James White

In the following viewpoint, James White contends that the low quality of today’s public schools is the result of educators’ low expectations. Because teachers fail to set high standards and do not expect high-quality student work, students do not achieve academic excellence. Moreover, White maintains, blaming parents or outside social factors for low student performance simply fosters laziness and mediocrity. Public schools must raise their educational standards if students are to excel, he concludes. White is a teacher in Houston, Texas, and a contributing editor for Headway, a monthly conservative journal.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to White, why do some education experts disapprove of homework"

2. How much did per-pupil expenditures increase nationally during the 1980s, according to the author"

3. Why do students often excel in sports and extracurricular...