Editorial: Wisconsin Is Failing Black Children
Neil Heinen Weighs In On New Report
Updated: 11:32 am CDT September 16, 2008
By Neil Heinen
Editorial DirectorFor the last several years there have been legitimate, important and conflicting statistics and claims regarding the achievement gap in our schools. The issue has been of particular importance here in Madison, but it is an issue in this state and this country.A new report on public education and black males in all 50 states is especially damning. The report by the Schott Foundation for Public Education found Wisconsin below national averages in nearly every measure. Especially notable was the finding that Wisconsin had a "conspicuously large" gap between graduation rates for black and white male students.The findings are available at www.blackboysreport.org.It certainly makes even more optimistic the recent State of Black Madison Coalition report that this community is "before" the tipping point.We want to believe that's the case. But obviously the same cannot be said for this state as a whole. We are failing our black children and we should be ashamed.What do you think? Give your two cents in Channel 3000's TALKBACK section.
Editorial DirectorFor the last several years there have been legitimate, important and conflicting statistics and claims regarding the achievement gap in our schools. The issue has been of particular importance here in Madison, but it is an issue in this state and this country.A new report on public education and black males in all 50 states is especially damning. The report by the Schott Foundation for Public Education found Wisconsin below national averages in nearly every measure. Especially notable was the finding that Wisconsin had a "conspicuously large" gap between graduation rates for black and white male students.The findings are available at www.blackboysreport.org.It certainly makes even more optimistic the recent State of Black Madison Coalition report that this community is "before" the tipping point.We want to believe that's the case. But obviously the same cannot be said for this state as a whole. We are failing our black children and we should be ashamed.What do you think? Give your two cents in Channel 3000's TALKBACK section.
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