The internationally renowned German physicist Albert Einstein once stated on public education that “It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry.”
This suggests that the institution of education nullifies its main purpose, education. The most prevailing argument supporting this view is that school has become almost an industrial structure, in which students are manufactured through standards and testing rather than formed through individual curiosity and interest. Now the real shame is all of this is that the No Child Left Behind has turned American high schools into the epitome of an industrial education policy. It is for that reason I believe that we should repeal the No Child Left Behind act.
As stated before, the No Child Left Behind has even furthered demoted into an industrial setting. The industrial setting of which I mean is that of an education system that is more set up as a business by restricting the confines of free thought. Now this has evidently become the case: simply look the walls around you and you will see the strict curricula which we are being taught. These standards provide little to the interests of students and to the abilities of students.
The No Child Left Behind act has created what has been popularly called a “one size fits all” education. In that all students are seen at the same level as one anther and will be taught and tested as so. Now anyway with even a nominal amount of skepticism yet moreover realism in them will realize this is an utter idealistic view and logical fallacy. For the truth is some individuals were born with more of an apt for academia than others. Also on the opposite side of the spectrum some students were born with disabilities that will never allow them to function with the same standards as average America.
The second point and case of No Child Left Behind turning education into an industry is section 9528 of the act, which turns schools into the ultimate industry, military industry. Under this provision of the act high school are required to turn over your personal information to military recruitment centers. Now the information given is at the same level at which faculty is allowed. Yet, Students are allowed to “opt out” of this by having their parents sign a waver saying they do not wish for the this information to be released yet many schools have failed to address this option to students. In addition many schools have failed even to tell students that they are releasing their private information to the military.
My final point in that No Child Left Behind is making school more industrial is putting some subtle and some not so subtle biases in the education system. The first such bias is the states value of achievement over effort. For rather than judge students on such things as productivity, attendance, amount of time spent out of school work students are strictly scored on achievement. Another such bias is placing math, reading, and writing at a higher esteem than fields of science, social studies, foreign language learning, art, music and physical education. This has led to the diminishing of many art and secondary language programs. Yet the biggest set back has been in physical education. A study done by the American Heart Institute reveals that since the establishment of No Child Left Behind, childhood obesity among children has sky rocketed.
In conclusion No Child Left Behind is a direct threat to education. On a massive scale it is turning the curiosity that would have lead to enlightenment and pleasure towards learning, into an industry setting which creates its own paradox.
