Are we missing the boat in education of our next generation? Will we be able to shape the minds of innovation we need for the progression of our civilization? Can the; No Child Left Behind Act solve the problems in education? Many believe it will; yet others are not so sure. Most believe in education and mile markers for performance as an over all concept. However this could indeed cause a problem; you ask how so?

Well, with "no Child Left behind" we end up teaching to the middle or the lower of the average of the whole group. Thus those who have the ability to move faster are wading in the flood, rather than running on the levee. Since children's brains learn different due to genetics and development stages, the group will be slowed down at all times to those children in the lowest stage, so they can catch up.

Rather than allowing those in the fast stages from screaming ahead at that time, then when these lightning level learners hit a slow point, they may slow the others in the group who are then slowed while they catch up. Although some would say we are all created equal, others say that is hokum, as there are some kids who are children of drugy parents during pregnancy or once created are no longer equal if they have been malnourished during growth phases.

How can anyone say they are equal? Some say they are equally important. But not equal in abilities. This has been many a thinking persons personal observation and experience and no UCLA, Stanford, Rutgers or Harvard Medical Brain study could alter those real observations of those who truly think, as they insist that we are not created equal. Trying to deny that and make all children equal only hurts the whole and denies the individual their potential.

We all lose if a child cannot find his/her niche and be allowed to excel. Plato discussed this with regard to the best use of the individual in the Republic. The republic is best served when each individual concentrates on those things they are good at and relieved of those mundane activities in which they are not. This is good advice indeed, yet we work so hard to make every child equal; why would we do that?

Now then the idea behind the "no child left behind" is noble, but as teachers spend $1500-3000 per year of their own money in their classrooms and the teacher attrition rate is 50% in five years; "Houston We Have A Problem" with the next generation of rocket scientists. We could go on forever on this issue and debate, but I think this might explain the comment and abstract thoughts behind it:

http://worldthinktank.net/wttbbs/index.php?s=43c3079fc4957d8584b814746ad5bdff&showtopic=3

There are those individuals who should not be applied to the politics of education. There are those who are beyond the brain washing game, there are those who are so valuable to the whole of our civilization that they must be found and allowed to advance at whatever rate they can achieve, in whatever endeavor they find such a niche. We may want to have a national debate on these issues as they will affect our ability to move forward into the future. Please think on this.