[Rhodes22-list] Mo Gubmint - Politics & Education

[elle]

Herb, 

I agree...we are in agreement on many
points...but.....

> With the ills you describe, no matter their cause,
> can you BLAME parents  who want alternatives?

Absolutely not; that is a parent's first duty. But I
STRONGLY disagree with the methods.

Again, an educated populace benefits and strengthens
the country...parents should fight (and it is a
fight....I've sparred w/enough sch bd members
separately & at public meetings)... to improve the
school that their children attend. Vouchers are just
another way of making 'separate but  sorta equal.' All
schools have parents who are able to become
invvolved...along with thoose who let others do
it....vouchers don't solve anything...they just move
the game pieces (kids) and parents are happy. (Sounds
like segregation to me...but using $$ rather than skin
color...)

What about the kids left behind in the
'non-performing' schools? And the teachers...They know
that they are not improtant.....Believe me we WILL pay
the price if we encourage the vouchers instead of
concentrating the resources.  The costs will just come
later. The price we pay will be for more prisons,
police, higher ins costs b/c of vandalism...all those
things kids do when they are not valued...and when
they go toschool in a crappy bldg when the admin bldg
had the latest & greatest they get the picture. When
no one else cares, why should they? Bailing
out....(vouchers)... just allows the rats to leave the
sinking ship. If the parents had no other option, you
can bet your boots that they fight for their school.

I'm not saying this is right...but that is human
nature.....

And please don't blame the teachers...yes, they are
part of the system...and there ARE crappy ones out
there! Just as in any profession...but they can only
do what they are allowed to do...the majority of
teachers really want to help kids....but the
administrative a**coverers soon squelch that. 

Teaching is not a noble profession anymore...everyone
is looking for someone to blame, and why not the
teacher? Why not these parents (
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/07/AR2008030703511.html)
Give me a break...


Sorry for the soapbox...


elle


--- Herb Parsons <hparsons at parsonsys.com> wrote:

> This paragraph pretty well sums it all up, and we're
> much coser to 
> AGREEING on the topic than we are DISAGREEING.
> 
> With the ills you describe, no matter their cause,
> can you BLAME parents 
> who want alternatives? In spite of the non-sense
> rhetoric spewed on this 
> forum, those that seek something different, whether
> it be home-school or 
> private education, are not doing it because they're
> a buch of wide-eyed 
> fantatics trying to protect their children from the
> evils of a godless 
> world. They're, for the most part, concerned parents
> trying to break 
> their children out of a broken system.
> 
> As far as "blaming the teachers", that's where you
> and I have to part 
> ways a bit. I blame the system, and the teachers are
> part of that 
> system. Every workable iniative, wether it be
> voucher systems or higher 
> standards for educators, is opposed by the teachers
> unions and their 
> lobbies.
> 
> Personally, I'd love to see a voucher system. Then
> those to whom 
> education is the most important, the parents of the
> students, would 
> dictate where the money goes for their educations.
> 
> elle wrote:
> > ...   
> >   CYA was the mantra of the senior teachers..the
> principal was only interested in being popular with
> parents & kiddies...if there was a problem yoou'd
> better get to him FIRST & tell him...'cause as sure
> as I am not 10' tall if the parent came in the
> teacher'd be up s***s creek. (And this was the story
> in the majority of schools...ever wonder why the the
> 1st grades gets suspended for hugging his friend???
> A**hole principals who are afraid to stand up...b/c
> the superintendents don't want flack. The teacher is
> at the bottom of the pecking order...so don't blame
> the teacher fornot enforcing discipline or
> whatever....you step out of line & you're OUT...go
> to the superintendent & school bd who make the
> rules.....)
> >    
> >   
> -- 
> Herb Parsons
> S/V O'Jure - O'Day 25
> S/V Reve de Pappa - Coronado 35
> 
> 
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We can't change the angle of the wind....but we can adjust our sails.

 1992 Rhodes 22   Recyc '06  "WaterMusic"   (Lady in Red)


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