder progress in education

In the piece about why schools in poor neighborhoods fail, commentary writer Richard Whitmire attempts to push the blame on to someone or something else ("Column: Poverty not all to blame for lousy school outcomes").

By Tony Dejak, AP

Computer class: Trevon Davis, 9, in Pepper Pike, Ohio.

By Tony Dejak, AP

Computer class: Trevon Davis, 9, in Pepper Pike, Ohio.

One group that appeared to be missing is the Democratic Party. It controls the majority of inner-city neighborhoods and has for many years. The fault of our education system rests on the shoulders of the education unions, whose political contributions fall almost solely into the hands of Democratic politicians. Charter schools have proved to be a way out and are supported by the GOP (another tidbit left out of the article) and are a step in the right direction.

For me, it is plain to see that Democrats want to keep minorities and the poor in their place.

Randy Lampe; Mason, Ohio

Focus on effectiveness

Focusing on how students perceive the challenge of their curricula obscures the real issue: stagnant student achievement. The problem with American education is not that it's easy, but that it's ineffective ("School is too easy, students report").

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By framing the discussion around perceived challenge, educators can point to regulations that supposedly make schools more difficult when they should be looking for reforms that can make schools better. Further, there is no conclusive evidence that nationalized standards do anything to remedy the serious issue of flatlining achievement. Federal spending on education per pupil has almost tripled since 1970, with no significant gains on the National Assessment of Educational Progress standardized assessment. Is it worth it?

Matt Pawlowski; Washington, D.C.

Challenging vs. harder work

It's unfortunate that only 37% of fourth-graders find their math homework "often" or "always" easy. In fourth grade, it's supposed to be easy. Students are supposed to be learning the basics, the foundation for more advanced math in high school and college.

It's interesting that in the Forum piece "Why our kids hate math" the issue presented is we start kids too quickly with "advanced" mathematics. I agree. Cognitive and abstract brain processes don't develop until later in adolescence to enable kids to process the advanced topics.

As for history or English classes not being challenging, let's not confuse the word "challenging" with "harder." Often, the response is to give a greater volume of work, not necessarily more intellectually challenging work, to high-achievers.

It's no wonder we're falling behind the rest of the world in education. We expect kids to perform more complex math before they know their multiplication tables, and then punish the high-achievers by making them do even more mind-numbing work.

Kevin Stout; Franklin, Tenn.

How much do students know?

If American teens think their classes are too easy, how can we explain how little they actually know? For instance, three-fourths of them failed to reach proficiency in knowledge of U.S. history on the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress. As for civics, close to one-half of black and Hispanic teens could not name a single right protected by the First Amendment.

Proponents of the Common Core national standards contend that instilling more "critical thinking" skills will make everything fine and dandy. More likely, the latest cycle of progressive education will result merely in further spikes in unmerited self-esteem.

Robert Holland, senior fellow for education policy, The Heartland Institute; Chicago

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