How Low Can You Go: Florida Board of Ed Accepts New Lows in Achievement

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Category: Education

Published: Saturday, 26 January 2013 23:40

This article originally published in West Orlando News Online.

The Florida Board of Education decided to set goals for reading and math improvements based on race. The state has six years to increase the reading and math scores by 50% in order to meet federal guide lines. Instead of increasing the quality of the educational machine and thereby the quality of the education, the Board in its infinite wisdom decided to lower the standards for the students. This is a legal dumbing down of our students.

The new guidelines were approved by the State Board of Education. In six years, 2018, the target will not be 100% success, but rather a range of moving targets based on race and ethnicity. Asian students target is 90%, white students target is 88%, Hispanic students target is 81% and Black student target is 74%. Those targets are their goals for reading levels.

 Former Gov. Jeb Bush rejected this idea saying that in would send a message that Black and Hispanic kids were not as capable as others.

 Florida officials rejected Jeb Bush’s assertion saying, the targets are not meant to set lower expectations for some kids but to acknowledge the current performance and outline a path for improvement. The board then approved the measure.

I think we can agree that this policy is nonsense and an insult to intelligent people everywhere. Teachers are told to teach to standards. Those standards are now moving targets. This policy means students will be separated by race. From a financial stand point, how much will this cost?

The affirmation action question is being raised in the U.S.Supreme Court now. It is a question of race and education. The Florida Board of Education in this action made the assertion that, ‘It is okay to give lesser education to a group based entirely on race even while using tax payers money.’ Just how does this fit with affirmation action or lack of affirmation action?

 How will these Hispanic and Black students progress in their careers after high school graduation? What will be the difference between a Black students diploma and an Asian student diploma? What will the potential employer say? Who will hire a student with this sub-diploma?

 Will these sub-diploma graduates be accepted into college should they choose to go? Will an ‘A’ Black student be moved into the Asian group? Will a ‘slow’ Asian be transferred into the Hispanic group? This system is doomed to failure and our State Board of Education members should be put in the group of 67% target.

 Blacks and Hispanics are being set up to work the low paying jobs. Get just enough education to clean hotel rooms and sweep up trash at Disney and flip a few burgers. That is what the tourist state of Florida is. The Florida Board of Education has decided to create a labor force of uneducated individuals with diplomas, for the low paying jobs of the tourist industry. This amounts to legalized slave labor.