There is an interesting discussion on Hotair.com regarding teacher tenure. There are some interesting comments specifically about tenure but the conversation expanded on how the real problems in education are much deeper and wider than just teacher tenure. Read the full article and thread here.
*********************************************************
All I want to do is teach. And I wish people would just let me teach the kids who want to learn. The ones who do not I try my best to inspire.
But in the end, I cannot make them. I should not be held accountable for that.
Badger40 on August 19, 2012 at 2:53 PM
You are absolutely correct. No where in the education “reforms” set
forth by this administration or Michelle Rhee (the Democratic
progressive Republican RINOs love) is responsibility spelled out for
students and parents. What do you do with students who
don’t/won’t/can’t learn and parents who don’t/won’t/can’t support their
children’s educational progress or lack of progress?
This blaming of teachers (and I know good ones AND bad ones) is a
screen for the real problems that plague education and it furthers the
privatization movement. But think about it. The privatization is not
really “free market”. The charters and vouchers operate under
governmental strings. The “entrepreneurs” are using taxpayer money to
open these schools, NOT their own money. There’s no gamble. It’s the
SAME education.
The teacher tenure issue is something to talk about but it is not the
reason schools are in the situation they are in. The reason is local
school districts only have the authority to hire teachers and pay for
buildings. They can’t set standards, assessments and the curriculum
will need to adhere to the Common Core standards. Meanwhile, taxpayers
have to pay for whatever expensive boondoggle Congress passes (NCLB) OR
the $4.35 Billion check it gave Arne Duncan to “fix” education…it didn’t
even VOTE on the plan (Race to the Top) which causes states to sign
onto mandates that are unfunded/underfunded. One facet of RTTT, Common
Core standards, creates a nationalized curriculum and will cost my state
$350 Million (at least) and my state agency is $900 Million underfunded
as it is.
Teacher tenure is minor in the big picture and that’s what the elites want people to focus on.
******************************************************************
Also – it is time for Conservatives to discuss the coming Common Core Standards authored by Arne Duncan. This is the most insidious attack on local control of education in the history of this nation. I fear it is a done deal and within in 5 years we will have the few remaining teachers with a conscience leaving the system and the children they are forced to leave behind so indoctrinated they will never recover.
InTheBellyoftheBeast on August 19, 2012 at 4:05 PM
I’m sure you’ve been, or will be doing, inservices on this crap. I just got through with 2 days of it.
Now the way they present it, there are some good things about common core. But overall, it steals even more local control from communities. This is an outrageous power grap.
I think it IS a done deal. The state of ND is fed up with NCLB & even if Common Core doesn’t make it, we’ve got something similar they’re implementing called ND Mile. But at least THAT is a state initiative.
This Common Core BS has seriously made me continue considering other employment. I’m really really thinking about quitting teaching here in the next 5 years. I love teaching. I think I was born to do it. But this $hit is just getting more & more ridiculous & I didn’t think that was possible.
"The privatization is not really “free market”. The charters and vouchers operate under governmental strings."
ReplyDeletePublic education isn't really free market either, it creates a monopoly. How do you propose we promote true school choice. I'm in favor of vouchers only if there are no strings attached, but I think there are other ways to promote school choice as well. 1. Tax credits 2. Tax credits for donations to School Tuition Organizations 3. Tax deductions for private school tuition and home school expenses.
Re. charter schools - I like some charter schools and others I don't. I don't believe they are the be all and end all for school choice. They should be launched without public funds however - that way they are put on the same level with private schools.
Without offering some type of assistance to help promote school choice there will be no free market. It's hard to compete with "free."
Ideally I'd love for people who do choose to send their kids to private school or homeschool to receive their tax dollars to the state and property taxes paid to the school district back. They shouldn't have to pay twice. I know it's a pipe dream, but that would be the fair thing to do.