Reformers vs. Democracy
One thing reformers don’t like is to hear from teachers or parents or the public. We see the same pattern repeated again and again.
Reform can only be successful when power is consolidated in the hands of the mayor, preferably when the mayor has a puppet board appointed by him and that serves at his pleasure. (See New York City.)
Reform can only be successful when it is rammed through the Legislature with a minimum of public notice and a minimum of public hearings. Fast action means no public deliberation. Reformers say, “We can’t afford to wait,” but what they mean is, “Our collective mind is made up, and we don’t have to waste time listening to those who don’t agree.” (See Louisiana.)
Reform can only be successful if the governor and the state commissioner get to make all the decisions. That way, they can circumvent and ignore public opinion in the districts that they control. (See Connecticut or Idaho or many other states).
Reform can only be successful if the governor controls the state board of education and its members do what he
Idaho Has A Great Teacher
Reform can only be successful when power is consolidated in the hands of the mayor, preferably when the mayor has a puppet board appointed by him and that serves at his pleasure. (See New York City.)
Reform can only be successful when it is rammed through the Legislature with a minimum of public notice and a minimum of public hearings. Fast action means no public deliberation. Reformers say, “We can’t afford to wait,” but what they mean is, “Our collective mind is made up, and we don’t have to waste time listening to those who don’t agree.” (See Louisiana.)
Reform can only be successful if the governor and the state commissioner get to make all the decisions. That way, they can circumvent and ignore public opinion in the districts that they control. (See Connecticut or Idaho or many other states).
Reform can only be successful if the governor controls the state board of education and its members do what he
Idaho Has A Great Teacher
I got a comment from an elementary school teacher in Idaho. She sounds like the kind of teacher I would want for my grandchild, who starts first grade this September. She knows what matters most.
She reminds me of Mrs. Ratliff, the high school English teacher whom I wrote about in my last book. I dedicated a chapter in the book to her. It was called “What Would Mrs. Ratliff Do?” She taught her students to read, to write, and to think. She had high standards, the standards she set. She had high expectations. She had a red pencil and she knew how to use it. She cared about her students and we knew it.
This teacher sounds like Mrs. Ratliff for the elementary grades. I hope that Tom Luna, the state superintendent of Idaho, doesn’t ruin her classroom by putting her students online. It would benefit the companies that got him elected, but it would cheat the kids. He should trust the professional judgment of teachers like this one.
Diane
She reminds me of Mrs. Ratliff, the high school English teacher whom I wrote about in my last book. I dedicated a chapter in the book to her. It was called “What Would Mrs. Ratliff Do?” She taught her students to read, to write, and to think. She had high standards, the standards she set. She had high expectations. She had a red pencil and she knew how to use it. She cared about her students and we knew it.
This teacher sounds like Mrs. Ratliff for the elementary grades. I hope that Tom Luna, the state superintendent of Idaho, doesn’t ruin her classroom by putting her students online. It would benefit the companies that got him elected, but it would cheat the kids. He should trust the professional judgment of teachers like this one.
Diane
I am an elementary education teacher in Idaho. I have taught both 2nd and 4th grades, and have been in the
A Parent’s Advice to the CTU
During these stressful times, teachers sometimes think they are alone in their struggle to maintain the dignity of their profession. They may get the impression by listening to politicians and the media that no one cares about them or about public education. This is wrong. The American public does not want to turn its schools over to inept amateurs or Wall Street financiers. And the overwhelming majority remembers its teachers warmly and respects their work.
I recently wrote a blog about the Chicago Teachers Union’s overwhelming decision to authorize a strike. This decision received the affirmative vote of 90% of the members (actually it was 98%, because non-votes were counted as negative). Less than 2% opposed the strike resolution. This is quite a stunning rebuke to the bully tactics of Mayor Rahm Emanuel. And it is a stunning rebuke as well to Jonah Edelman, the civil-rights-activist turned corporate-reformer, who predicted (and boasted) that the teachers would never get 75% of its members to
Race from the Axe
A reader sent this animation. I think most everyone who reads this blog will find it humorous yet too true to be funny.
It depicts the way teachers are evaluated now. Being “very good” is not good enough. Being “perfect” is not good enough. In what line of work are people expected to go higher and higher until they hit the top and are washed up because they can’t get any better?  Enjoy. Diane |
