Abstract of Ofobike ArticleThis morning when reading the Akron Ohio paper, the Akron Beacon Journal, I stumbled across an editorial written by Laura Ofobike, Beacon Journal Chief Editorial
Writer, focusing on the federal
government's Free Tutoring Fund. Ofobike wrote of the reaction the United States Secretary of Education, Margaret Spelling, had to an item in a report on the No Child Left Behind law. Ofobike wrote that the Secretary of Education did not lower the boom on states and local
school districts per se but, did imply they would suffer consequences for the lack of
participation in the program. The editorialist also reported that the Department of Education stated only a small fraction, "tiny fraction" was the phrase used by Ofobike, of students are participating in the two optional
programs offered. Both programs are supposedly designed to bring those students academically behind up to par with the acceptable main stream. She gave statistics; last year, only 17 percent of students who could have been tutored free of charge sought the
program and that less than 1 percent of the 4 million who were eligible to transfer did so, this writer is not sure from where the transfer aspect of the program came. She went further to say that the options did present a compromise between the federal government and public school advocates to help close the achievement gap in the disadvantaged inner city and real communities. In the fourth paragraph the writer wrote that the rationale was straight forward; the
feds insist on every child achieving the minimum academic standard (I am paraphrasing) by the year 2013-14 deadline then the feds should back up the demands by putting money on the table. Correct me if I am wrong but did not the government put money upfront when they created the programs? Are the officials keeping a huge secret? I find it strange that more parents know nothing about these programs. Ofobike agreed that Spelling should be miffed about the results and that the participation rate is less than expected.As with most government agencies that are too full of themselves, each is looking for whom to blame. This writer asks where are the parents? Can we put the all blame on the schools and the feds for lack of participation and success of the program? Of course Ofobike took subtle shots at the Bush administration using such words as “agenda” and “mere” throughout her expose. After all, the administration should be at each and everyone who has school age children’s back door. That way when the kids come home after school the administration and whoever else, can make sure that these children who are missing out can take full advantage of all the free brain-food being offered.
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