Chuck from Alamosa

I am opposed to No Child Left Behind legislation because it does not address the needs of children. Several years ago, I served as a building principal in a extremely poor community on the Navajo reservation. Many of the students did not have running water. During this time, I observed how being labeled as a "failing school" affects students, staff and administrators.

A fellow administrator was fired after her school failed to make adequate academic progress over 3 successive years. This Native American principal was a lifelong resident of the school community she had served for approximately 20 years. Teachers and students were devastated over her dismissal. The state of Arizona replaced this principal with a non-Native person who had no administrative experience and paid this individual an annual salary of approximately $40,000 more than the former principal. Additionally, the new principal was given total autonomy regarding all aspects of administration with no accountability to the local school board. No Child Left Behind is a punitive law. It punishes poor, failing schools while providing more funds to schools with fewer needs.

Filed in: Make Your Mark > Education