The room is quite except for rustling sounds of nervously squirming children and their families as they wait to hear their fait. For each child a number is assigned. No names, no grades, and no face is present in the eyes of the Bingo master. He turns the cage and reaches in. “Number 21!” he says as one family break into tears. Little Suzzy will have a chance at a great education after all. However the growing tension in the room suffocates out any joy. As the numbers begin to dwindle, Jimmy know his chances are too.
The blind draw is meant to give equal opportunity to children. However, the idea of equality was already discredited as Timmy’s family paid the big bucks for him to walk the red carpet into class. With the topic of falling test scores and our down slopping status among education in other countries, shouldn’t we be focusing on GPA’s, dedication, and integrity? For Suzzy, as friendly as she is, she detests school. Her grades are well below average, and she aspires to be a model. While Jimmy is a straight ‘A’ student, who after seeing his mother battle cancer, has vowed to become a scientist and find a cure.
How can we expect to compete in a world focused on achievement when we are ignoring the Jimmy’s, shake hands with the Timmy’s and endorse the Suzzy’s?
Watch a preview of the documentary, Waiting For Superman by John Heilemann, that shines a light on the 'inconvenient truth' about our educations system here> 'Waiting for Superman'.
*It goes with out being said (and yet I am saying it).. these names were chosen solely for their vagueness. Please do not take offense Suzzy;)
