See my other post on Britain demanding the same thing. Sure - it's great to raise standards and prevent child abuse. Different political agenda if you're just trying to nationalize everything and turn everyone into "government educated morons".
Those in public schools already are already government educated, right? I mean the "government" pays the teachers. Our "government" taxes go to the schools... there's a difference between having common education standards and having the government run the curriculum (which in my state it already technically does... just on a state level as opposed to a national level). A public school educated child should be able to move from Pennsylvania to Oregon mid-school year and expect not only to be taught at the same level (as in the quality of the educators themselves), but the same subjects. He should not come from an area that teaches state capitals in 3rd grade to a state that has over 50% of its graduating population not even know their own state capital.
If the standardization is done right, it will still leave teachers the freedom to control the lesson plans, to be creative when assigning projects, and be only a tool to help make sure the kids are getting the education they deserve. If it is done correctly, it will not prevent gifted kids from advancing nor will it keep kids that need extra help behind. it will allow programs to be designed so that gifted standards are the same across the board, as well as allow programs to exist at schools that don't currently have them, for ALL levels of the "education spectrum".
i live in a state that is required to fund gifted programs. BUT each school, not even school district, but school, is allowed to determine which children even get tested, let alone which get put in the program. how fair is that? every child deserves an equal chance of gaining the same educational experience, whether they live in rural alabama or new york city, whether their parents make millions or they are being raised by grandpa who can barely feed them due to a disability preventing him from bringing home more than a social security check. a school district in my state lost its acreditation (sp), NOT the fault of the students... now they are stuck, dealing with what is left of it and no one really is being held accountable for their current education!
sorry so long and winded. my own education is a prime example of why there needs to be some kind of common standards across the board.
