Stop Bashing Educators;

Start Bashing Poverty 

Sometimes the symptom of a problem is treated as the real problem.  For example, in standardized testing, American children score very poorly when compared to the rest of the world. As a result, we are angry and alarmed!  We demand more from our teachers and administrators.  We complain that we are not getting our money's worth.

What if these poor scores, however, were merely the reflection of a greater problem: poverty. According to the Winter issue of Dissent, American students rank first in reading and science and third in math when the sample is from schools where the poverty rate is less than 10%.  Even in schools where poverty levels are between 10% and 25%, students still rank first in reading and science.  The problem, as reported in the March 8th, Christian Century, is that "in 20% of schools in the U.S., poverty rates exceed 75 %." As we know, poverty is not just about money, it is about a "culture";  poverty, not our teachers, is the problem! 

Faith church does treat poverty's symptoms; we are wonderfully responsive in feeding people.  Is it time, however, to do more? How can we step up?  One way, I believe is to organize a tutoring program (we would go to the schools and set up a program whereby Faith members would volunteer an hour each week for one-on-one coaching with a child). We need a "champion", however, to organize this.