Speech- Cassie Adams

Every year around this time, students become frantic. Anxiety levels rise as finals approach and the panic sets in as we all crunch the numbers in hopes of securing the best grade possible. But along with the anxiety comes the complaining. Students are constantly lamenting the fact that finals are now worth 20% of our total grade. Arguments that our fates should not be decided by our performance on one day of the school year are heard throughout the halls. Cries of, “We were never taught any of this!” ring out as we walk into our classrooms. But what students are failing to recognize is that we have it better than most. As students in the Liberal Arts Academy, we are not only gifted with the ability to solve complex math problems or to understand archaic reading passages, we are also gifted with a team of above-average educators to support us. We have teachers who are extremely qualified in their fields and who care enough about the futures of their students to invest a great deal of time and energy into their work. Others aren’t as lucky.

Throughout the United States, there are a number of students who are trapped in a school system that is sub-par. Parents are left with no option other than to send their children to a school that inhibits rather than promotes learning. Even in neighborhoods with one outstanding public school, there aren’t enough spaces for everyone. And so, the children’s fates are placed in the hands of luck, a lottery deciding who will be given the education that they deserve.  One such case is documented in the film, “Waiting for Superman.” This film follows five children on their journey through the failing school systems and criticizes the current state of education in our nation.

After tracking the effect of individual teachers on groups of kids, Eric Hanushek confirmed the suspicions of many parents. Ultimately, the problem comes down to the quality of the teachers. Studies have found that students with high performing teachers progress three times as fast as those with low performing teachers.  The logical solution to this problem would be to fire these inadequate teachers, but there is one provision that stands in the way: tenure. Tenure was originally meant to protect professors at universities from being fired for arbitrary reasons after proving themselves through many years of teaching, but it is now granted to some public school teachers almost automatically. The procedures to remove an ineffective teacher are lengthy and there are strict rules that must be followed. It is also difficult to reward teachers who are performing extremely well. In effect, all teachers are viewed as being on a level playing field, which is simply not the case.

Another factor that plays a large role in the success of our students is a system called tracking. This system involves separating students into various groups based on their academic ability. Those placed on the higher track are put in more challenging classes and those on the lower track are placed in classes where they face lower expectations. Historically, tracking was an effective way to prepare students for jobs in the work force.  But, this system fails to meet the needs of today’s society. The need for qualified workers in the high tech industry continues to rise and companies find themselves searching for candidates outside of the United States. Bill Gates argued that, “We cannot sustain an economy based on innovation unless we have citizens well educated in math, science and engineering. If we fail at this, we will not be able to compete in the global economy.”

Traditionally, there has been a large gap in the test scores of students from various socioeconomic backgrounds. Those in poorer neighborhoods can be as much as two to three years behind and often bring other issues to the classroom that most middle class students do not have to face such as crime, troubled homes, etc. The achievement gap between these students and students from more wealthy backgrounds has remained, despite all our efforts to reduce it. However, some progress is being made. The Knowledge Is Power Program has worked to create charter schools in these poorer neighborhoods in hopes of providing the children with a quality education. They increased classroom hours and focused on achievement, with the primary focus on going to college. Today, there are over 80 KIPP schools across the nation. Studies have proven that students enrolled in these schools have increased test scores in both reading and math. The top charter schools send over 90% of their students to a four year college. Students do better the longer they stay in charter schools. The achievement gap that has plagued students for so long has begun to close. Clearly, we have found something that works.

As cliché as it sounds, the youth really are the future of the America. And the only way to secure our future is to ensure that each child is equipped with the proper tools that they need to succeed in today’s society. As a nation, we need to rethink our current policies on education and recognize that while there are many examples of thriving schools that offer an exemplary education, there are many that are falling behind. So, the next time you complain about your abundance of homework or criticize a strict teacher, I ask you to reconsider, because there are many children that would love to receive the education that we so often take for granted.