Your child has a problem? Ask the school to solve it!

Just in time for kids going back to school: re dumb attacks on state education.

Blaming state educational system for our stupidity or screwed up lives is very easy but I would like to say something that state schools might put forward in their defence. We would all do well to bear this in mind as our children start another school year.

There was no “Golden Age” of British state education. The idea that there was a “Golden Age” time when everyone was being well educated is a myth. Today state education in Britain strives to educate every child — regardless of race, creed, socio-economic level, family background or mental and physical challenges. State education serves the masses - a very commendable concept, but it obviously presents a unique set of challenges.

State schools are expected to deal with numerous social problems. We expect state schools to deal with every perceived problem that comes down the pike. Not only must the schools assimilate students from every conceivable background and experience, they are also expected to “make every child ‘proficient’ in English and maths; educate the blind, the mentally handicapped and the emotionally disturbed to the same levels as all others; teach the evils of tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and premarital sex; prepare all for university; No wonder some schools have trouble meeting their educational mission.

Now, here comes the punchline: schools cannot do it alone. The reason the children of affluent parents tend to out-perform the children of low-income parents isn’t because low-income people are inherently stupid. It’s because affluent parents tend to be more involved in their children’s lives and have the resources to create a more intellectually stimulating environment at home.

There are things low-income parents can do to even the playing field – such as turning off the television and hitting the public library regularly. I can hear people saying, "Well, sometimes it’s tough to do even these simple things when you are struggling to keep your head above water financially or working more than one job" - well, tell me about it. Anyway, I don't believe this is the case. Today's problematic kids come mainly from broken homes with neither parent having no interest in their children lives. Period.

This last point is probably the most important. We have a bad habit of looking at state schools as merely a means to an end: - you send your child there, and your child gets educated. Actually, the first education your child receives is at home, and he or she should continue receiving education at home until they leave the school. Parents must be partners with state education, not just passive users. Full stop.

P.S. I would like to thank the US-based Carpetbagger Report for providing the inspiration for this post. I was also surprised to see that our cousins from across the pond seem to have very similar attitude problems!