Education and Science from 2008 Never Published

The whole purpose of these posts is to talk about science and education so the week in politics makes for a convenient chance to talk about both.

I'm no fan of No Child Left Behind. But if you try to take the glass if half full approach the program/policy did shine a light on the fact that is is embarassing if all white kids are doing well and all of your poor black kids aren't. The penalties and labels that get associated with schools, in my view, don't help the sitution but helping those students that are already facing and uphill road is a great goal.

That's why I was so happy to read the following quote in Paul Tough's book about Geoffrey Canada of the Harlem Children's Zone.

"The philosophy behind the project is simple. If poverty is a disease that infects and entire community in the form of unemployment and violence, failing schools and broken homes, then we cuan't just treat those symptoms in isolation. We have to heal that entire community. And we have to focus on what actually works."

Obama also is quoted in the book as saying, "the first part of my plan to combat urban poverty will be to replicate the Harlem Children's Zone in twenty cities across the country. We'll train staff, we'll have them draw up detaild plans with attainable goals, and the federal government will provide half of the funding for each city, with the rest coming from philathropies and businesses."

And Geoffrey Canada himself said, "If the stars align, there could be a real conversation developing in America about a new strategy on poverty. If it happens, I think it would give Americans a belief again that not only can you do someting, but we should do something--that there's a self-interest involved in helping these kids. In the end, it's going to make America a stronger country."

NCLB pointed out and highlighted the problem. Canada and hopefully Obama are talking about a soultion. I hope for the best.

Science

With the appointment of Steven Chu Obama immediately separated himself from 8 years of terrible behavior toward scientists. And his recent quotes seem to support these views:

He says, "that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology." And he has pledged to do what our scientists have to say even when its inconvenient--especially when its inconvenient.