Robbing Elementary Students of Their Childhood: The Perils of No Child Left Behind

The "No Child Left Behind" Legislation has altered the landscape of elementary schools across the nation. This alteration has left many educators and parents wondering whether children are being robbed of their childhood in order to meet the legislation's many mandates. Across the nation, traditional school days, instructional programs, and programs such as recess, music, and art, along with programs for the gifted and educationally disabled, have been eliminated or altered beyond recognition. This paper addresses those concerns by citing evidence of the potential harm to students and by interviewing stakeholders who have direct involvement with the children as either teachers or parents.