Posted on 01/03/2012 8:06:37 AM PST by inkling
Imagine if your child’s assigned elementary school had puddles of urine in the bathroom, mouse droppings in the cafeteria, and clogged water fountains. Now imagine if your complaints were rejected by the principal.
Parent Revolution, the Los Angeles-based group at the center of the “Parent Trigger” or “Parent Empowerment” movement, reports that these were the deplorable conditions at Washington Elementary School in Lynwood, Calif., when parents organized to help turn things around. The parents put pressure on school officials and formed a committee to help develop solutions.
This idea — empowering parents to take ownership of reforms long overdue at a child’s school — is at the heart of one of the most innovative education reform programs proposed in recent years. Parent Empowerment laws let parents vote to convert a chronically failing school to a charter school or even close its doors entirely. Laws have passed in California, Texas, and Mississippi, and lawmakers in at least 14 other states are considering bills.
(Excerpt) Read more at goldwaterinstitute.org ...
Everyone is concerned, and rightly so, about the crisis in education. At one time or another, I've seen the teachers, administrators, curriculum, textbooks, parents, school systems, school boards, length of the school day, length of the school week, length of the school year, lack of funding, lack of professional development, and teacher training get blamed for the miseducation of children. However, once all of this has been addressed and remedied, there still remains one entity in this equation which is never mentioned, never even considered.
My question is: "Why?"
So let’s bust the unions. We can all work for that.
Sorry you have to do work while others sit. But we who have jobs are just lucky to have them.
>>Hopefully...<<
*giggle* yeah.
>>Most of the school board elections i have seen have less than 5% turnout. <<
Dump the school board and get in the management company. Period.
>>As I said on the other thread my post was directed to exactly one person<<
Then maybe taking it off board would be a good idea.
YOU pinged me here.
>>what is wrong with having alpha parents? <<
I can tell that you’re a teacher.
Pets are bad in the classroom AND when it comes to parents. You’re talking about being involved, I’m talking about Alphas. Most teachers don’t even see it and take FULL advantage of that power.
Part of the problem we have here is the “I am hero and deserve” mentality takes over. Teachers do a job, that’s it.
It’s a step in the right direction, for sure.
But I can’t imagine letting my child go ANYWHERE into conditions that despicable.
Where are the adults in that situation?
I will take thaqt as a comp0liment whether you meant it that way or not
Pets are bad in the classroom AND when it comes to parents. You’re talking about being involved, I’m talking about Alphas. Most teachers don’t even see it and take FULL advantage of that power.
Perhaps you and I have a different definition of "Alpha." To me "Alpha" conotates not being a sheaple that sits idly by wondering why things have gotten so bad. It means standing up and doing the right things (as you perceive it). It means leading by example and being willing to stand up when everyone else is willing to lie down and just take it.
Part of the problem we have here is the “I am hero and deserve” mentality takes over. Teachers do a job, that’s it.
That is not a teacher that is a doctor or a lawyer mentality. Teachers, real teachers have a calling like priests and ministers. Stocking shelves, driving a truck, putting the red nut on the blue screw, while all honorable, those are jobs. Teaching is more than that, or it should be.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_male
You can rationalize all of this, but both the ranking of parents by teachers AND the “calling” for teachers is in your head only.
You have a job, that’s it. You’re not a priest, you’re not a minister. To rank yourself above a doctor is proof of the attitude. When was the last time you got called at 3am for an emergency?
You don’t do anything that I don’t do as a religious educator, and I do it for free.
Do YOU do it for free? If you do, or if you take the barest minimum to educate kids, then you can rank yourself with the holy men. Otherwise ya got a job. Just like the rest of us, except you do it 9 months out of the year, with every weekend, Christmas and Martin Luther King Day off. Not a whole lot of Priests or Ministers get the same.
Thank you for documenting trhat I was correct. I still don't see it as a problem having Alpha parents.
You can rationalize all of this, but both the ranking of parents by teachers AND the “calling” for teachers is in your head only.
I have no idea what you are trying to say here.
You have a job, that’s it.
If it makes you feel better to say that go right ahead.
You’re not a priest, you’re not a minister.
Please re-read what I said, I said it is a calling like/ similar to theirs for "Real" teachers.
To rank yourself above a doctor is proof of the attitude. When was the last time you got called at 3am for an emergency?
Again you need to re-read what I said. Here is your comment in bold Part of the problem we have here is the “I am hero and deserve” mentality takes over. Teachers do a job, that’s it.
And my reply in bold italics: That is not a teacher that is a doctor or a lawyer mentality
I didn't say I was above a Doctor. I said that doctors and lawyers have an attitude of "I deserve"
You don’t do anything that I don’t do as a religious educator, and I do it for free. Do YOU do it for free? If you do, or if you take the barest minimum to educate kids, then you can rank yourself with the holy men. Otherwise ya got a job. Just like the rest of us, except you do it 9 months out of the year, with every weekend, Christmas and Martin Luther King Day off. Not a whole lot of Priests or Ministers get the same.So teachers should make a living wage? Are you compensated for your work/ Do you take the bare minimum, I am pretty sure the answer is no.
I do Teach adult ed. classes from time to time on an ad hoc basis at our parish for free. But contrary to the hooey that has been posted on this forum I am making about 50% of what I was making in the private sector and i don;'t have near as good of a retirement plan. As for summer off I wish I knew what that was like.
