Playing the blame game while NC students suffer

Published October 8, 2014

by Amy Robinette, printed in the News and Observer, October 6, 2014.

My husband and I are good parents, involved parents, educated parents. Since the moment our children entered the world, we have dedicated our lives to advocating on behalf of our daughter and son while also holding them accountable for their behavior. I think we have done a pretty good job.

However, our daughter now sits in a Math III classroom with no textbooks, no clearly defined curriculum and no hope of passing this course. Our honors 10th-grader is feeling overwhelmed and discouraged as she watches her dreams of attending N.C. State University slowly fade with each failing grade. It doesn’t take Common Core math to realize that a 4.4 GPA (the average GPA of high school students admitted to her desired major) simply is not possible with her current math scores.

As parents, we have done all of the right things to support our daughter. We have met with her teacher and communicate with her often. My daughter attends free after-school tutoring offered by her Nationally Board Certified teacher twice a week. In addition, we secured a qualified math tutor at $40 per hour who meets with my daughter weekly to provide additional one-on-one instruction. We have sought online resources, and our daughter spends approximately one hour per night on math homework or supplemental practice.

We have concluded that the problem does not lie exclusively with my daughter or her teacher. It is so much larger. A phone call to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction Math Curriculum Specialist offered little support and instead directed me to contact our local county school administration. The county, in turn, directed me back to NCDPI and reminded me of the legislative battle that has been unfolding within our state over the Common Core curriculum. I then reached out to my local government officials who shifted the blame to the opposing party’s political agenda.

So, if you are keeping score:

• The Republicans blame the Democrats. The Democrats blame the Republicans.

• The state blames the county. The county blames the state.

•  Most parents blame the teacher. Good teachers are blaming themselves.

• And, at the end of the day, honors students – like my daughter – are still failing math.

We understand that changes are being made to address these issues for future students, but our family is concerned about the current students in our system. What is being done to ensure these high school students are not collateral damage in our state’s educational battles? Who is going to explain to the admissions offices and the scholarship committees examining our children’s transcripts that these grades are not reflective of their ability or their work ethic but, instead, reflect a broken system? We have given our daughter every possible resource to be successful, but what about those students who lack transportation for after-school tutoring or who cannot afford a private tutor? Who is speaking for them?

North Carolina once believed that no child should be left behind. However, in only a few short years, we have transformed that message to an “every man for himself” mindset. Our state’s students and teachers deserve better, and it is time to stop playing politics and shifting the blame with our educational system. North Carolina students may be failing math, but North Carolina is failing these students, and this issue should concern everyone.

Amy Robinette lives in Pinetops.

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October 8, 2014 at 2:44 pm
Paul Russell says:

Are all of your daughter's classmates failing as well?

October 8, 2014 at 6:32 pm
Bob Smith says:

My daughter is in her first year at NC State. She is in the College of Engineering. She took AP Calculus as a Junior and passed with a 5. She is taking Calculus 2 in her Freshman year at State. I remember her junior year at high school. she would do home work for anywhere from four to six hours each night. She worked hard for her grade. With all the extra help you have gotten for your daughter, I don't think she could pass math III even with the book.

October 9, 2014 at 11:15 am
Norm Kelly says:

If this story is true, then it is a problem that has been developing for more than this school year or even last school year.

A lack of textbooks does NOT appear to be the problem. A lack of 'effort' by the parents does not appear to be the problem. A lack of special help for this student does not appear to be the problem: after school tutoring as well as a paid tutor should be having some affect. So, where does the problem lie?

It absolutely can NOT be laid at the feet of government education monopoly budget cuts. For 2 reasons, first that the budget cuts have NOT had time to make this much of an impact. Second because big education funding was increased this year. So where does the problem lie?

Could it possibly be at the feet of Communist Core? Of course, not a single lib out there would EVER admit it. But it does seem to be the biggest change in recent years. I know the demon party actually did cut spending when they last controlled Raleigh. The demon control of Raleigh cut education establishment funding to such a point that even with this years' increase in the budget, the Republican legislature still hasn't made up for the cuts implemented by the demons. It's possible those demon cuts could have had an impact on things like book purchases. But to this extent?

And a very important question was asked by another: how is the rest of the class fairing? How many of the students are performing so poorly? Is it possible that your daughter has reached her limit on math? Perhaps her strong suit is elsewhere? What does her paid tutor have to say about your daughter?

It's really easy to blame 'the system'. It's real easy to blame Raleigh, as the N&D is wont to do. (that is unless the demons control raleigh; then the n&d is determined to support them!) But could the challenge lie elsewhere? It is your responsibility to figure out the challenge for your daughter. You have started to take the proper steps, but it seems you are unwilling to get to the bottom line here. Not just the teacher, but the paid tutor should be questioned as to what they think the problem is, where the problem lies, and if your daughter has reached her math limit. This MAY not be a problem with the school system, administration, teacher, or education establishment (which takes into account the budget!).