The problem isn't limited to Illinois

Poor kids get least qualified teachers
Illinois' standards too lax, critics say
By Jodi S. Cohen, Tribune staff reporter. Tribune staff reporter Darnell Little contributed to this report

December 20, 2003

The first comprehensive statewide assessment of teacher qualifications confirms what anecdotal evidence and studies have suggested for years: Poor and minority children––the students who often need the most help––are most likely to have the least–qualified teachers.

Data released Friday showed that children in Illinois' high–poverty schools are 10 times more likely than students from low–poverty schools to have classes taught by teachers who are not "highly qualified" because they don't have a state teaching certificate or are teaching subjects outside their expertise.

Posted by Prometheus 6 on December 20, 2003 - 5:47am :: News
 
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No, it's definitely not limited to Illinois. As long as schools depend so much for funding on local property taxes, schools in lower-income areas are never going to be able to catch up. State or federal government needs to make up the shortfall if we want things to improve.If we want a service to be provided to every person as a basic right, no matter what their income, the government is the only real way to provide it, because the government can collect more money from the rich than it does from the poor.Libertarians like Phelps and Brian are right, this is because the government can use coercion. However, most of us don't consider the level of coercion to rise to "being forced at gunpoint" and we consider taxes to be a reasonable price to pay for living in a civilized society, one that provides for the basic needs of all its members.

Posted by  Al-Muhajabah (not verified) on December 20, 2003 - 2:03pm.