The Tragedy of Lay People Setting the Stage for Educational ‘Failure’

Are schools failing? This is a common refrain in American political discourse, but the real answer is much more complex. As a teacher of over 30 years, I have seen firsthand the dedication of educators and the curiosity of students. Yet, politicians and uninformed commentators often label public schools as failures. This narrative doesn’t stem from the classroom but from political and cultural forces that misunderstand the true challenges facing American education. To understand why schools unfairly labeled as failures, we must consider issues like underfunding, the

cultural bias in standardized testing, and how lay people dominate educational policy-making.

 Are Schools Failing Due to Underfunding?

A significant problem facing American schools is chronic underfunding. Many schools, particularly in low-income areas, rely on outdated textbooks, especially in vital subjects like science and math. These old resources do not reflect the latest discoveries or advancements in these fields, leaving students ill-prepared. Teachers often pay out of pocket for basic classroom supplies like pens, paper, and whiteboard markers. This lack of financial support places undue pressure on educators, whose focus should be on teaching rather than covering costs. Is it fair, then, that I ask are schools failing, when they are financially starved?

Instead of addressing this funding gap, politicians blame schools for low test scores. However, they fail to recognize that the root cause lies in their own unwillingness to provide adequate financial resources. Schools that lack basic supplies cannot compete on an equal footing with well-funded suburban schools. This imbalance is a major factor in the perpetuation of educational inequality, but conveniently ignored by those shouting that schools are failing.

 Are Schools Failing Due to Standardized Testing?

Another deeply entrenched issue in American education is the obsession with standardized testing, which began in earnest during the Reagan administration. Politicians at that time, motivated by a desire to use education as a tool in the Cold War, introduced the standards movement. They designed these standards to ensure that all students learned the same material, with little regard for their diverse cultural backgrounds. This movement resulted in a rigid and uniform curriculum that often feels irrelevant to many students’ lives. It prioritized rote learning over critical thinking and embraced a narrow understanding of what constitutes knowledge.

The cultural bias in standardized testing is well-documented. One of the most notable examples is the work of Dr. Robert Williams, an African American psychologist, who developed the Black Intelligence Test of Cultural Homogeneity (B.I.T.C.H.) in 1972. This test was designed to demonstrate how cultural knowledge impacts test performance. African American students, who understood the cultural references embedded in the B.I.T.C.H., scored well, while white students struggled. The reverse happens in traditional standardized tests, which often prioritize white, middle-class cultural knowledge. When we ask are schools failing, we should instead ask if the tests we use to measure success are designed to favor one culture over another.

Williams’ work demonstrates the deeply flawed nature of standardized testing. These tests do not measure intelligence or academic ability; they measure how well students understand the dominant cultural narratives embedded in the test. The disparity between white and non-white students’ test scores has less to do with individual ability and more to do with cultural bias. Yet, instead of addressing these biases, policymakers continue to push for more testing, further entrenching these inequalities. Are schools failing, or are the tests failing our students?

 The Impact of Cultural Assimilation on Education

The push for standardized testing also has a troubling cultural dimension. The standards movement, while never explicitly stated, was an attempt to force assimilation. American schools, historically, have been used as tools for cultural assimilation, particularly for immigrant and minority communities. The standards developed in the 1980s followed a pattern similar to that used in Indian Schools in the late 19th and early 20th

centuries, where the goal was to “Americanize” Native American children by stripping them of their cultural identities. Today’s standardized tests reflect a similar aim, with the expectation that students of all backgrounds conform to a narrow vision of what it means to be American—namely, white, Anglo-Saxon, and Protestant.

As someone who served on an Illinois State Board of Education committee focused on improving state testing, I saw this bias firsthand. Many of us raised concerns about the cultural discrimination embedded in the testing process, but those in power often dismissed these objections. Instead of embracing the diversity of American students, they sought to impose a one-size-fits-all approach. This led to the marginalization of students who did not fit the mold of the idealized “American” student. Are schools failing, or is the education system failing to respect and support the diversity that defines our nation?

 Who is Failing Whom?

At the heart of the issue is not whether schools are failing, but rather who is failing whom. Politicians, eager to score political points, have turned schools into scapegoats for deeper societal problems. They focus on test scores as a simple metric of success or failure, ignoring the complexities of education in a diverse society. In doing so, they place undue pressure on teachers, students, and administrators, while failing to provide the resources and support necessary for success. These political decisions, driven by prejudice, myths, and misinformation rather than by facts or even a genuine understanding of the challenges facing American schools should not stand.

The testing obsession, combined with cultural assimilation efforts and the chronic underfunding of public schools, creates a cycle of failure that lays the blame on students and teachers rather than on the system itself. In my own experience working in Chicago Public Schools in the 1990s, I observed that Black and minority administrators were far more forgiving and understanding of students’ struggles than their white counterparts, who often adhered strictly to the standards and testing frameworks. This further highlights the racial and cultural dimensions of the so-called education crisis. Are schools failing, or is it the political system that has failed to create a fair, equitable, and culturally responsive educational environment?

 The Real Tragedy: Laypeople Dictating Educational Policy

Ultimately, the greatest tragedy in American education is the influence of lay people—parents, politicians, and corporate donors—on education policy. These individuals, who have no experience in the classroom other than having been students some time ago, dictate what success looks like in education. They are usually wrong. Driven by a Neo-liberal political agenda that prioritizes profits over people, they impose policies that harm rather than help students. The emphasis on standardized testing, cultural assimilation, and the underfunding of schools all stem from these uninformed decision-makers. Are schools failing? No. The failure lies with those who refuse to listen to the professionals—teachers, researchers, and students—who truly understand the complexities of education.

 Suggestions for Further Reading:

1. “Savage Inequalities” by Jonathan Kozol – This book explores the disparities in funding and resources in American schools, particularly between wealthy and poor districts.
2. “The Mismeasure of Man” by Stephen Jay Gould – A critical look at the history of IQ testing and its role in promoting racial and class-based discrimination.
3. “Standardized Minds” by Peter Sacks – An examination of the cultural and economic biases embedded in standardized testing.
4. “The Shame of the Nation” by Jonathan Kozol – A critique of how public schools in America perpetuate racial segregation and inequality.
5. “Teaching to Transgress” by bell hooks – A powerful argument for using education as a tool for liberation, rather than assimilation.
6. “Cultural Diversity and Education” by James A. Banks – A comprehensive overview of how multicultural education can transform schools to be more inclusive and equitable.
7. “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” by Beverly Daniel Tatum – A classic text on race, identity, and education in America.

Disclaimer: The images and videos in this post are AI-generated creations, intended purely for illustrative and conceptual purposes. They are not real-life representations and should not be interpreted as such. Their sole purpose is to offer a visual means of exploring the topics discussed in this post.