As I was watching last week's Gubernatorial debate, I was troubled by the candidate's ideas on how we should fix education.  Education is a complex, important topic that many people care deeply about.  Unfortunately, candidates at all levels tend to to give answers that are cowardly and simplistic.

     As of 2006, Rhode Island was 6th in per pupil spending ($12.478).  Maybe I'm wrong, but if you are one of the biggest spenders and you still aren't accomplishing your goals, maybe the solution has nothing to do with money.  That's right, I said it.  Throwing money at the problem won't make things better.  That leaves us with one question: what will make a difference?

     I've been teaching for 9 years in a private school that is quite diverse.  In that time, I've noticed a tendency for students to excel when their parents emphasize the importance of education and spend time reinforcing this view by engaging their children in meaningful activities.  The parents who allow their young children to watch R rated horror films, ignore homework, have an unstructured home life, and little quality time, often have children who lack motivation.  Those who do have a structured routine at home, turn in homework and read with their children tend to be far more successful.  Are there exceptions?  Certainly, but the relationship between parental involvement and academic success has been rather apparent to me over the years.

     Just once, it would be nice to see politicians put responsibility on parents.  Education is a partnership between families and teachers.  If one partner isn't doing their job, it will be harder for the endeavor to succeed.