No Child Left Behind series in Chicago Tribune...

[ikojo]

The three part series started on Sunday, July 18. It's about this little girl who lives on the South Side of Chicago. Because she and her siblings attended a poorly performing school they could, through the No Child Left Behind program, opt to transfer to a better performing school. This little girl's mother got her into a better school. The series chronicals Victoria's experience at the better school.

What it also so evident in the series is that school is more than what goes on in the classroom. Sure the kids are in a better school but their home life has not improved any. Their mom needs help with her parenting skills as well as steady employment. According to the story, she often lets the kids stay home from school because they stay up late watching the Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon.

A link to part one

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0407180208jul18,1,2112985.story?coll=chi-news-hed

Here's a link to part two...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0407190194jul19,1,4865503.story?coll=chi-news-hed

Rayola Victoria Carwell proved to be a quick learner after she used a federal law to transfer to a better school. But as the year progresses, the long commute and absenteeism begin to negate the benef


By this day in mid-November, she has been absent 14 of 46 school days and late another 12.

snip

Carwell deflects blame for her children's missed schooling. She complains that she gets little help from their fathers and says she is too exhausted after work to fight to get the children in bed.

"I'm not making excuses, but people don't understand how hard it can be," Carwell says. "I keep telling the kids that they got to go to school or they're going to fail, but they don't listen to me. They are as hard-headed as I am."

[iconoclastic cat]

1. That second one just ripped me apart.

I wanted to cry.

[ikojo]

5. I feel for the kids. They did not ask to be born

to an overwhelmed mother. Victoria clearly *wants* to do well but given her home situation the odds are stacked high against her. I read the article in the paper yesterday on the train ride home from Chicago. In the printed version there was a picture of Victoria doing housework while her older brother, Aaron, was laying on the bed watching TV. The blurb under the picture said that Victoria often cleans up while Aaron watches TV.

Why is it that GIRLS are expected to do housework while boys get to lay around?

I think the premise of allowing kids to go to better performing schools is a good one but it should also include some mentoring of the parent(s). Victoria's mom clearly needs assistance, although when it was offered by the new school, she seemed unable to accept the help.

[iconoclastic cat]

2. By the way, your links are broken!

[ikojo]

3. The links have been fixed now.

The Trib is a registration site so you *may* need to register.

[iconoclastic cat]

4. I'm registered. I actually read those this morning.

How many ways can something be awful?