Ruben Navarrette’s October 8th column about the “No Child Left Behind” Act suggests that he’s infected with the Liberty Valance Disease. It’s the one that says since GW Bush and his sycophants are still boosting the Act, then it must be a mighty fine one.

Mr. Navarrette implies that some parents (“Republicans”) oppose the testing and test-preparation constraints of the NCLB Act. I see those parents as the ones who want their B students to be A students and their A students to be A+ students, the parents who attend school functions, meet regularly with their children’s teachers, and visit the school from time to time. Yes, we don’t like NCLB, and Yes we want to restore what has been subtracted from the curriculum under the sacred name of NCLB.

I can’t speak for low-performing schools, but I know that the “self-serving” teachers you named are not the entire reason that some pupils don’t progress. What do you do when letters are mailed, phone calls made, notices sent home-- in Spanish and English-- translators sit by, and classrooms are staffed so teachers can have one-on-one meeting time with parents? Who shows up? Less than half the “responsible adults” ever come, and that’s all year.

The reasons for that are very many, but right now I’m talking about the fact that schools have cut back on  art and music and writing and discussions, and replaced those with “test preparation,” testing, more preparation for testing, & etc. 

 “No Child Left Behind” is unnecessary for achieving children, and I wonder if it’s even a good idea for low-achieving ones. I do know what I want for my child’s school. Woe to the children whose parents trust the Government to make good school decisions.