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Jewish World Review Augus 22, 2005 / 17 Av, 5765 Long summers vs. a jump on the competition By Ruben Navarrette Jr.
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Public school teachers and administrators claim that they want parents to be partners in their children's educations.
That sounds nice. But it's easier said than done. For instance, what happens when these parental partners advocate a course of action that is totally counterproductive and that possibly even undermines the educational process?
Just because many parents like to claim that their child's education is their top priority doesn't make it so. They might well put their own interests — or perhaps the interests of the family — over those of the student.
This is an old story. There has long been a competitive tension between educators and parents, a natural friction between the opposing environments of school and home.
The latest example of that tension is the heated debate that is currently erupting over, of all things, summer vacation. According to an article in the New York Times, a number of school districts are trimming back on the ritual by starting classes in August or even late July, rather than the month of September. From Arizona to Florida, schools are trying to get a jump on the school year by enrolling students before Labor Day. School officials contend that starting classes earlier in the year gives educators and students more time to prepare for the standardized testing required under No Child Left Behind. They also say that an earlier start makes it possible for students to take end-of-semester exams before Christmas break instead of after it, something that some educators claim makes it easier for students to retain what they've learned.
Parents aren't buying it. While there are always those parents who can't wait until the kids go back to school, there are also some who want to preserve the traditional summer vacation. They say they would prefer that school start in late August or, better yet, early September. They insist that starting school early interferes with things such as summer camp and family vacations, and they're determined to hold the line. Groups with names like "Save Our Summers" and which claim to represent thousands of members are organizing petitions and e-mail campaigns and pressuring state legislatures to require schools to adhere to a more traditional school year — or suffer the wrath of voters.
It's working. According to the article, North Carolina recently passed a law prohibiting public schools from starting school before Aug. 25. Wisconsin decreed that schools couldn't start before Sept. 1. In Minnesota, lawmakers drew the line at Labor Day.
I admit that, whenever parents and schools square off, I'm not in the habit of siding with the schools. When the issue is increasing accountability or eliminating bilingual education or requiring merit pay for teachers, I'm usually on the side of the parents.
Too bad. There are bigger issues involved. Whenever there is a survey of how well students in the United States are doing in math, science or reading compared to those in other countries, we learn that our kids are trailing the pack. It's no wonder that companies in the high-tech industry are increasingly looking abroad for job applicants, turning to countries such as China or India to fill jobs that once went to Americans.
People in this country complain about that, and they cling to slogans like: "American jobs for Americans." They tell themselves that the only reason that foreigners are creaming them in the job market is that people from other countries will work for lower salaries. Their pride won't let them confront the possibility that the real reason may have to do with differences in competence and qualifications.
And where does that come from? It starts with education. In China, the school year is 270 days. In India, it's 220 days. And in the United States, it's only 180 days.
Americans are already falling behind in relation to those in other parts of the world. Preserving the length of a traditional summer vacation won't help them catch up.
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Arnold Ahlert | |||||||||||
