Is It a Myth?
A story in foxnews.com under the caption "Detroit School Leader Sends Wrong Message, Some Parents Say" tells of the president of the city's school board who shockingly confessed that he can't pen a coherent sentence.
Mathis, 56, of Detroit, has had difficulties with language as early as fourth grade, when he was placed in special education classes. His college degree was also held up for more than a decade due to repeatedly failing English proficiency exams required for graduation from Wayne State University, the paper reported.
Some parents wonder, "If this is the leader, what does it say about the followers? It explains a lot about why there's so much confusion and infighting with the board and Robert Bobb." Which seems like a very logical argument, does not it?
Other parents are simply worried that learning about Mr. Mathis' disability may send a wrong message to the students. But it's a white lie that a disability or a lack of a particular skill may stop a person from achieving his or her goals.
"Instead of telling them that they can't write and won't be anything, I show that cannot stop you," Mathis told the paper. "If Detroit Public Schools can allow kids to dream, with whatever weakness they have, that's something. ... It's not about what you don't have. It's what you can do."
I remember the two-terms NJ Governor Thomas Kean once admitted to being dyslexic. This did not prevent him from being the most popular figure in the NJ political scene. He was President of Drew University for 15 years, Head of the September 11 Commission about which he co-authored (with L. Hamilton) a book.
Thinking about math education, I would wager that a major portion of the state and federal officials would not pass a high school proficiency test. The same officials would promote the "math for the 21st century" slogan and high stakes examinations. The sound bites like that, although stale, are hard to argue against. But the establishment that is based on this perversion is at the core of the systemic failure of education. It is much easier and appears more equitable to lump the goals into the "algebra for all" (say) slogans than promote the idea that the purpose of education should be helping every student to develop to the fullest his or her abilities.
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