Is It The ‘Equity’ Or ‘3Rs’ Stupid?

Can dumbing down education get any worse as “Biden’s equity-obsessed education secretary dodges academic priorities amid ‘catastrophic’ reading scores” & insists on spending “hundreds of millions on ‘equity’ agenda”?

As Fox News notes, “Education Secretary Miguel Cardona was blasted by parent groups and advocates for leaving out academics [e.g., Reading, Writing & Arithmetic] in a statement of priorities amid the Department’s annual report card indicating the largest score drop in reading among 9-year-old student since 1990. As children struggle to read on grade level, the DOE” continues to spend lavishly on equity-focused programs and grants. “On Wednesday, for example, DOE announce $116 million in grants supporting still more “equity” efforts. Another $1 billion is being granted via something called the Safer Communities Act to “advance equity.”

Argued Cardona: “We’re investing in schools & communities that have shown a commitment to intentionally serving students & closing opportunity gaps based race.” Marvelous sentiment? Only problemo as articulated by former DOE Sec. William Bennett: Those most in need of equal opportunity are most often denied that opportunity when their “life chances are radically diminished” by illiteracy let alone poor reading skills. He added: “Third-grade literacy falling [from already terribly poor levels] is catastrophic both nationally & individually … When schools fail, the groups that are the hardest hit are those already at highest risk.”

Davd Soul