Stan Geiger

Mr. Ed's Failing Grades

By now, most people have probably heard of the latest bit of sorry news coming out of public education. Students were basically given a citizenship test. Out of 10 questions, an immigrant has to answer 6 correctly to pass. The first-try success rate for immigrants is 92 percent. Of kids that have spent their lives in American public schools, only 2.8 percent passed. Only a quarter of them could name the first President of the United States.

Last night, KOTV reported on the matter. The station followed with another story on education---a story touting the fabulous impact of those borrowed billions in federal stimulus dollars currently being pumped into public schools. In the course of that story, it was said the state’s two largest school districts---Tulsa Public Schools and Oklahoma City Public Schools---have graduation rates of 70 percent. In other words, 30 percent of students entering high schools in those districts fail to get diplomas.

Not long ago, it was reported that 30 percent of Tulsa Public Schools teachers surveyed said they wouldn’t want their children taught by their colleagues. That’s quite a statement. A third of the teachers said they wouldn’t want their kids attending the very schools in which they work.

You know the old saying about there being two certainties in life: death and taxes. One might add a third: public school educators whining about wanting bigger paychecks every year. Given the above, can you come up with a good reason why they should get them?

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