4A - Thursday, February 14, 2008 The MihiganDaily- michgandalyc 4 71LC 1Jrhd i~jan43tj Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu ANDREW GROSSMAN EDITOR IN CHIEF GARY GRACA EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR GABE NELSON MANAGING EDITOR N AE( What, isn't two Cabinet posts enough?" - Bill Clinton, trying to convince Gov. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.) to use his superdelegate vote to support Hillary Clinton, as reported Tuesday by Associated Press writer Ron Fournier. CHRIS KOSLOWSKI T T T PA STURE So wa:it When John McCan ho is Zell ,ier and what Oh! Oh Hewas 'Merli"wasn't os agaies te conservanive dnos he ha o s i heOh wa,. no, That-asnTiem eseabhishmee's a "Maverick bGun?bins. Was he "Wolfmaner" But when Joe Lieberman or Zell Miller defythe liberal Yonotserious. * (sigh) enhablinhment ey're"Traitors ?"" N ese Ghot der e p Teach for the time being 4 Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors. The Daily's public editor, Paul H. Johnson, acts as the readers'representative and takes a critical look at coverage and contentin every section of the paper. Readers are encouraged to contact the public editor with questions and comments. He can be reached at publiceditor@umich.edu. A premature mandate Before raising dropout age, make attendance worth it Eighteen is the new 16. A proposal recently introduced in the state legislature calls for the high school dropout age in Michigan to be raised from 16 to 18 years old, one of the state's newest techniques for improving its education system. Moti- vated by a weak graduation rate and an even weaker economy, the bill aims to encourage students to earn their diplomas. Faced with failing schools and grim career prospects, though, students often deem dropping out the wiser decision, an issue that can only be rec- tified by getting to the root of the problem. If the state wants to keep students in school, then it needs to ensure that its compulsory edu- cation is worth the extra two years. 4 In her State of the State address last month, Gov. Jennifer Granholm estimated that as much as a quarter of high school students in Michigan is at risk of quitting before graduation, a decision that lessens the likelihood of making a sufficient living. Considering that studies indicate between 10 and 25 percent of the state's high school students drop out, that means probable financial instability for a significant por- tion of the population. If the legislature raises the dropout age, Michigan will join the 27 other states that have combated this issue by mandating attendance until a stu- dent turns 17 or 18. Hypothetically, raising the dropout age could be advantageous to students, schools and the state. It could ensure that students enjoy the opportunities available to high school graduates, improving their chances of becoming successful. It could strengthen schools, offering more financial stability based on the per-pupil system of funding allotment. And on an even broader scale, it could foster a better-educated workforce. Unfortunately, that hypothetical doesn't apply to Michigan. Even the Democrats who proposed this change concede that just raising the dropout age isn't the answer to the state's education troubles - Michigan's schools are just too weak. Problems like a lack of emphasis on career training plague the system, making the legislature's efforts to keep teenagers in school incredibly premature. What the state has failed to acknowledge is that, if the law passes, there would still be no incentive for students other than the law itself to stay in school the extra two years. For instance, without placing sufficient importance on early education, students do not learn to enjoy learning, which can affect the rest of their lives. Furthermore, failing to address the economic issues that motivate students to drop out of school is entirely counterproductive to the legisla- ture's current intentions. The attention that should be paid to the fundamental reasons why so many Michigan students drop out of high school would be misdirected, focused instead on enforcement of the dropout age. No matter how many times or how emphatically Granholm claims to favor a knowledge-based economy, she and the leg- islature have yet to demonstrate it. Deciding to take funding from higher education to cover the state's budgetary follies or opting to raise the dropout age rather than address- ing the real issues surrounding Michigan's graduation rate are not indications of a com- mitment to education. They are signs that the state is just avoiding the problem. Are a couple thousand immodest college graduates and inexperi- enced, temporarily committed, law school hopefuls really going to break down the achieve- ment gap between, privileged and underprivileged stu- dents inAmerica? The brains over at Teach For America headquarters like to THERESA think so. And sev- KENNELLY eral media outlets, high-ranking cor- porations and school administrators gladly nod their heads at this idea. (And let's not forget the young adults - more than 2,500 to start in fall 2008, myself included - who have signed on to the TFA bandwagon, thinking they really are the solution.) On the other side of the debate, the answer is not so straightforward. As education writer Alexander Russo pointed out in an October article on The Huffington Post, TFA's approach to education has plenty of critics, with statistics backing up their criticisms. Among them is a group of professors at Stanford