1. This is not Japan. This is the United States. I do not work in an office, I work in a public school.
Have you ever taught school? Have you ever stood in front of a group of 35+ teenagers at least 1/2 of whom are surly and do not want to even be there?
I’m not complaining. I want the public to know what goes on behind closed school doors.
I read nothing in the papers except “overpaid, underperforming, greedy teachers want more money.” Nothing but criticism and we teachers are blamed for everything — low test scores, low levels of achievement, not closing the achievement gap. Lazy, unprepared, unmotivated students who show up at school 1/2 hour late every day are NEVER EVER EVER blamed, it is ALWAYS THE TEACHER’S FAULT.
The district’s solution is ever-more ‘professional developments’ where I am told it is my fault that students who enter my room reading at a 4th grade level (in 9th grade) cannot pass the state tests.
You can’t imagine what I’d like to tell the public about disrespectful students who refuse to open the textbook in class or at home, arrive late every day holding bags of fast food, unprepared without pencil or pen, let alone homework — BUT with the latest iPhone, iPad or other iGadget, which they’re told NOT to bring to school. More due to theft of these items than that they distract instructional time.
Yes, I call home repeatedly — mostly to no avail. THEN when the kid fails, the parent is all over me for not “motivating” the lazy kid or notifying them in time!
Don’t get me wrong, I love my job and I have many wonderful students but the number disagreeable students per class has grown and they ruin the entire classroom and teachers’ lessons.
“You have a job, don’t you?
Lots of people would like it.”
Then let them go to college for five years like I did (which I paid for) to earn a bachelor’s degree and then a year extra for the teaching credential. We high school teachers are not education majors, we majored in a single subject and then spent an extra year “working” for our credential.
Then they can spend another ~ $70 for an FBI fingerprint clearance, another $150 for the credential which must be renewed every five years, another ~ $800-1,000 per class + textbooks for ongoing classes required for credential renewal. Next, due to budget cuts, let them spend the approximately $1,000 the average teacher spends to cover things the district does not provide - such as office supplies, paper, ink for printers even textbooks which I’ve had to buy myself on the used market because “there is no money for books this year.” Also, in my state, the union is “closed shop” which is another $600 per year.
I teach art part of the day and have receive exactly ZERO for supplies this year and last — meaning a LOT of $$ out of my pocket.
Did you know the attrition rate for teachers is the highest for ANY profession? If these are such great jobs why do 1/2 of our ranks quit in their first five years? It’s a tough, often thankless job. I’ve seen teachers, especially new ones who weren’t prepared walk out of the school mid-day, get in their cars, drive out of the parking lot and not look back.
I love my job and the kids who are there to learn make every minute worthwhile and then some. I may come home looking like a wet mop every day but for those kids who want to learn, I am there.
>>Do YOU do it for free? <<
Free. 100% free. When you do the same, come back and talk to me.
>>Then let them go to college for five years like I did (which I paid for) to earn a bachelor’s degree and then a year extra for the teaching credential. We high school teachers are not education majors, we majored in a single subject and then spent an extra year “working” for our credential.<<
LOL!!!!
You apparently think that you have done more than anyone in the world. Look, my sister is a teacher, you’re not one of my heroes. She and her friends sat in my house b!tching a blue streak about how tough they have it, all two weeks of Christmas break. While I made less money with the same education and had to work Christmas. Cry me a river.
EVERYONE who has a career has continuing education. Don’t puff yourself up. You don’t like what you do? Get out. But you’ll find that no matter where you go, continuing education is needed. Nursing, Computers, Chemistry, what makes you think you’re any different than anyone else?
Biggest bunch of whiners, boo hoo.
You don’t like it? Get out. Let the kids go onto K-12 online and get an education. Keep complaining and you and your co-workers won’t have to worry. We who pay you will let you go.
>>I’m not complaining.<<
OMG, yes you are.
They rant on and on about how great homeschooling is and I have offered to give them a list of "delightful little angles" that they can take under their wing to demonstrate how great homewschooling is. Not one has even considered the idea.
Really you work completley for free. and you have no money to pay your rent/ mortgage or lving expenses?
Now tell the rest of the story; How are you supported. Does your spouse work and earn a decent enough slary that you can stay at home?
EVERYONE who has a career has continuing education. Don’t puff yourself up. You don’t like what you do? Get out. But you’ll find that no matter where you go, continuing education is needed. Nursing, Computers, Chemistry, what makes you think you’re any different than anyone else?
Biggest bunch of whiners, boo hoo.
You don’t like it? Get out. Let the kids go onto K-12 online and get an education. Keep complaining and you and your co-workers won’t have to worry. We who pay you will let you go.
You think it is so easy come on in the water is fine, until you have done it full time with every type of child YOU have nothing to say. I tired to be reasonable and patient with you but it is to no avail.
Doesn’t sound like good value for $20,000 per kid per year.
Cry me a River!! LoL!
Let ‘em homeschool!
Why should I care if you want to homeschool your kid?
LOLOLOL!!!! You had me going there for a second. I really did think you were a teacher. This is GREAT. I haven’t laughed so hard at satire in a while.
You know, you’re pretty talented. Have you considered writing for the Onion?
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