Education: Getting Tough

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In too many cities, however, the choice may be between one dreadful school or another that is mediocre, barely supported by penurious budgets, neglected by parents and politicians, beset by gang rumbles, drug trafficking and other social ills. Says Allan Weinberg, assistant director for reading and English- language arts in Philadelphia: "Schools reflect society. You must always remember that." And American society has left these schools, and the students in them, to struggle on their own.

Clearly, time has run out for such neglect. Says Boston Principal Holland: "Schools can't educate alone. They used to be isolated, but now the problems are so magnified that it takes the family, it takes the school, it takes the community all working together to make education possible." Top educators emphasize that the commitment must be nationwide and backed by consistent Federal Government support. All the wonderful, well-meaning spot programs designed to help underachievers or trouble makers really amount to no more than Band-Aids applied to the lucky few. Fortunately, after proposing cuts in the national education budget in six of its seven years, the Reagan Administration has begun to appreciate the stakes. This year education is one of the few areas where funding will be increased. In his State of the Union address, the President is expected to announce a billion-dollar boost for the 1989 Department of Education budget.

The Carnegie Foundation's Boyer believes such federal action comes at the eleventh hour. "This nation cannot survive with any sense of strength or confidence if half our students in urban areas remain economically, socially and civically unprepared," he says. Public education is now on trial in America, and many educators feel that the decade ahead may be the last real chance for the nation's schools. That is, without doubt, the most urgent lesson that Principal Joe Clark can teach.

CHART: TEXT NOT AVAILABLE

CREDIT: TIME Charts by Cynthia Davis

CAPTION: THE GOOD OLD DAYS

DESCRIPTION: Most important school discipline problems in 1940s and in 1980s.

CHART: TEXT NOT AVAILABLE

CREDIT: TIME Charts by Cynthia Davis

CAPTION: SCHOOL PROFILES

DESCRIPTION: Minority population, dropout rate, assaults, number of counselors in Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and St. Louis school systems.