Boy Did I Hit a Nerve

Boy did I hit a nerve. On April 24th, I wrote a column on the state of education and the CRCT test. I have never received so much feedback on a column before. I heard from parents, teachers and even the school superintendent, and that was before the fracas over the CRCT scores. The overwhelming majority of the feedback supported my basic premise that the federal- and state-mandated CRCT testing is missing the mark and we can do better. Everyone is frustrated, and no one, I repeat, no one, is satisfied that our local education system is consistently providing the world-class technical or college prepatory education our children deserve and need.

If that is the case, why can’t we admit it? Every time someone tries to raise the issue, all parties get defensive. Sure, our school system has improved. Of course, most of the teachers and administrators are working tirelessly to provide a quality education. That’s great, but it’s not enough – and that is why everyone is frustrated.

In Superintendent Smiths’s response to my original article, he referenced “change theory” and the need for “quick wins”. I work for an international consulting firm that specializes in change management. I get that. However, quick wins are not enough. We cannot hide behind small incremental improvements in test scores that show that we are just barely above or below the state average. Keep in mind, Georgia ranks near the bottom of virtually every educational ranking known to man. Being average in a below average state is nothing to be proud of.

The first step in fixing a problem is to admit you have a problem. Troup County, we have a problem. Despite the hard work of the educational establishment, our educational system is not delivering a world class education to all of our students.

This issue is quite complex. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the institutions equipped to solve this problem often work against themselves. At this point I am going to venture out onto thin ice. I offer the following comments not with the intent to offend anyone, but to challenge the status quo and see if there is a genuine willingness to improve our local education system.

The School Board: The school board is an elected political body. They are paid very little for the inordinate amount of time they commit. All are good-hearted, well-intentioned citizens who sacrifice tremendous time to serve the citizens of our county. Their ability to serve, however, is predicated on their ability to get elected. They are hamstrung for effecting change because they are reluctant to speak out on the single biggest determinant of low academic performance – the lack of parental involvement. No politician can blame the voter and expect to get elected.

The Chamber of Commerce: The Chamber should be a great forum to drive education excellence. The Chamber is comprised of the resources, civic leaders and business leaders that have the means to drive the changes needed. Again there is a conflict: the Chamber is hesitant to openly discuss the state of our educational system for fear it will drive away potential new businesses. That fear is well-founded. It has been the norm that many, if not most, of the professionals relocated to Troup County have elected to live in Newnan, Peachtree City or Auburn. They overwhelmingly cite one reason – the lack of educational excellence in Troup County compared to these other locations.

The Parents: This one will probably get me run out of town. The drive for a superior education system must be led by the parents of the students. The parents must rise up and demand a superior education, not just an adequate education. In turn they must be willing to invest (time and money) to support these changes. Then, and only then, can the Board and the Chamber begin the long, hard process of making the needed changes.

Far too many parents view school as nothing more than day care. Their children come to school unprepared and go home to a wasteland of TV and video games. The only thing these parents want is a safe place to park their children during the day.

At the other extreme are the parents who value education and will ensure that their children get a decent one. They will instill its importance in their children. My concern is that many of these parents do not realize just how much more rigorous superior school systems are. Their children are getting good grades, so why rock the boat?

The third set of parents is perhaps the silent majority. They view education as a destination, something finite. Something you must complete. They see it as more about time (12 years of attending school) than equipping their children for life long learning. They want the best for their children but are unwilling to get actively involved in the education process. They leave it up to the school system. Their children could achieve so much more but are not being driven by their parents from home or the educators at school. These students will merely pass the standardized tests and graduate – the two key metrics driving our school system today.

If I have not offended you yet, it is because I have run out of space. We are all responsible for the quality of our school system. This problem is huge, and so is the opportunity. We can be different. If this community would choose to make education a priority, we have the means to make it happen. That would truly make Troup County a great place to live and work.

Kirk is a member of the Lagrange Writers Group. He can be reached at jkirkhancock@yahoo.com.