University whose research exposed problems with TFA's method, including a finding that TFA teach- ers are inferior to certified teachers. And, as Russo suggests, the number of opponents may only be growing in the program's 17th year of operation. But creating a wider divide between the TFA-cynics and the TFA-backers, instead of lowering the wall between them, may be avoiding the real issue: America's public education system needs help - any help. Narrowing the divide between those who ambitiously try to save the world and those who sit back and criticize the way they do it could be the key to actual progress. As the program gains participants and momentum across the country, it's nearly a given that skepticism will grow too, especially because TFA's positive influence on America's class- rooms hasn't been unequivocally prov- en. Yet, like other ambitious initiatives trying to correct America's problems, the antagonism - especially by those who refer to the programas "Teachfor Awhile" - should not be an indication that TFA is an unworthy cause. The truth is, just a slight positive impact on the lives underprivileged students is still an impact and still calls atten- tion to a problem few lawmakers want to step up to fix. Sure, TFA may not live up to the utopian promise on its fliers, but that shouldn't translate into more people opposing its philosophy or steadfastly remaining withdrawn from the cause. Understandably, getting people onto the "save the world, one small step at the time" bus is not that easy. For the longest time, I believed in the idea that initiatives that don't produce real, long-term results and don't have every participant bleeding for the cause should be avoided - or better yet - challenged. This is the same reason I actively avoided cam- pus initiatives like the Alternative Spring Break or the Detroit Project's DP Day: They seemed like Band-aids over gushing wounds, attracting half- hearted students trying to boost their resumes. I also adhered to the idea that quick fixes were only distracting from real solutions. My negative feelings towards DP Day and Alternative Spring Break are related to how some (understand- ably) perceive TFA. As a writer for a conservative Vanderbilt University magazine wrote about TFA recently, "Instead of actually solving the prob- lem, it helps to soothe the consciences of students - and improve their resu- mes - without actually providing a long-term solution." The problem with this perspective is that it is criti- cal without offering practical alter- natives to help solve the problem of struggling schools. I agree that TFA is one of those organizations where the underly- ing philosophy sounds too good to be true. It deserves its share of criticism. As the Daily's public editor pointed out Tuesday, TFA has been made to look almost too perfect (What counts as useful criticism?, 02/12/2008). He suggested that by receiving criticism, TFA might actually be better off. But blind criticism that doesn't translate into productivity and solutions is only going to distract people from doing some good in the mean time. Thankfully, the TFA storm flood- ing campus all year will pass tomor-. row, the last application deadline. But what won't pass is the dire need to get Criticize with a alternative I solution, please students dedicated to a cause that will help promote change and impact our country's future. While I have been skeptical in the past, and still hold some reservations about initiatives like TFA, the reality is that the help these programs provide across the country isstill help. Sure, the recent college gradu- ates who enter these classrooms with little more than bravado and naivete may not be the end-all answer to the achievement gap. But they are going to influence a hell of a lot more underprivileged students than some statisticians and bloggers who don't subscribe to TFA's philosophy. Theresa Kennelly was a Daily associate editorial page editor. She can be reached at thenelly@umich.edu. EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Emad Ansari, Anindya Bhadra, Kevin Bunkley, Ben Caleca, Satyajeet Deshmukh, Milly Dick, Mike Eber, Emmarie Huetteman, Theresa Kennelly, Emily Michels, Arikia Millikan, Kate Peabody, Robert Soave, lmran Syed, Neil Tambe, Matt Trecha, Kate Truesdell, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Rachel Wagner, Patrick Zabawa. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be less than 300 / words and must include the writer's full name and University affiliation. All submis- sions become property of the Daily. We do not print anonymous letters. Send letters 4 to tothedaily@umich.edu. SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU Only transparency will show if'U'follows law TO THE DAILY: In response to the Daily's article about the University's failure to release the admissions figures yet ('U' hasn't released data on admits, 02/13/2008), the state of Michigan must demand full disclosure of the University's admission policies in order to prove that it is complying with the law. What is it trying to hide? I don't believe for a minute that the University's admissions officers are too busy to share this information. The state ban on race- and gender-based affirmative action further defined admissions standards - that should make the University's job easier, not harder. Remember, the University originally tried to cover up its race-based admis- sions. Thanks to University RC profes- sor Carl Cohen this was uncovered. I'm afraid that