"Nation at Risk"

Abstract
"Nation at Risk" is a document written in 1983 that came as a wake-up calls to most American citizens. It outlined the nation progress (very little) in education and also its downfalls (a lot). Standardized test scores were going down. The literacy rate was going down. Students were graduating high school, they just weren't learning anything. "Nation at Risk" put all of the statistics in a tidy little package for parents and politicians and students and workers and every US citizen to read (if they could). It was a no nonsense document. Meant to scare the crap out of a nation, which is exactly what it did.

Reflection
Oh, this sounds eerily familiar to what we've been hearing lately about our current education system. I really enjoyed reading "Nation at Risk". I think the language used was perfect. I little lecture, a little statement, a little demanding. It was like a slap on the face. Getting in trouble by our parents and us as readers just bowing our heads in shame. But...I wasn't alive when this came out. If someone had written it yesterday, I would still bow my head in shame. But what do we do? As a pre-professional, I can't imagine one teachers not doing everything within their power to make sure kids are learning. How do you teach better when you're teaching the best you can? Is more money from the government really going to help? Maybe it will lower our class size, hire more teachers, and buy more books. But then what? "Nation at Risk" is oddly vague about its plan to revitalize education. It says "you're not doing good enough. do better!" but how?

I also thought that this quote was pretty fantastic:

The people of the United States need to know that individuals in our society who do not possess the levels of skill, literacy, and training essential to this new era will be effectively disenfranchised, not simply from the material rewards that accompany competent performance, but also from the chance to participate fully in our national life.

What exactly does this mean? Are we going to kill off all of the illiterate people in the country?