Duncan declares war on teachers

[Hannah Bell]

The first sign of open warfare was the public support given to the mass firing of 100 teachers in Central Falls, Rhode Island by Ed Secretary Arne Duncan and President Obama.

This wasn’t a policy dispute. These were real teachers, in real classrooms with real families. It was an open shot across the bow. A warning to all public school teachers that this administration was out to get them.

This is not paranoia. It is now the reality facing every public school teacher in the country...

There is no doubt in my mind that this is a declaration of a political war on teachers.

Will it be a one-sided war? Our union leaders must see to it that it is not.

http://preaprez.wordpress.com/2010/08/17/duncan-declares-war-on-teachers/

[LAGC]

1. Why does Obama hate teachers?

They must have paddled him in school or something...

[Orlandodem]

2. Either Obama dumps Duncan or I dump Obama in 2012 along with 4,000,000 other teachers.

I'm so fucking sick of the new paradigm that it's "the teachers' fault."

In my day if a child chose not to learn it was his fault. Period. Now too many parents don't want to admit that the fruit of their loin may be rotten. Too many parents think their child will be a rocket scientist when they clearly won't be.

[mediaman007]

3. Worse yet, Obama and Duncan think every child should be a rocket scientist!

[wcast]

4. I hate to admit it, but I agree with you.

I have always supported education friendly candidates, but it seems as if everyone has gone over to the dark side. People want it to be the teacher's fault, as it's an easy answer and doesn't require the hard choices that must be made and the dollars that must be spent. When Democratic leaders are taking the Republican line, there is a real problem. You can not have equity, without equity payment. You can't have it on the cheap. When one school can spend $30,000 plus per student and another $10,000, tell me there is not an inherent inequity problem. As a previous poster already described, being a highly qualified teacher has more to do with what school you are in than anything else.

I'm also surprised with the number of DU members who approve of this line, that it is all the teacher's fault. Or it's a union issue. While every profession has their problems, the main problem with education is it is run by people with no knowledge of education. We have no education majors on our school board, and only 2 with degrees, both business. How they screwed up the funding in my district is another post/rant. Duncan has a degree in sociology, and a few honorary degrees. He's qualified as an educational leader?! What other business do you see this in? Banks not run by bankers, law offices without lawyers? It's ridiculous, but it goes back to how we are denigrated as we can't do, so we teach. I personally am sick of it and will never support a candidate who does not take my profession seriously, and labels it, instead of the lack of commitment on the part of the government, as failing!