'Be All You Can Be' No Longer The Message

The following is an excerpt from this above titled article written by my good friend, Ramnath Subramanian, a retired school teacher with the Isleta School District (see bio). He lists some reasons why education in America is in the doldrums. I'm wondering if some of the same below attitudes (i.e., "low expectations") have not seeped into the thinking of some in the Lord's church over the past sixty-plus years. Beloved, you be the judge.

"A major failure of our public-education system is that it is riddled with low expectations. This is especially true in special education where children receive accommodations so that they may succeed in class. Sadly, though, once the plan is in place, efforts to challenge students become seriously attenuated. Success at the lower rung is accepted as full-fledged, and the ladder itself gets taken away. 

Similarly, our government inflicts low expectations on its citizenry. While prolonged government assistance in the form of food stamps and unemployment benefits are necessary in some instances, most people are best served when they are put on a path to self-sufficiency quickly. The government, though, likes to pull the ladder away. Why? The answer is simple: dependency on the government is good for politicians, especially incumbents. The argument goes something like this: “You don’t need to climb any ladders. I will take care of you. Elect someone else, and the give-aways may go away.” 

The wily politician knows that when you are in a tough spot, it is not always easy to see the ladder, or the heights to which it can take you. America’s classrooms have many fine teachers in them who try to impart a quality education to their students. However, their efforts face resistance. It comes in the form of scripted programs and software from outside agencies and think-tanks that tell teachers what to teach and how to teach it. Often, these entities have the government’s shadow on them.

It is not difficult to understand why education in America is in the doldrums. Quality public education is anathema. What politician armed with misinformation, propaganda, and mendacities, wants to stand in front of a smart and analytically-minded crowd?" —Ramnath Subramanian, a retired public school teacher.

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets

Related Articles:

• Entering God's Classroom
• What Is Effective Teaching?