Get Smart

I couldn't help noticing the irony of two articles that appear in today's New York Times.

"Gotbaum Says City Is Failing to Remove Violent Students" (by Elissa Gootman) reports the findings of a New York City public advocate. It turns out that "multiple and violent offenders" were still walking the hallways in 11 of the 12 City schools examined.

Skip to the second article. "Bush Urges Rigorous High School Testing" (by Anne E. Kornblut) heralds the President's recent call to expand the No Child Left Behind Act. Now, it seems, we're going to spend an additional $1.5 billion to ensure that high school students stop lagging in the areas of math and science.

I wonder. Could the presence of "multiple and violent offenders" in the classroom have anything to do with the under-achievement of students?

Most schools don't need more money. What's lacking is the political will to tell the kids who cause chaos, "Until you learn to control yourselves, get out!"