Poverty still lies at the root of the U.S. ‘education crisis.’

Google the phrase “education crisis” and you'll be hit with a glut of articles, blog posts and think tank reports claiming the entire American school system is facing an emergency. Much of this agitprop additionally asserts that teachers unions are the primary cause of the alleged problem. Not surprisingly, the fabulists pushing these narratives are often backed by anti-public school conservatives and anti-union plutocrats. But a little-noticed study released last week provides yet more confirmation that neither the “education crisis” meme or the “evil teachers' union” narrative is accurate.

http://inthesetimes.com/article/15849/t ... e_problem/

I agree Chaos. Poverty has always been the major factor in whether one is successful in education.we have spent the last forty years measuring the wrong thing.

Poverty is the root of a lot of problems.

Of course, to hear the rabid right talk, it's people's own fault don't ya know? People just love to be poor and suck off the teat of government.

There are some examples of people who were born into and lived in poverty, who managed to be very successful. The right likes to trot them out in these sort of discussions.
I could, if so motivated, drag out several examples of people who were born into and/or lived in wealth who were never successful and sometimes downright losers.

The bottom line is that being financially and nutritionally secure gives a child a better chance at success. When a child goes to bed (or school) hungry, they really aren't able to learn properly. There are more of them than most people know.

One of the ideas I hate the most is the one that says that rich people worked hard for their money and if the poor would work harder they would have money, too. First of all, many many of the rich inherited the money. Second, no one works harder than the Mom who has 3 jobs cleaning up other people's messes for pennies.

I'm not a fan of the teachers unions here in Texas. However, Perry and his people keep cutting the budget for education. Nutrition programs get cut. Poorer schools have inferior books and supplies. The kids aren't failing. Most teachers aren't failing. We are failing them. Education sucks because we suck.

I mostly agree with jeanne's post ~ I repeat that my respect and admiration for teachers has mushroomed since I've been involved [on both sides] with a charter elementary school for the past several years ~

There are several different but related problems at play ~ as a charter, we can maneuver around a couple of those problems ... namely financing [to a degree] and curriculum ~ but the daily bureaucracy is astonishing and very demoralizing ~ and many of the teachers' union demands [including here in Illinois] are a BIG problem ~ the mechanisms for providing solid public schooling have not kept up with the enormous growth in student populations or the enormous rising costs of providing public education ~

I am definitely NOT defending any of those who see education funds as first to cut ~ but with a still fragile economic recovery, it's very very very tough to decide how to split the money pie ~

Sooz

I thought we always knew this. Maslow and the deficiency needs have to be met before you can function on high order learning.