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While he hedges in an aside that parent and student engagement isn’t “the key cause of income inequality and persistent poverty,” Friedman’s grievances boil down to “kids these days” arguments. Facebook! Texting! In my day, kids were smarter! Parents only show up to sports games!
Send Mail to The New York Times editorial@nytimes.com
Tell Tom Friedman: stop blaming parents and students for problems they didn’t create!
The gist of his argument, even read in the most charitable light, goes something like this: “Parents, if your child fails at school it’s your fault for not demanding more of them, and if your school fails it’s your fault because you haven’t been complaining sufficiently.” Friedman seems terribly interested in blaming the victims, passing the buck away from the policymakers responsible for public education’s unconscionable inequities.
Mr. Friedman: stop blaming parents and students
In your recent Sunday column, you focused your attention firmly in the wrong place: by blaming parents and students for the structural problems with public education, you give cover to our leaders whose policies keep those problems in place. I encourage you to take the time to visit with youth and parent groups across the country to see how we are more engaged than ever. I hope further columns will focus on the real culprits behind the substandard education our schools provide to low-income and underserved communities, and our grassroots campaigns to implement meaningful solutions.
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