Arne Duncan has weighed in on the disastrous history test results for public education students in recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Test:
"These results tell us that, as a country, we are failing to provide children with a high-quality, well-rounded education."
Are you surprised when "International Education Week" receives more information on the DESE site than "Constitution Week and Citizenship Day"?
What do students learn in "International Education Week"?
International educational exchanges help students and educators around the world to understand one another better. Together, we must respond to the challenges of poverty and hunger, climate change, public health, and economic revitalization.
There was voluminous information on the DESE site on International Education Week last year but nothing on Constitution Week. Arne Duncan shouldn't be surprised children aren't being supplied with a "well-rounded" education when the emphasis is placed on being a global citizen vs an American citizen. Why should today's students learn about Abraham Lincoln? What does he have to do with hunger, climate change, public health, and economic revitalization anyway?
Here's the calendar for the school year 2011-12. No International Education is being observed by DESE this year, but some special days and events listed are: World Environment Day, UN Day, UNICEF Month, Peace Corps Anniversary.
Based on what Arne Duncan stated about not providing a well-rounded education, it would seem the social issues are covered fairly well. Do you think this schedule lends itself to improving history scores based on what's listed as "special days and events"?
Constitution Week STILL has no accompanying information. Wouldn't you think the agency could at least give parents and taxpayers a brief description of how districts will celebrate this rather important document in our nation's history? But then again, whatever does the Constitution (like Lincoln) have to do with hunger, climate change, public health, and economic revitalization?
