Who is left behind?

“Can I have your attention please, can I have your attention please; students, staff, and visitors will you please stand for the pledge of allegiance.”

That is how every day starts at David Wolfle Elementary in Kingston, Washington, a town of less then 1,600 people. At the time I lived in Kingston the population was more like 800.

My name is Aaron Davidson, and I attended Wolfle Elementary for seven years. Every year in class I was know as an “overachiever”. I received top marks in every subject.

In school you probably remember the overachiever. They probably went to top colleges or started working at a successful company. I realized this would not be the case for me when I left the school district before my first year of high school.

The principle told me that I was two years behind in almost every aspect of schooling, and I started crying. There was no Harvard for me; there never will be.

I wish I could say that I was the exception, but there is no Harvard for every student at Wolfle. There are many children with limitless potential at failing rural schools, and nothing is being done.

Much of the damage inflicted by the federal government comes in the form of broad educational funding programs such as the No Child Left Behind Act, or NCLB. NCLB is the main cause of failing rural schools, and need to be eliminated as a piece of legislation.

Some readers may say, “How does this affect me”. The truth is, it doesn’t affect you. I’m sorry to say that it’s not about you in this situation. Instead it is about children who wake up everyday, and no matter how hard they try, they will not be the “American success story.”