Categories: NewsState

Joe the Lawyer

The Press of Atlantic City has an article today about the negative reactions generated by the new graduation requirements recently issued by the DOE. At the Vocational-Technical Schools Open Forum at last month’s New Jersey School Boards Annual Convention, representatives from both vocational and academic high schools lit into the High School Redesign Steering Committee’s new set of graduation requirements, which mandates that all graduates complete biology, chemistry, algebra 1 and 2, economics, four years of college-prep English, and also pass six new high-stakes tests.

One of the panelists, Frank Gargiulo, President of New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical High Schools, said

It is just unconscionable for the state to think that every kid is the same. Vocational schools have more choice. But under the high school redesign plan, they will be crushed, especially the shared-time programs.

And it’s not only the vo-tech reps who take umbrage at the newly prescribed curriculum. Apparently the New Jersey Math and Science Education Coalition opposes the algebra 2 requirement. Speaking for that group, Rutgers math professor Joseph Rosenstein said,

Most students take algebra II because colleges require it. What many students need is better mastery of algebra I and four years of math that includes actual applications so they don’t forget it by the time they graduate.

So what exactly is the DOE’s strategy? Are they pandering to the suburban voters who seek more rigorous high schools? Are they trying to eliminate vo-tech schools? What will this mean for our lower-performing schools where the vast majority of kid fail less stringent tests?

If the DOE’s interest is in consolidation of school districts, then standardization of graduation requirements eases the way a bit. If a course of study is preordained, then one could argue that location is less meaningful. What’s the difference what district you’re in if everyone is taking the same courses? And it’s politically correct right now to broadcast that every single child, regardless of ability or aspiration, is college-bound.

What’s that joke? A lawyer is at home one weekend and his toilet overflows. He makes an emergency call to his plumber, who unclogs the toilet in 20 minutes and hands the lawyer a bill for $200. The lawyer, astonished, says, “I don’t even get $600 an hour!” The plumber replies, “Neither did I when I was a lawyer.”

Laura Waters

Recent Posts

BREAKING: Statement from JerseyCAN on State’s Long-Delayed Release of Student Test Results

This is a statement by Paula White, Executive Director of JerseyCAN, on the New Jersey…

2 years ago

NJEA: Murphy’s Elimination of Teacher Performance Test Is a Major Win for Students and Educators

This is a press release. Earlier today, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill to eliminate…

2 years ago

Murphy Signs Bill Eliminating EdTPA Test for Teacher Certification

Today Gov. Phil Murphy signed Senate Bill 896, which prohibits the New Jersey Department of…

2 years ago

LILLEY: Blue States Had More School Closures and More Learning Loss — Just Like NJ under Gov. Murphy

The 74 conducted a study of the relative learning loss in Democratic (Blue) and Republican (Red) states and…

2 years ago

One of Newark Superintendent’s New High Schools Tolerates Racism Against Black Students

In October 2020 Newark Superintendent Roger Leon announced with great fanfare the opening of district’s…

2 years ago