Top 5 Myths and Lies About Teachers and Their Profession
By Tim Walker
Well-funded misinformation campaigns succeed in part by leaving no rock unturned in the quest to discredit whatever person or institution they are targeting. In these cases, is there any meaningful difference between a hoax, myth, rumor or an outright lie? Not really, because they all serve to discredit and undermine, regardless of intent.For more than ten years, public schools have been assaulted by a barrage of destructive policies that have been fueled by the widespread dissemination of misinformation. It begins with corporate cash flowing into new think tanks and advocacy groups, or films like “Waiting for Superman” and“Won’t Back Down.” And it all eventually trickles down to the neighbor a few doors down who asked you, “I support public schools and I love my own child’s teacher, but, gosh darnit, why is that bad teachers can never be fired and what’s so bad about being held accountable?”
Needless to say, the conversation over public education needs to change course but is still largely bogged down in the morass of distortions and warped opinions
Education psychologist David C. Berliner and education professor Gene V. Glass hope to help clear a path with their new book, 50 Myths and Lies That Threaten America’s Public Schools. Berliner and Glass take on and dismantle every half-truth, falsehood and bad idea that has undermined our schools, using logic and credible data to make their case.“The mythical failure of public education has been created and perpetuated in large part by political and economic interests that stand to gain from the destruction of the traditional system,” the authors write in the book’s intro. “Many citizens conception of K-12 public education in the United States is more myth than reality. It is essential that the truth replace the fiction.”
NEA Today will be running excerpts from 50 Myths and Lies over the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, here’s a summary of Berliner and Glass’ response to some of the myths pertaining specifically to teachers and their profession.
Myth 1: Teachers Are the Single Most Important Factor in a Child’s Education
Great public schools depend on having first-rate teachers. Teachers work very, very hard. Their days are spent not only providing instructional and emotional support, but also performing countless other tasks to benefit their students Top 5 Myths and Lies About Teachers and Their Profession | NEA Today: