Teachers should not be scapegoats for problems they can't control

[FBaggins]

Consider what it takes to be a teacher.

At least five years of college -- at a cost of about $15,000 to $20,000 per year. You might have to work as a substitute for several years, with a small daily salary and no benefits.

Once you get a full-time job, you'll probably be making at least 20 percent less annually than you would if you had chosen another field requiring a master's degree. The work is physically and psychologically exhausting.

In the summers, you'll go back to school, take required training programs and get some time to catch up on your household chores that you had to put off because the school year is so incredibly full, with classroom teaching, preparing lessons and tests, grading the tests, going to meetings, attending student activities and so on.

Most teachers love their students and love their work. They have to, although, like anyone, they sometimes complain. But we can only expect so much of them. They are often heroes. We should never ask them to be the scapegoats for poverty, racism, crime, violence, drug and alcohol abuse and rest of the things kids take to school with them every day.


http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20100307/OPINION02/3070312/Teachers-should-not-be-scapegoats-for-problems-they-can-t-control

[patrice]

1. The logic that justifies blaming teachers would also justify blaming ministers. Does anyone do that?

Our country is ALL fucked up morally, but no one blames our ministers and no calls them out for their abject FAILURE.

They don't, because it's much more PC to criticize Teachers, probably because they have a tendency to be liberal.

[Nite Owl]

9. Same would apply to doctors

All a doctor needs for a few patients to see him that don't follow a prescribed course of action or perhaps they saw a doctor too late and cannot be helped. This would affect their 'outcome' and on paper it would mean that they lost patients, could not help them. Are they supposed to refuse to see the sick? Do these outcomes speak the whole story? It's the same way with teachers you never know who will be assigned to your classroom, if a particular child or group of children need more time consuming help due to circumstances outside of their control. Testing does not tell the whole story.

[patrice]

14. ALL of it starts and ends with Families. There are other factors, but the primary responsibility is

the family's.

[YvonneCa]

18. Please post this in GD. n/t

[dkf]

2. Results don't matter then? As long as teachers executed what they planned for the day?

[FBaggins]

5. Of course results matter. The question is how shall we judge those results

and who is qualified to do the judging?

Currently we have people WELL outside of the local community deciding on the method of judging "results" AND outlining what the acceptable consequences are.

Let's simplify:

If you were to take the entire staff at a low-performing school and swap them seat-for-seat with the teachers at a high-performing school... in nine cases out of ten you would probably find that the low-performing school REMAINED low-performing (and visa-versa). So we shouldn't look to those supposed "results" to guide polict at a federal level.

Now, frankly, should much education policy of any kind be driven from the federal level.

[dkf]

6. So how do you make a judgment then?

When do I get to be dissatisfied at the ineffectiveness of my tax dollars?

I have no kids. I am told the reason I pay taxes to support schools is to raise the next generation of producers in our economy. If I see that I am getting poor results what is the point?

[msongs]

7. are u even slightly aware that it is the STUDENTS who pass/fail the tests? hmm nt

[stray cat]

12. All the students except 7% who can pass a math test are idiots you mean?

or do 93% of the population just have lazy incompetent parents as well as stupid lazy good for nothing students?

[patrice]

28. Got "Jesus"? if so, any old rotten carrot should do for them, what's their malfunction anyway?

I hesitate to insult you, but just in case . . . and for others . . .

:sarcasm:

[smoogatz]

16. The reason you pay taxes to support schools is not

"to raise the next generation of producers," or at least that's not how the public school system was originally conceived. The reason we have public schools is because the other choice is private schools fro the affluent few, and a life of illiteracy and menial labor for everyone else. If you want an entrenched upper class, destroying the public schools is a great idea. If you think class mobility is important and everyone should have a reasonable shot at some degree of affluence, then it would make sense to support your public schools. There's also the citizenship angle: you can't have an informed electorate if the bulk of the people can't read or write. If you're a fan of aristocracy, no problem--if you like democracy then an educated populace is obviously a key part of that process.

[dkf]

25. I'm just saying that is the reason I've been told why I should support paying taxes

For a Public education system. You've never heard that before?

Can't you try to make me feel better about the fact I get no exemptions and no deductions because otherwise I can complain about the unfairness if it all til you are blue in the ears.

[smoogatz]

29. I've heard it, but it's not a very compelling argument.

You can have my exemptions if you'll pay for the 40-50 hours a week of childcare we require so we can do our jobs. Seems fair to me...

[YvonneCa]

19. You get to be dissatified...

...right now. :7 I am. Just do your research before you judge...please?

[midnight]

3. Absolutely right about not making the teachers accountable for system

designed with intentional flaws.

[patrice]

15. Intentional! Bingo~ The System can't take the COMPETITION of fully evolved Humans.

[madrchsod]

4. i agree....

duncan,rahm, and obama have no connection to the real world around them... they think they have the answer but they do not. worse they would`t if they did...

they answer only to those who give them the most profit.

[Orlandodem]

8. I have been a loyal Dem for 2 decades. But Obama/Duncan/Race To the Top have changed that.

I may have to start voting for the Green Party. I can't vote Democrat anymore after what is happening to teachers. Between the Central Falls fiasco which Duncan applauded and the scapegoating of teachers through Race To The Top, I will be looking elsewhere. The Democrats have lost me and they only have Obama to blame. And Obama's policies may be supported by the Republicans but they won't vote for him.

[rudy23]

10. Every time I think Obama's done jumping the shark...

he outdoes himself. I can't believe his stance on this, and how quickly & decisively he weighed in on it.

[stray cat]

11. Doesn't it take a college degree for many jobs? Most have much less job security

as well. Those working minimum wage have to work two full time jobs and more to come up with the same income and benefits as teachers or many other positions. Those jobs are tough as well and 80 hours a week with two different jobs to manage is not a cakewalk.

And how many jobs don't have expectations of results that may or may not be 100% under your control?

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. What other jobs requiring a college degree pay as little as teaching?

Social work is the only one I know of. Please tell us what other jobs you are thinking of.

[Hannah Bell]

24. in the interest of fairness, stray cat opts for lowering all college-educated workers' pay

to minimum wage, 80 hours per week.

[Raster]

13. Part and parcel dumbing down the citizenry is dumbing down the schools. The factor in dumbing down

...the schools is scapegoating teachers. In a sane and rational word, we would be supporting teachers in every way possible to ensure their success.

[corpseratemedia]

20. +1

and the "elites" can get away with scapegoating teachers and make it a public meme so they can hide the fact that they should (but won't) be prosecuting their close friends the bankers.

[Hissyspit]

17. It's always the worker's fault.

:sarcasm:

[YvonneCa]

22. If you haven't already done so, please post this article in GD. Thank you! n/t

[FBaggins]

26. Will do. I didn't realize that was an option.

Thanks.

[femmocrat]

23. Thank you! I really fear for our profession.

There is a real feeling in this country that it is not worth raising taxes to pay teachers. Much easier to cut positions and increase class size. It's going on nation-wide.

I don't know why young people want to enter a profession that is so unappreciated, underpaid, and stressful. I'm glad I'm nearing retirement but I am the mother of a young teacher who is out there, battling on.

[YvonneCa]

27. I share that fear. I recently retired (stress related) and...

...have a daughter who taught for a while. She left because of NCLB stresses. She works for a bank, now, and they treat her better. That saddens me.