"No Child Left Behind" leaves working class children behind

May 17, 2004

The "No Child Left Behind Act," which was used by the Hamtramck school board to justify their recent firings, was passed by Congress and signed into law by George W. Bush last year.

If Bush and Congress had wanted to help students achieve a decent education – as they claimed – this law would have given money – and lots of it – to the districts that needed it most: money to hire more teachers and decrease class size; money to buy textbooks that are newer than 20 years old; money to upgrade equipment, and to repair or replace ancient, decrepit school buildings.

Instead, the "No Child Left Behind Act" placed all sorts of requirements on local school districts to demonstrate "improvement" – without giving any money to help them meet those requirements. If they are found to be "failing," they can be shut down or handed over to private business to run for profit.

Needless to say, poor and working class school districts are hit hardest by this act.

With the "No Child Left Behind" act, many workers' children will be left without schools.