We really are competing with our peers around the country

I was sitting at work today hoping the pains in my neck and shoulders would eventually disappear, and pondering over google news. The headline read "California still lags in student writing skills". Due to the fact that I currently work in education, and within that at a College, I was curious enough to investigate the article. http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-writing4apr04,1,867332.story
I read most of the article, skimming through some of the monotonous parts. the author at least had some courtesy to put in the portion about Cleveland being the lowest in the testing scores. Most of the article explained the fact that there are many immigrants and non-english speaking students from grades k-8 or students learning English as a second language. Granted, the fact that Cali is next to a major boarding country, but does it give it right to say that about the entire state? I don't think all of California has problems with ESOL students. Not to mention what happened in Cleveland? Who knows there.

And then I came to this portion of the article ""We really are competing with our peers around the country," said Jessica Valdez, the California coordinator for the National Assessment. ""
Well that is pretty obvious when you are comparing yourselves to Cleveland. We understand Ms. Valdez the fact about California and its ESOL students, and the low paying income of immigrants, low pay of teachers. We know about that. Where do you think most of your lottery money has gone Ms. Valdez? Back to the schools? They take it from the schools. Ms. Valdez, if we are working with the rest of the country who are we working with? Who are we working against?

These students, the 8th graders, in particular, we are preparing them for high school and then college. A student should know how to write an essay in English, in a English writing class. Otherwise they do not graduate, they do not pass go and collect $200, they do not get the weekly allowance. If these students are not ready to pass the grade, write the paper, they should not graduate. Maybe that is the problem. The teachers are so concerned with the no child left behind bill, they just pass the students irregardless.