US education system severely lagging, requires more action from policymakers
What does a former NFL wide-receiver, a dignified former assistant principal and guidance counselor, and a bunch of teachers in the mid-South have in common? They’re all cheaters, but then again, so are we.
Federal prosecutors have just indicted Clarence Mumford Sr., a former educator, for operating what’s being called a “testing ring” in three states since 1995. In this recent evolving scandal, teachers who weren’t yet certified to teach a particular subject, or needed an additional teaching license, paid Mumford to hire other people to take their certification exams. This allowed unqualified teachers, like Mumford’s own son and Cedrick Wilson, a former player for the Pittsburg Steelers to teach young Americans. For 17 years, students, through no fault of their own, shuffled through teachers who would have been otherwise unqualified and incapable of teaching them if those “teachers” were playing by the rules.
Their actions are deplorable, but when you look at our society at a whole, you can’t really blame them. They simply wanted to become teachers, but they were unwilling to put in the hard work. For years, we’ve deluded ourselves into believing that we can cheat whatever system exists. We could get rich quick, lose weight even quicker and earn that college degree by simply sitting on our couches in our footie pajamas and watching reruns of our favorite TV shows. We’ve been a nation that has been unwilling to put in the blood, sweat and tears in order to get what we want or what we need done.
While our collective laziness can be seen in many aspects of daily lives, it’s probably most evident when it comes to education. Our politicians like to sit and talk about needing a strong education system, but time after time, we’ve implemented policies that don’t seem to work. The No Child Behind Left Behind Act was an utter failure, and giving waivers to 33 states so they can “race to the top” isn’t helping anyone either. Education reform of the real variety is urgently needed here in the United States.
How can we expect to deal with our current and future problems without solid and comprehensive education for all of our citizens? We’re facing a severe doctor shortage, and various infrastructures are crumbling. No matter which side you’re on, whether you’re a fan of school vouchers or more federal oversight, when we have teachers who cheat to be teachers, we can all agree that something urgent needs to be done. We don’t have any more time to waste by bickering or arguing.
Fixing our nation’s schools, along with the host of our other problems, is going to be hard journey, but it has to be done. This time, we truly can’t afford to leave anyone behind, but we can’t just quite cheat our way to the top either.