Conservatives are warning Texas educators not to go the route of places like New York City, which are eliminating more rigorous academic courses. In early October, Mayor Bill de Blasio says New York City will phase out their “gifted and talented” student program. Education expert Jean Burk says this is part of a larger, left-wing political movement to remove all accelerated courses from kindergarten through tenth grade. It’s supposedly being done in the name of “equity,” but she says it won't work.
“As these programs ‘go away’ that’s actually going to do a disservice to students in low-income households who could possibility achieve stellar education and that they could not pay for in a private education,” Burk said.
She says the removal of rigorous programs is one reason more parents have been pulling their kids out of the public school system within the last year. Many have shifted to private and homeschooling.
“The long term is going to be the homeschoolers are going to pass everybody up, because homeschoolers are going to continue taking rigorous courses,” Burk explained. “This is why homeschooling is up from 3.3% to 40% percent. Parents have revealed what’s going on in their schools.”