What's peculiar is that the government is trying to raise the standards and challenge students more so that we can stay up with educational standards in other countries and states are trying to lower them. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said that "We're lying to our children when we tell them they're proficient, but they're not achieving at a level that will prepare them for success once they graduate."

Individual states largely have control over their own education. However the government does have some say when it comes to the No Child Left Behind Act. Even though the act has caused some problems when schools have failed to perform, the intentions were good. Actions were taken but have failed to deliver.

Now schools are trying to boost scores by lowering their standards. This tactic is ridiculous and stupid. The point is to try and improve education and this will not improve education.  The scores are just  the way to analyze and mark improvement. So lowering scores is not going to accomplish anything but just make things worse.

Because of states actions, the federal government is trying to encourage states to accept a set of standards by offering millions of dollars. The money would come from the federal stimulus law which allocates money to Obama's educational reform. The reasoning behind this is that students currently do much worse on National Assessments than they do on state tests because of the different standards. So if states lower their standards there will be an even greater difference between test results.

Standards need to rise in order to help students compete with their international peers. Since 2005 more states have lowered their standards than raised them. Another problem children are facing is that states standards differ greatly; so children may be considered proficient in one state and not in another.

Education is really important in everyone's life. Children and adults both need a greater education. There is a saying the "D's earn degrees." This is unacceptable and students need to be learning and retaining more information because what they are learning in some cases is not adequate.

The federal government needs to take greater steps to improve education in the U.S. for children and adults, because Americans are being left in the dust and this is a problem that will influence their lives and future generations. Greater efforts need to be made in regard to education in America.

For example, parents in Gaza don't want their children to learn about the Holocaust.  The fact is that it was a major event in modern world history and it's the reason that millions of people from all corners of the world are dead.

Granted, parents are responsible for their children and have the right to question what their children are learning in schools.  After all, parents are the most influential people in their children's life and it's important that they are involved with their children's education.  However, sometimes I think parents are worried about what their children might learn in school because it is different from the beliefs that they hold.

So where is the balance?  Should parents be able to determine what the lesson plan is in schools?  Even though there were 6 million Jews killed in the holocaust and thousands of civilians died, parents in Gaza don't want the information about the Nazi genocide being introduced into curriculum in U.N. schools.

This displays a major barrier between Jews and Arabs.  Jews see this inaction by Arabs as a denial of Israel's right to exist, while Arabs see the Holocaust as an excuse for Israel's creation.  This is controversial and I can see both sides of the argument, but children need to learn what is and has been going on in the world.

Finding the right balance is also a hot topic in the United States as well.  Parents were upset about President Obama's speech to students.  I guess a major factor is how old the student is, older students are less likely to buy into ideas as younger children.  Parents were especially worried about what the pamphlets would say and what kind of an influence they would have on their young children.

School districts in this event did the proper thing by notifying parents about the speech and what would be going on.  They also allowed parents to check their children out of school or to keep them home for the day.  I think what much of this boils down to is that parents need to allow their children to learn about different topics in school but then discuss them at home.

Education is supposed to be where individuals learn about general knowledge, and develop reasoning and judgment, in order to prepare for life.  Students need to be learning about important events and different theories so that they can make educated decisions.  They don't need to believe everything that they hear, but at least they will understand different theories, perspectives, and aspects of our history.

Some of the lessons students learn from a well rounded education, can help students understand one another and therefore find a peaceful solution that can improve everyone's life.  History cannot be repeated if it is remembered.