One of the biggest applause line in President Obama’s speech to the NAACP Thursday wasn’t in his prepared remarks–it came when he exhorted parents and children to take full advantage of their educational opportunities and make “no excuses.”
We have to say to our children, Yes, if you’re African American, the odds of growing up amid crime and gangs are higher. Yes, if you live in a poor neighborhood, you will face challenges that someone in a wealthy suburb does not. But that’s not a reason to get bad grades, that’s not a reason to cut class, that’s not a reason to give up on your education and drop out of school. No one has written your destiny for you. Your destiny is in your hands – and don’t you forget that. That’s what we have to teach all of our children! No excuses! No excuses!”
The “Your destiny is in your hands…no excuses” bit was not in the President’s prepared remarks, but both Fox News and the Huffington Post put it in their respective headlines.
In education circles, of course, the “no excuses” meme has become shorthand for schools–and especially teachers–making no excuses for poor student achievement. It reflects the deeply held conviction by some that a school can, should, must overcome all deficits in the children it serves, regardless of outside circumstances. It remains an excellent rallying cry, if not a realistic standard by which to measure teacher performance.
It’s refreshing to hear the standard applied to all actors in the process, not just teachers. The response to Obama’s off-the-cuff remark clearly demonstrates the wisdom of crowds.
Yes! Lets concentrate on those students, and show them that we have high expectations and we’re not ready to keep on making excuses either. I think the president does a great job including the crime, gangs and challenges bit within it. Yes we understand that you have a longer and harder way to go, Yes we fully expect and believe you can make the right choices and be successful.
Still a long way to go between expect, and expect and adequately support. Here in NYC I’ve been in and out of tens of schools where you can tell within 5 minutes that the expectations for these kids are different than what President Obama says.
The notion of shared responsibility is making a comeback! It takes someone with the President’s political skills to deliver the message most effectively.
To date, President Obama has focused on “responsibility” for kids, parents, and school site personnel. But “the top” is in position to effect “change we can believe in” to effect instructional accomplishments. Administrators at all levels, text and test publishers, and academics are currently altogether unaccountable.
Education is not a “race” and there is no “top.” Our President, our el-hi enterprise, and our citizenry could use better educational intelligence. We’re still running on empty rhetoric.