[No Truce With Kings]

Summer:

I have been extremely cynical about the issue of teacher qualifications ever since 2001-2. I was unemployed. I had spent eight years as a business consultant teaching people to use e-commerce. I had taught classes on computer science at the college level. I had taught e-commerce in five different states to groups ranging from the US military to mom-and-pop tool and die shops. I had been an engineer for 22 years. I had written a textbook. But, because I lacked a teaching certificate, I was "unqualified" for a job teaching computer science at Westwood ISD at the junior high school level.

How did I get qualified? By taking $5000 worth of classes at an education college.

Who *was* qualified to teach the comp sci classes (and got the job)? Two english teachers at that school district who had never used a computer prior to a year earlier. They had the magic piece of "certification" that "qualified" them to teach the course.

How do I know this? Because they hired me to tutor them on how to use the computer. So, I was "unqualified" to teach computer science to school kids while being the preferred method for those "qualified" to do so to learn what they needed to know to "teach" those same school kids.

. . . And education professionals wonder why so many "unqualified" people are turning to home schooling -- and cannot even figure out why home school kids turn out some much better than those taught at public school.

Not knocking you, summer, just those that value credentials over capability.

[FITZ]

It seems that isn't the case in Texas anymore ---

http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/borderland/20040228-86768.shtml

'Instant teacher' rule passes

AUSTIN -- Teachers no longer will have to go through a traditional education curriculum to teach grades eight through 12 after the State Board of Education on Friday didn't overturn a new rule that could put college graduates in classrooms starting in the fall.

They can become "instant teachers" by passing a state test and a criminal background check if their college degree is related to the subjects they would teach.

[summer]

RE your post #65 - Good post, and I appreciate what you said. BTW, there is still a lot of nepotism in school districts. Those teachers hired over you may have been related to the principal in some way unbeknowst to you. I have worked in different fields, and it always amazes me how in education I see more nepotism -- with wives, husbands, friends, relatives, etc. getting jobs over people who are more qualified.