Opus 2012-261, New Terms: Tracking

In my last rant I used the term “tracking.”  After I used it I had two needs that came to mind.  The first was to wash my mouth out with soap for using such a foul word.  The second was that you might not understand what educators mean by “tracking.” 

Simply put, tracking is placing students in groupings with people of the same ability.  That is all it really means.  Sounds like it makes sense.  When I was in high school we had Varsity football, junior varsity, B league and C league.  Thus if you were only 85 pounds and/or not a gifted athlete you could still have a good time playing football and not get killed in the process.  In the classroom it meant that the entire class could be working on material at your level.  It was the way that you were educated if you are over 60.

Then politics got into the game.  In the discussion with the principal one of the younger teachers looked confused and asked that eternal question, “Why?”  I said, “Politics.”  The principle said, “No.  Studies have shown...”  When I politely (Okay, so I wasn’t so polite) pointed out that it all came out of the claims that minority students were being put into lower groupings she was forced to admit that it was politics.  Of course, five minutes later in another group she would again say it wasn’t politics but I will take little victories when I can get them.

We don’t group students by their ability because we are afraid of being called racists.  Because we are afraid of racists who play the race card we are now preparing every student to go to college and be a doctor or lawyer.  It doesn’t matter if they can’t read and have a 30 second attention span, we cannot have any discrimination.  All must be treated the same.  All must have the same opportunity.

This is why we don’t have industrial arts classes any more.  We don’t teach home economics.  Our athletic programs are very limited.  We now march to the slowest drummer and play our music with no harmony.  All must be the same in the name of diversity. 

As wonderful, warmhearted and fair as that sounds I ask you, “Do you really want someone with my lack of coordination, no depth perception, slow reflexes and tendency toward motion sickness to be the pilot on your next airplane flight?”  It would be fun.  I would love the front row seat.  I also want to arrive alive, so I will pass because I would fail. 

There must be a common sense, in-between answer to this but it won’t happen unless enough people stand up and demand it. 

homo unius libri