Persevering Where Other Schools Fail

Cal Thomas | Syndicated Columnist | Updated: Mar 22, 2010

Persevering Where Other Schools Fail


March 17, 2010

The Obama administration is talking-up education again this week - public education, not private and not school choice, of course. That would anger the unions. I came across this story that ought to be included in the mix.

There is one public, all-male, all-black high school in Chicago that is doing a better job of turning out educated young black men than probably anyplace else in the country. It's the Urban Prep Academy for Young Men. The school recently announced it was able to get all 107 of its graduating seniors accepted at 72 colleges across the country.

It's no secret what makes for a successful student. The young people at Urban Prep Academy wear uniforms and are told that perseverance, focus and having a dream matter most. So much for the need to spend more money on failing government schools.

Look up the Urban Prep Academy on the Internet and read all about it. The next time you hear that education achievement is related to how much money is spent, remind people about this school and why it succeeds while others fail.


Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.

Persevering Where Other Schools Fail