the University is still carry- ing on these discriminatory practices, hence the secrecy. If the University truly wants to prove to the people of Michi- gan that it is following the law, it should be transparent. Dan Shuster Alum A good personality isn't Obama's only quality TO THE DAILY: Kellyn Jackson's attack on Barack Obama's hopeful rhetoric in a view- point yesterday (Obama's hollow hope, 02/13/2008) ignored the fact that his message is backed up by sound policy, superior judgment and experience that matches Hillary Clinton's. In particular, Jackson argued that Obamarepresentsnothingneworimpres- sive. What she ignored is that Obama is out-fundraising one of the most powerful Democratic campaign machines in his- tory, the Clinton Machine. He has done this without reaching into the pockets of special interests or political action com- mittees. He has also managed to create the abstract a huge grassroots political organization, college dis and through his campaign, Obama is is one of th uniting white people, black people, Cath- applicable A olics, Protestants and even Republicans. Theories On the issue of experience, Obama has but they u served 11 years in elected public office parts of our compared to Clinton's seven years. Yes, ered that the she presided over a failed health care plan use to stayhE and gained political experience as first ics in your lady of Arkansas when her husband was were all des governor. But, if this is considered politi- ries? As som cal experience then so should Obama's I was partic experience fighting for the needs of ment becaus Americans on the streets of Chicago. the basis ofn I appreciate that Jackson brought I study ever: up the issue of people simply voting for of all the ap a candidate because they would want science in ge that person at their backyard barbecue. Ajlouni'si I agree: I don't want a president to be fields yield elected because that person is someone I skill" under would rather have at my home. Yet it is and sleeples Obama's combination of this personabil- natural scie. ity and his capability of getting the job classes at th done that makes him special. think that I While I appreciate that Obama is Maybe he'll friendly, I willvote for himbecause he has time he gets the knowledge to get around Washington D.C. While it is good to be inspired by a Jeff Simon speaker, I will vote for him because he LSA junior has the foresight to vote against an end- less war in Iraq. While I am glad to have a Teach I president who eloquently articulates the dreams of our country, I willvote for him popular because he is capable of bringing these dreams to fruition. theories that make up most al quality ciplines, foreign language remains e few studies that yields an nize andI kill." It was, might be abstract to Ajlouni, versity, c nderlie crucially important ica's visit daily lives. Have you consid- to the pro e vaccines and medicines you America: ealthy, as well as the electron- has rocke computers and cell phones, eration": igned by these abstract theo- eration." ieone majoring in chemistry, empower ularly offended by this com- se these theories, which form much the rigorous curriculum y day, are also the foundation ARIELA plications of chemistry (and eneral)inour world. idea that no other academic what he calls "applicable -mines the countless hours s nights my colleagues in the nces and I have put into our o University. I certainly don't am doing all of this in vain. think about that the next sick or makes a phone call. at schoo a problem hope to so in short, oupled w cn, that c' ogram. II is an agen d the nati and into t It is anc ed the li' STEIF ls across the America that students recog- lve. the spirit of the Uni- ith Teach For Amer- ompelled me to apply believe that Teach For t of change - one that on out of the "me gen- he collective "we gen- organization that has ves of many children and will continue to provide opportuni- ties for many more. I'm glad to see that when duty calls, University students rise to the occasion. I hope that this tradition carries on. Hopefully, children all across the coun- try will one day have the opportunities that all of us at the University were lucky enough to have. Jason Stern LSA senior 4 For America's rity is deserved John Latus LSA sophomore Theories are necessary for a modern lifestyle TO THE DAILY: I would like to respond to some com- ments made by Adam Ajlouni in a let- ter to the editor yesterday about the importance of teaching language at this university (Staying true to the language requirement, 02/13/2008). In particu- lar, he made a generalized and grossly inaccurate blanket statement about the nature of the coursework in most Univer- sity departments. He wrote: "Far from TO THE DAILY: I'd like to thank Joe Stapleton for his article in Monday's paper aboutthe popu- larity of TeachFor America at the Univer- sity ('U' leads nation in Teach ForAmerica applicants, 02/11/2008). As a graduating senior and an accepted Teach For Amer- ica applicant, I have been inspired by our university's enthusiasm for the organiza- tion, which works to provide all children in this country with a quality education. But it shouldn't come as a surprise that so many Wolverines are applying to Teach For America: Students at the University maintain a strong sense of community and are constantly driven to better the world around us. We are the leaders and the best when it comes to tackling some of our generation's tough- est problems. The disparity in education- {(7 rof 4 ti)A\ 4 0 4