Jindal has signed a law that creates a new and easier public school curriculum despite the fact that educators have objected that it will result in high school graduates with poor understanding of basic mathematics and written English.
Under the new law, eighth-grade students who are 15 years old and fail the mathematics and English sections of the LEAP (Louisiana Educational Assessment Program) test while to move on to the ninth grade. This reverses the prior state law that insists, quite reasonably, that you pass the eighth grade to get into the ninth grade.
This is called the “alternative diploma” program and passed the Louisiana Senate unanimously.
This is a brilliant idea. Consider all of the problems that we could solve by simply creating an “alternative” system — previously known as flunking. We could have zero drunk drivers, completely clean air, and no rickets. World hunger can be a thing of the past if Jindal simply defines a full nutritional diet as 200 calories a day.
It is all a matter of definition. No child will be left behind because no child can fail in Louisiana. Under the Jindal educational system, kids will soon be counting by thumping their feet on the ground. One does not have to know one’s ABCs — A and B will be sufficient (Cs are overblown anyway).
Of course, Jindal may be taking a lesson from Washington where failure is often redefined as success. The Bush administration repeatedly tried (and in some cases succeeded) in lowering environmental standards to show success, here and here and here.
For the full story, click here.