I don't want to hear another person endorse the concept of "school choice" for parents without acknowledging the hypocrisy of also being in favor of No Child Left Behind.
The idea of school choice implies that parents will choose the "better" schools, leaving the "bad" schools with little to no enrollment so that they will eventually disappear. Not only would it not work out that way, but that's the same as giving up on the students who still attend those supposedly terrible schools.
Teachers don't get to choose their students. We don't say, 'I don't want that one; he's never going to be good enough.' Schools are not allowed to give up on their students. How is it acceptable for society to give up on our schools?
Furthermore, some people need a reality check: this is not Lake Wobegon, "where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average." It is impossible for all children to be above average. It is impossible for all teachers to be above average. It is impossible for all schools to be above average. What we should strive for is giving every child the tools and opportunities for success. That's not only attainable, but meaningful.
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