no child left with knowledge

<![CDATA[ So now our nation's schools are cutting back on subjects other than reading and math in order to continue receiving funds under the No Child Left Behind law. As a result, many kids are getting either reduced or no exposure to the vast body of knowledge -- science, history, languages, and the arts -- that our society has to offer. Instead, they get to grind through hours per day of reading and math. I agree that these are bedrock skills to master, but I can't agree that this lack of variety is anything but damaging to a person's desire to learn.

One principal is quoted as saying that there has been minimal complaint from the students about taking two subjects. I wonder if these kids, already frustrated with their struggle to do well on standardized tests, even believe that providing feedback will lead to any changes in their education. I also wonder about the context of who is taking this altered curriculum at these schools, and whether this ultimately fuels a larger divide between the haves and have-nots in a world increasingly reliant on brainpower. ]]>