May 12, 2006

• Dealing with public opinion on the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), particularly in regards to the pending ruling that Judge Robert Freedman is expected to deliver today, I am reminded of something that former United States President Harry S. Truman said as he implemented civil rights programs and desegregated the military - "What is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular." I know that we all struggle with this. We want to be accepted, and feel that going against the grain will hurt our chances of fitting in. Peer pressure can be a strong influence. It's up to us to minimize its effects, particularly if peer pressure is leading us in directions that are hurtful to ourselves or to others.

  
  

  Yesterday, the California Legislature voted to get rid of the two tiered expectations of the Academic Performance Index (API), where schools with high concentrations of minority students were given lower expectations that those schools without high concentrations. Nobody rises to low expectations. We have to challenge ourselves, particularly when others won't challenge us to set goals that are above and beyond.

  • 12:57 pm
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