Opinion
School & District Management Letter to the Editor

Ditch the Term ‘Failing Schools’

June 13, 2023 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

My optimism faded to disappointment while reading “Mapping the Future of Education” (April 26, 2023), an opinion collection with the Aspen Institute Education & Society program. While the road map’s noble ambiguities allow varying perspectives to work together, I was surprised at the term “failing schools” in one of the five pathways. That controversial—not to mention pejorative, archaic, and hegemonic—term jumped off the page and sullied the otherwise affirmative nature of the collection.

The act of labeling schools as failing serves to stigmatize communities. In addition, the burden of “failure” is placed on the shoulders of dedicated teachers and hardworking families and ignores the fundamental systemic issues that inhibit appropriate improvement.

The term “failing schools” is increasingly exploited as potent political rhetoric and is, thus, inappropriate for education’s future. In my role within a local arts education nonprofit, I engage with many Title I schools, some labeled as “failing” and threatened with closure. When I enter those schools, I see a community needing support, not stigmatization. I see gifted young learners needing relevant educational experiences and assessments, not a state-mandated schoolwide letter grade. I see hardworking teachers needing intentional and dedicated resources, not relegation as political scapegoats. And I see families who need living wages and additional support services, not threats to close their local school.

If we want to support educational opportunity, we must remove the deficit-based language of “failing schools” and acquire asset-based terminology that inspires and supports communities through compassion and understanding.

Andrew Lusher
Artist and Programming Manager
Arts for Learning Virginia
Norfolk, Va.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the June 14, 2023 edition of Education Week as Ditch the Term ‘Failing Schools’

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum How AI Use Is Expanding in K-12 Schools
Join this free virtual event to explore how AI technology is—and is not—improving K-12 teaching and learning.
Mathematics Webinar How to Build Students’ Confidence in Math
Learn practical tips to build confident mathematicians in our webinar.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management 1 in 4 Students Are Chronically Absent. 3 Tools to Change That
Chronic absenteeism is a daunting problem. But district leaders aren't alone in facing it, and there are ways they can fight it.
5 min read
Empty desks within a classroom
iStock/Getty Images Plus
School & District Management Opinion Lawmakers Don’t Know What Happens in Schools. Principals Can Help
School leaders must fight to take education funding off the political battlefield.
3 min read
Illustration collage of the U.S. Capitol steps with numerous silhouetted people walking up the steps. There is a yellow halo around them to show the collective power. In the background behind the U.S. Capitol is the back of a young school girl with her hand raised.
Gina Tomko/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Principals Can't Manage Teacher Morale Alone. Enter the Go-Between
Principals can't check in with every teacher. Can a go-between leader help them out?
6 min read
The concept of joint teamwork, building a team. Working people connecting pieces of puzzles. Metaphor of cooperation and staff partnership.
Anastasiia Boriagina/iStock
School & District Management Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Marketing To District and School Leaders at Conferences and Trade Shows?
Think you know what catches a K-12 leader’s eye at conferences? Take this quiz and test your marketing savvy.
120122 mb data conferences 1385168396
Image by Getty