20 years later, poor schools still lag behind
Published April 17, 2015
Editorial by Fayetteville Observer, April 17, 2017.
Twenty years ago, the state Supreme Court gave Superior Court Judge Howard Manning Jr. a daunting challenge. He's still wrestling with it.
Manning's oversees the high court's decision in the "Leandro" case, a landmark ruling that found the state violating its own constitution by failing to provide adequate resources to poor school districts.
Kathleen Leandro's son, Robb, was a high school sophomore in Hoke County when the suit was filed. Today, he's a partner in a large Raleigh law firm, specializing in health-care issues. A lot has changed in his life. But little has changed in Judge Manning's oversight of education. He still is looking at a dysfunctional mess.
As he has so often over the past two decades, Manning hauled state education officials into court last week to explain alarmingly high rates of students failing to meet basic expectations.
The educators told Manning that testing standards have been raised, so more children are getting lower scores. The judge said he understands that, but is concerned that in hundreds of schools in mostly poor areas, only small fractions of students are performing at grade level.
He added that he knows low-income children aren't coming into the school systems with the same preparation that wealthier families are able to give their children, but said that represents the state's failure to do its job. "They're there, and they're our responsibility," he said. "Every day, they're in that classroom. Something's wrong in that classroom. Something's wrong in that school."
And for once, it wasn't necessarily about money. Manning acknowledged that the state has invested hundreds of millions in its 44 worst-performing schools, but that hasn't brought improvement. "That's a lot of money, folks," he said. "and if you were GE or Google or Microsoft, you wouldn't be supporting any of them. You'd have closed the plant down or fired everybody in the school and got somebody who could get the job done."
The judge said he'll hold another hearing soon to see what the state will do about meeting its constitutional obligation to those schools.
And then he'll hold another, and another. And when he retires, a new judge will take up the quest. Some things are just that resistant to change.
April 17, 2015 at 10:49 am
Richard L Bunce says:
I agree with the judges assessment if not his preferred solution...
"The educators told Manning that testing standards have been raised, so more children are getting lower scores. The judge said he understands that, but is concerned that in hundreds of schools in mostly poor areas, only small fractions of students are performing at grade level.
April 17, 2015 at 10:58 am
Norm Kelly says:
'Some things are just that resistant to change.' Especially, it would seem, government monopoly schools!
Judge Manning made a major mistake, that will soon be corrected by demons, and media types, very soon. 'Manning acknowledged that the state has invested hundreds of millions in its 44 worst-performing schools, but that hasn't brought improvement'. The lib lie is now out in the open! Libs, demons, socialists, and media types CONSTANTLY whine that Republicans are not 'investing' enough in 'education', more properly called government monopoly schools. (Thanks Chris for the suggestion of what to call this monstrosity!) Perhaps I'm biased because I live in Wake County and the ONLY whine ever heard from the Board of Ed is that they lack money. This is ALWAYS their first and last whine! The whine is so predominant for them that they have actually asked permission from the state to become their own taxing authority, so they would no longer have a Board over them to approve budgets. Imagine what the tax rate would be like in Wake if the school board were EVER allowed to become their own taxing authority! Only Soros, Gates, Clinton, Vanderbilt would be able to afford to live in Wake! And then just barely.
What's the one thing, besides money, that school administrators whine about most often? Competition. They refuse to allow private schools to take up ANY of the load. Most school administrators even do their darndest to prohibit home schooling. They make up bizarre rules, try to make it difficult to obtain materials and tests, and block home school at every opportunity. Some school boards actually make up stories to object to and prevent home schoolers from happening.
So, Manning admitted that simply throwing more money at education isn't the answer, what he calls 'investing' and is commonly known as 'spending'. Manning PROVED once & for all that libs are telling huge, unsubstantiated lies on this. Know what else Judge Howard has proved? The other lib lie. More government interference in any market isn't the answer! Manning is a representative of another branch of government. School boards, state legislators, and taxpayers were accused by some, including Manning, of failing students by not spending 'enough'. So, besides the branch of government called 'school board' or 'legislature' being involved in government monopoly schools, suddenly 'judiciary' was involved in making schools better. The socialist attitude of more government involvement to make it better. Except even though another government entity got involved, the problem still exists. More money - not the answer. More government - not the answer.
What's left? Everything else. But nothing that either branch of government will allow. Competition! The exact opposite of what libs/socialists/media types would want and have actively opposed! Less government! Heresy you say! I know, cuz libs love, live, breath, die by government, and more of it makes them even happier. No problem has to be solved so long as government is involved, at least for the average lib. When will any branch of government allow this solution? Never. Because they are afraid that someone MIGHT spend the money on a Christian school where God is taught along with math & reading. Forget that math and reading are failing in the government schools. Forget that math & reading would be learned in the private school. If the opportunity exists to teach a religion OTHER THAN big government, then libs/socialists/media types will prevent this form of competition. It's not for the kids these people fight. It's for the government. And it's for their religion they fight. Christianity bad. The religion of government, the god of socialists, good in every circumstance! It SEEMS that this same group is fighting AGAINST families and kids instead of FOR families and kids. Could this possibly be true? Is this the other thing to come out of Manning's most recent hearing? Could the solution somehow involve doing what's best for families & kids? Doubtful since government is involved!
