Ideas on education, the English language, and the teaching
profession. Sunday, January 27, 2008 Tracking in School (Part
Two: The Shortcomings of Inclusion) In efforts to level the
playing field and ensure everyone the right to an education,
many public schools have practiced the philosophy of inclusion.
Inclusions means having the sluggish kids, even those with
mental handicaps and severe emotional disorders, sitting and
working in the same classroom as the best and brightest of the
school. This practice naturally inflicts a blow to the idea of
tracking, which separates students into different levels
according to their ability. Those who advocate inclusion reason
that those sluggish students will benefit from a mainstream
education that provides proximity to normal kids. They reason
thus: Like someone getting better at tennis by playing with
someone better than themselves, these students will improve
their study habits by being with better students. They will also
find questionable (though never actually que