From Deseret News archives:

Utah right to challenge education mandate

By John Florez

Published: Monday, April 25, 2005 9:27 a.m. MDT

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Please don't insult minorities with another study. The superficial concern for minorities has created a new industry with more research, studies and demonstration programs that do little to help minorities but do a lot to assure full employment for professional mercenaries.

Minorities have been studied for the past 50 years. We don't need more studies or targeted programs to help minorities. Educators need the flexibility to allocate resources as needed and allow teachers to practice the art and passion that attracted them to such an important calling in a free society. While it is important to have role models for minorities, the important thing is that they should be those who care, respect the dignity of every child and have expectations for all to succeed.

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NCLB legislation has irritated enough folks and energized people, especially our minority communities. Legislators, in providing education policy direction, should not make the same mistake as the federal government did with them. The Legislature must remember that successful organizations are those that are customer driven and involve them in the planning and implementation of it. If you leave it to the usual suspects, the "stakeholders" (the special interest groups), you will end up with the status quo, only more of it.

Our nation faces the possibility of becoming a Third World country if we don't make a national commitment to have an educational system that can prepare the next generation of innovators. If our nation is to succeed in a global economy that requires innovation, we must make a national commitment to prepare knowledgable workers.

We have the raw talent, and it's sitting in our classrooms today. They believe they can conquer the world; many are minorities, some with disabilities. Our challenge is to support teachers who believe in them and will help them open doors to a whole new world.

Today, let's applaud our legislators for taking on that challenge.

Utah native John Florez has founded several Hispanic civil rights organizations, served on the staff of Sen. Orrin Hatch and on more than 45 state, local and volunteer boards. He also has been deputy assistant secretary of labor. E-mail: jdflorez@comcast.net