This week I’ll be exploring education issues for Sunday’s column in the Hibbing Daily Tribune. I may sneak a couple of preview posts onto this blog. Why is it that the only time people get good and mad about schools is when it comes to taxes or pride in the sports teams? What about reading? I’ll be making the argument that the economic gap in standardized reading scores is slowly bleeding our region and country in a worldwide battle for economic survival. Get mad, people.
Read more, get mad
July 21, 2009 by 1 Comment
There are occasional efforts in regard to schools that don’t have people getting mad. There is a retired pastor with a Tower address who is trying to get about 50 volunteers to go into the local schools as tutors.
But otherwise, you are right. But that is because few schools have any contact with the local people, who are not parents, except when those people hear about scores (TV, Radio, newspapers) and when they get their tax statements.
ISD 2142 send out a monthly newsletter about various accomplishments of the students. I’ve heard that Virginia has something similar. How many non-parents read these?
Otherwise how do we hear about the schools? Probably only when something bad or contentious happens. But that seems to be the case for many human activities.