[50 years ago last summer, your editor covered his first story in Washington. Throughout the year, the Review will exhume some of his writings]
[From Sam Smith's Great American Political Repair Manual, WW Norton, 1997]
Here are a few questions that may help you find out what's right and wrong with your community's schools. Add or subtract points for any statment that is true:
1. THE PRINCIPAL
is seen regularly in classes finding out what's going on . . . +10
is seen regularly in hallway in conversation with students . . . +5
is seldom seen in the hallways . . . -5
uses a bullhorn in hallways . . . -8
2. THE SCHOOL
has less than five hundred students . . . +5
has more than five hundred students . . . -5
is still trying to figure out this year's actual enrollment . . . -8
3. THE WORST TEACHER IN THE SCHOOL
just started this year. . . 0
has been in the system five years . . . -3
is working on 20 . . . -5
is now a principal or downtown administrator . . . -8
4. OLDER STUDENTS ARE TYPICALLY CONSIDERED
discipline problems . . . -10
members of a community . . . +5
potential teachers and tutors for younger students . . . +10
5. IN HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSES
students don't use textbooks since the teacher prefers primary sources . . . +5
students don't use textbooks because the system ran out and the new order hasn't come in . . . -3
What history and social studies classes? They were replaced by the anti-drug program years ago . . . -8
6. PARENTS
are regularly used as volunteers in elementary school . . . +3
are regularly used as volunteers in middle and high school . . . +5
are required upon coming to the school to sign a log and explain the purpose of their visit . . . -5
7. TV IS USED
to teach critical thinking about the media and advertising . . . +10
to make curriculum more informative and interesting . . . +5
to view purple dinosaurs and show business kids from hell . . . -5
8. DEDUCT ONE POINT FOR EVERY TV COMMERCIAL SEEN DURING THE TYPICAL SCHOOL DAY. [ ]
9. AS STUDENTS GROW OLDER THEIR PERFORMANCE TENDS TO
get worse . . . -10
stay about the same 0
get better . . . +10
10. THE SCHOOL
is open to the community after regular classes . . . +5
offers classes for adults and families . . . +5
teaches its community's history and culture . . . +5
practices a wide variety of teaching styles and techniques . . . +5
has lots of field trips and out-of-school activities . . . +5
offers assistance to students affected by drugs/alcohol, pregnancy, parenthood, truancy, abuse, gangs, etc. . . . +5
11. THE SCHOOL
offers anti-drug program but not drama classes . . . -5
offers driving lessons but not civic lessons . . . -5
offers JROTC but not mediation or peer conflict resolution . . . -5
12. STUDENTS LEARN
how to ask searching questions . . . +5
how to get around locker searches . . . -5
how to argue persuasively with their parents . . . +5
how to argue persuasively with their parole officer . . . -5
13. FOR SECURITY AND DISCIPLINE THE SCHOOL USES
city police . . . -10
security guards . . . -5
school faculty and administrators . . . +5
school faculty, administrators and the students themselves . . . +10
13. UPON ENCOUNTERING A YOUNG PERSON IN THE HALL, A SCHOOL OFFICIAL WOULD TYPICALLY SAY SOMETHING LIKE
"I need to see your ID." . . . -5
"Good morning, Jannine" . . . +5
14. THE SCHOOL BELIEVES THAT STUDENTS LARGELY LEARN BY
listening . . . -10
doing . . . +10
15. IN PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER GRADUATION, THE SCHOOL
concentrates on the needs of college-bound students . . . -5
is as interested in student not going to college as those who are . . . +5
16. DEDUCT THREE POINTS FOR EVERY AUDIO-VISUAL AID OR COMPUTER IN THE SCHOOL THAT IS NOT WORKING [ ]
17. EXTRA-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE ARTS, SPORTS AND SKILL-ORIENTED CLUBS ARE CONSIDERED
nice but in today's competitive environment must give way to other things . . . -5
an important part of what makes the school great. . . . +5
18. BONUS: THE SCHOOL IS
a happy place that I would enjoy attending . . . +20
SCORING YOUR SCHOOL
Top of the class: 145 and up
Tries hard : 100 and up
Needs effort : 60 and up
Get a new school board : Below 60
