Stop social promotion of students
Notice: Undefined variable: article_ad_placement3 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/single.php on line 128
Aaron Chapin’s op-ed in the March 20 edition of the Observer-Reporter sounded like a union propaganda letter.
Chapin complained about 74% of schools spending less than $13,000 per student as if spending more will guarantee better results. That is not true. Just look at Pittsburgh, where they are spending $33,000 per student, but have almost no students testing at a proficient level in either math or reading.
He complains about large class sizes, but gives no numbers. All the schools these days have somewhere near or below 20 children per class – that is not a large class.
The reason students are failing is the absurd liberal practice of social promotion. Students just can’t fail, and they know that.
Pouring more and more money into failing schools has never worked. If some schools need money to repair HVAC units, then start trimming sports and other extracurricular activities. We need our schools to be centers of education, not day care centers.
All Chapin wants is more money for teacher salaries. But I don’t blame teachers for students not learning – I blame parents for not making them learn by holding them responsible.
George Dawes
Washington