It Takes a Village

Inner-City Housing Chicago

On the day of President Obama‘s speech to our children, it’s only appropriate to take a look at just how the involvement of the Left has impacted our children over the years.  What better way than to take a look at some major inner city school districts across our great land.

First, let me say that the President’s speech today was not a bad speech.  I opted my child out of hearing Obama’s speech (actually she came to me and requested to be opted out) not because of the content of the speech.  It is because of the principle that I’ve taught my kids since they started 1st grade – “You’re in school to learn and excel in academics.”  You see, I don’t want ANY President or government official speaking to my children during their primary hours of learning. I want them to expand their knowledge and learn.  My child did just that, learn, instead of listening to the President today.

Now, why am I writing this post?  To be blunt – I’ve had about enough of the willful misrepresentations from the Democratic Party stating that they’re the party of hope, change, and progress.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  I’ve had enough of the Democratic Party and their operatives calling conservatives right wing terrorists, using divisive class warfare and race baiting tactics and then calling conservatives racist, beating people up, biting the fingers off of people they disagree with and calling people that don’t agree with them evil.  You’d think from listening to the progressives, liberals, and Left wing operatives that they lost the Presidency, House and Senate.  Well you’re about to find out just how implicit the Democrats are in the deliberative destruction of our childrens’ quality of education.

Los Angeles Unified School District – Grades K-12 / 697,483 students / 846 schools

So let’s just take a look at 11th graders in the LAUSD. The source for these figures is the California Department of Education.

While your looking at the scores below keep in mind that the Mayor of Los Angeles has been a Democrat for 55 years of the last 71 years or 77% of the time. Additionally the California State Legislature has been in control by the Democrats since 1970.  To be more specific, the Assembly has been in Democratic control except for 1 year, 1995-1996.  The CA Senate has been in Democratic control continuosly during that time period.

Scale is % at or above proficient

Grade 11

Algebra II 6% (2009), 5% (2008), 4% (2007), 3% (2006)
The state average for Algebra II was 12% in 2009.

High School (Summative) Mathematics (Grade 9-11) – 27% (2009), 25% (2008), 27% (2007)
The state average for High School (Summative) Mathematics (Grade 9-11) was 47% in 2009.

Biology/Life Sciences – 26% (2009), 26% (2008), 23% (2007), 21% (2006)
The state average for Biology/Life Sciences was 41% in 2009.

U.S. History – 31% (2009), 25% (2008), 25% (2007)
The state average for U.S. History was 44% in 2009.

English Language Arts – 32% (2009), 27% (2008), 30% (2007), 26% (2006)
The state average for English Language Arts was 40% in 2009.

Physics – 22% (2009), 19% (2008), 14% (2007), 16% (2006)
The state average for Physics was 50% in 2009.

Chemistry – 13% (2009), 11% (2008), 11% (2007), 8% (2006)
The state average for Chemistry was 27% in 2009.

Earth Science – 34% (2009), 29% (2008), 27% (2007), 23% (2006)
The state average for Earth Science was 26% in 2009.

World History – 8% (2009), 7% (2008), 9% (2007)
The state average for World History was 11% in 2009.

Algebra I – 6% (2009),  5% (2008), 5% (2007), 4% (2006)
The state average for Algebra I was 8% in 2009.

Geometry – 3% (2009), 2% (2008), 1% (2007), 2% (2006)
The state average for Geometry was 7% in 2009.

Source: CA Dept. of Education, 2008-2009

You can see scores across all grades in LAUSD here
Now let’s take a look at Chicago Public Schools – Grades PK-12 /404,769 students / 631 schools

Again, we’ll look at 11th graders. The source for these stats is the IL State Board of Education.  The Mayor of Chicago has been a Democrat for the last 78 years.  Cook County is a bastion of the Democratic Party and has more Democratic Party Members than any other Illinois County.  Since 1960 Cook County has voted only once for a Republican President.  The Chicago City Council has been comprised of an overwhelming majority of Democrats for decades.

Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

Grade 11
Reading – 30% (2008),  35% (2007), 39% (2006), 41% (2005)
The state average for Reading was 53% in 2008.

Science – 24% (2008)
The state average for Science was 51% in 2008.

Math – 28% (2008), 29% (2007), 31% (2006), 28% (2005)
The state average for Math was 53% in 2008.

Source: IL State Board of Education, 2007-2008

You can see the scores for all grades in the Chicago Public Schools District here

Next, let’s look at the Detroit Public School District -Grades PK-12 / 101,830 / 187 schools

The source for these states is from the MI Dept. of Education and we’re looking at 11th grade to keep consistency.  The Mayor of Detroit has been a Democrat since 1962, that’s 47 years of Democratic “leadership”.  Additionally the Detroit City Council has been heavily laden with Democrats for many years.

Scale: % at or above proficient

Grade 11
Reading – 36% (2008), 32% (2007)
The state average for Reading was 62% in 2008.

Social Studies – 56% (2008), 63% (2007)
The state average for Social Studies was 80% in 2008.

Science – 23% (2008), 22% (2007)
The state average for Science was 57% in 2008.

Writing – 17% (2008), 17% (2007)
The state average for Writing was 41% in 2008.

Math – 14% (2008), 14% (2007)
The state average for Math was 46% in 2008.

Source: MI Dept. of Education, 2007-2008

You can see the scores across all grades for the Detroit Public Schools District here.

Pretty eye opening huh?  In fact I urge anyone to go look at any inner city school district and not find dismal, no disheartening school results of the destruction of our childrens’ education.  I further maintain that within those failing districts you will find the bastion of the Democratic party and it’s operatives firmly ensconced there for decades.

It’s about time the Democratic Party, Progressives, and Liberals, stop willfully misrepresenting that they’re the party of hope, change, and progress.  It’s time for them to own the consequences of their words and deeds.  Right now, their actions scream so loudly that the people of America are rapidly becoming deaf to their words.