If ever you wanted proof that there may be an education crisis in this country, just look to the reading comprehension level evident in some of the comments posted on this site.
In my last post, I recommended people see Davis Guggenheim's film, Waiting for "Superman". I did not bash unions in this country. I did not state nor did I imply that charter schools are preferable to typical institutions of public education. I never represented myself as an authority on the subject of education.
What I wrote was:
Whether or not teachers' unions are partly to blame is open to discussion, but Guggenheim's film casts a light on that perspective. And once you get a peek at New York City's "Rubber Room" for outcast teachers, you may never view the NEA and the AFT the same way again.
This is a monumentally important film. My father was a public school teacher for 28 years and I can think of few other areas in our society that deserve this type of urgent scrutiny right now. See Guggenheim's film, which opens in theaters this weekend.
If you read union bashing into that, then you have a problem. An education problem.
Some posted thoughtful comments here about how the public school system in their area is not at all in crisis. In fact, they contend, they are thriving. That can only be viewed as good news.
But where schools are failing, we owe it to others and to ourselves to examine why. The belligerent, class-baiting vitriol you so often find here is ill-advised and unwelcome. Then again, what's worse than a liberal who doesn't have someone to blame for their political powerlessness? To say that a significant number of people in higher income brackets are eager to abandon the public school system is false. To say that those same people, whether they be in the entertainment business or not, want to hobble teachers' unions in order to foster a growing private business that replaces public education is outrageous.
Now more than ever, see Guggenheim's movie, if only to engage in a dialogue about our children's future that so many here want to drown out.
I'd love to have you come sit in on my class for a week. I'll pay for it. Seriously. I want you to immerse yourself in the process. See what it's all about. I think that way you can have an even greater knowledge of what we are facing and our strengths and yes, weaknesses. A movie isn't going to do it. You need to be HERE. A movie is your way into things, because face it... that's what you day. A classroom is where I ply my trade, and I think to fully understand the intricacies of the situation you need to be in a classroom. Every minute. For at least a week. You may think I'm kidding, but I'm dead serious.
Do I deny there are problems? Nope. Do I see strengths? Absolutely. Do you get the whole picture? Not even close. I've been on multiple sides after a variety of career jumps that ultimately led me to a classroom, so I feel I have a pretty good handle on it all. Many of us do. We can only further your education on education Alec. More information is always better. So I'll check out the film. You check out the classroom. Deal? I watch 30 Rock every week, and have watched Beetlejuice about 75 times (Maybe THAT is the problem with our schools! Ha!). It's the least you can do.
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/nov/11/myth-charter-schools/
He might be a little less quick to call out those who expressed doubts about his enthusiasm.
Some public school districts work. Many many others don't, especially in our urban centers. If I have to pick a side, its going to be the side of the poor, mostly minority, largely single mother-led households over the teachers union any day.
We have, for the last 30 years, tried to change just about every aspect of public education to turn our schools around. We have thrown staggering sums of money at them - to no effect whatsoever. The only thing we haven't tried is taking on the essential intractability and of the teachers unions. We've avoided that out of fear of the name-calling so evident in these comments. This movie, and the positive support it is gathering in the public, is an indication that perhaps the times have changed. The forces of reaction here are the teachers unions. They can either tell which way the wind's blowing and lead the changes themselves, or they can get run over. Either way, we cannot any longer tolerate the utter destruction of our urban centers just to protect bad teachers.
Saying that the rubber rooms were anything other than a direct result of the New York teachers union's abhorrence of any kind of teacher accountability is just a lie. The rubber rooms existed because the union fought tooth and nail to prevent the firing of the very worst teachers. Not marginal teachers, or teachers who were of debatable effectiveness, but teachers who were arrested for felonies, who assaulted students, who came to class drunk...the list goes on and on. These worst of the worst were protected by the union for years, until the union was publicly shamed into allowing the practice to end. Even then though, the union only allowed the district to get rid of the physical rooms. The rubber room teachers are still employed and defended by the union, they're just dispersed now.
I see no evidence of that.
we are trying to fix education within the same individualistic pay for performance educational paradigm that has not worked and will not work.
this hero teacher worship thing is just another example of this individualistic approach to education.
so few in america understand this simple axiom.
85 to 95% of the problems are systemic.
change the system change the outcome.
americans dont want unions and the price they will pay will be third world status.
unions meaning employees input must be part of the change.
as I listen to the union leaders on tv they dont know any more than the so called professional educators.
the change in paradigm must come from those outside the existing pay for performance individualistic hero teacher paradigm. that does not work and will not work.
b f skinner was a materialist that meant he saw no meaning and purpose to human life and he is the guy we are following with our carrot and stick approach. the same goes for religion be careful there also with their hell and heaven outlook on life.
I owe you an apology. I posted earlier tonight and called you Alex. I know that isn't your name and our names matter. I think I had a senior moment.
Cheri Quinn
You're a smart guy, so why don't you ask the question staring all of us straight in the eye: Why are completely corrupt and long dysfunctional minority filled public school districts not subject to any reform?" Charters, constant testing, and blaming teacher would not be necessary if school districts were held accountable. To paraphrase House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, why is reforming the Los Angeles Unified School District not on the table? At perdaily.com we talk about what is really going on in public education and how to fix it. The problem is those running the school districts and the politicians who keep them in power have no consequences. Any teacher can tell you that when students have no consequences you have chaos in class. When LAUSD et al administrators have no consequences they are malfeasant until they go into retirement and leave the district, the teachers, and the students holding the bag.
I certainly saw no union bashing in your post. While we appear to be polar opposites on the political spectrum I find your assessment of the dialogue regarding education to be 'spot on.' I haven't seen the Guggenheim film yet since I live several miles from BFE and it isn't scheduled for theatres within two hundred miles of here in the near future. I admit that I have a bias going into the viewing. You may find my blog on the topic of charter schools as the panacea interesting. My objection to the simplistic view of charters and vouchers as the great saviors of education is the ironic juxtaposition of those views against the phrase, "solutions for all children." Charters and vouchers target a very small population of students and millions are being spent to promote the belief that that there is a one-size-fits all solution.
I invite you to read my blog on the topic. I've included a link for your convenience.
http://educationdialogics.blogspot.com/
Dr. Cheri Quinn
“The focus of would-be education reformers on firing teachers is a signature of their failure. You have to dance with the date that brought you. Any reasonable process of education reform has to work with making the existing teachers more effective. Management always loves to believe that their major problem is the quality of their employees. But if management really knew how to get better employees, they would have done it in the first place.†– dnjake post at WP 10-14-2010
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/guest-bloggers/radical-idea-public-schools-ar.html