Trying to out-sing the chorus of negativism surrounding No Child Left Behind, the Hartford Courant reports that 100 minority superintendents have signed a letter expressing support for the law. "We need to be held accountable. We should not be making excuses like, 'Oh, this kid is from a poor neighborhood,'" said Hartford school chief Robert Henry. Though many signatories say they believe NCLB funding is inadequate - a constant complaint from NCLB critics - they nonetheless agree that funding is no excuse for poor performance. Kati Haycock of the Education Trust, which organized the letter, went even further, accusing NCLB critics of a "deeply cynical" effort to kill the law by claiming, in essence, that poor and minority kids can't learn.
"Minority educators back Bush initiative," by Robert A. Frahm and Rachel Gottlieb, Hartford Courant, November 19, 2003 (registration required)
"Don't turn back the clock: NCLB not perfect, but hugely important," The
Education Trust