RACE-BAITERS REBUFFED

New York Post ^ | 9/06/03

[kattracks]

September 6, 2003 -- Score a big one for the kids.

And maybe a small one, too, for the cause of competence over excusehood.

Federal Judge Constance Baker Motley's decision Thursday to toss out charges that teacher certification tests were "culturally biased" marks a notable - and all too rare - step forward for public education in Gotham.

[Nitro]

Chicken!!

[cyborg]

HOMESCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was listening to Walter Williams subbing for Rush yesterday. He said to shut down all the schools of education.

[Nitro]

Good call.................

[manna]

That Walter Williams is a smart man.

[Apple Pan Dowdy]

As a retired teacher I have to say it....... just pay teachers a real salary and you will be able to attract better teachers. As it is, the qualified teachers soon learn that their talents bring better pay in other fields.

[sgtbono2002]

Teachers get paid pretty well now. I dont think its salary so much as the students running the schools that makes a teacher want to leave, Give a teacher a principal who can back them up when dicipline is needed for a student and they will teach.A principalk who wont fold when parents come saying their child is an angel, and a school board that will back the principal.

[AppyPappy]

Teachers around here make very good money considering they have 2 months off in the summer.

[Glenn]

just pay teachers a real salary and you will be able to attract better teachers.

I'd be willing to swap salary for the front-loaded pensions that bust budgets every danged year. How about that?

[HadEnough]

"just pay teachers a real salary "

In my local district, teachers make an AVERAGE of $54,000 a year, up to a maximum of $73,000 a year. Of course a school year is actually 8 months of work! That works out to $42.19 a hour up to a maximum of $57.00 an hour. That damn good money in the current economy.

Now get this...these lawbreakers are currently ON STRIKE for more money!!

This whole idea of taking three months off during the summer along with another month of holidays and "in-service" days where the parking lots are empty is insane.

[freeangel]

Don't be too overjoyed. I'm sure an appeal will be on its way to someone who will have plenty of sympathy for teachers who can't read or write.

[Publius6961]

And it deals a blow to incompetents everywhere who point fingers of blame at others - even making reckless, divisive claims of "bias" - and run to court, rather than accept (and maybe do something about) their own shortcomings.

A quote for all time.
The real question is: why did it need 30 years for it to become obvious?

could it be PC and multiculturalism?

[Publius6961]

As it is, the qualified teachers soon learn that their talents bring better pay in other fields.

Do tell us where someone who can't write a coherent sentence can get their "talents" recognized?
Aside from other gummint jobs?

[sandydipper]

The NEA is an anchor around the neck of education. Unqaulified instructors continue to dumb down above average learning to new lows. Add to that the undisplined majority of students and class rooms become a mere babysitting institution for parents who generally care less.

[FITZ]

The pay not be like an engineer's or physician's but look at the hours --- every weekend, holiday off, 3 weeks off for Christmas, a week or more off for spring break and 2-3 months off every summer. 8am to 3pm with an hour off at lunch --- no one else has hours like that.

[Apple Pan Dowdy]

"Do tell us where someone who can't write a coherent sentence can get their "talents" recognized? Aside from other gummint jobs?"

Apparently you did not listen to what I was saying. I did not imply that we should pay unqualified teachers more! I said that if we paid more, then we would not have to settle for unqualified teachers. The reason we have teachers who can't write a coherent sentence is because the salary level only attracts and keeps the marginally illiterate. Do you think that a science teacher with a masters degree and talent would want to teach high school for $45,000/yr, when he could work in the private sector and make $100,000 or more?

Once my husband's salary reached a point where we were paying over 40% of income in taxes, it did not make any sense for me to continue to teach for $35,000/yr and only bring home $21,000... with expenses for gas, ongoing eduactional classes to keep certificate current, etc. eating away even more. I started my own business where under an LLC setup I can keep more of what I make and work flexable hours as well. Not to mention that I don't have to indure ill behaving kids and parents who look at teachers as having the status of babysitters. Your post proves the fact that parents consider teacher lowest of the low, doesn't it?

I still have a great love for teaching and have satisfied that with volunteer work in Sunday School, scouts and working with students afterschool on tech projects at the high school.

[sweetliberty]

Well, DUH!!!! Finally, somebody gets it.

[Bernard Marx]

There's an interesting thread about the NEA and its agenda at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/977197/posts

Comments?

[Apple Pan Dowdy]

"The pay not be like an engineer's or physician's but look at the hours --- every weekend, holiday off, 3 weeks off for Christmas, a week or more off for spring break and 2-3 months off every summer. 8am to 3pm with an hour off at lunch --- no one else has hours like that."

Once again parents showing that they have no idea what a "good" teacher does.

WEEKENDS: Many weekends and evenings are spent grading papers and preparing lessons. But, hey I know lots of friends who are making well over $200,000/yr who have 2 full weekend days to enjoy each week.

8am to 3pm: excuse me! School may start at 8am but do you think the teacher waltzes in at 8? Teachers arrive more than an hour before school starts to prepare. After school ends, teachers stay for after school activities and extra help for struggling students and endless faculty meetings.

HOUR OFF FOR LUNCH: thats a joke! The school I taught in required us to eat with the students, spending most of that "lunch hour" which was in reality only 25 minutes, disciplining the kids.

SUMMERS OFF: more ignorance on your part. To keep certification a teacher must take classes. To advance to the higher pay scale, one must work towards a doctorate degree. Many schools have teachers working the full year now, there is much to do in the months the students are not at the school. In the private sector, with same degrees in education as I have, my husband gets 7 weeks paid vacation each year. That amounts to close to 2 months!

And did I hear you mention that teachers don't deserve to be paid like engineers? Well, my friend, what if they have the education of an engineer? Why should they not be paid the same?

When you relegate a teacher's position to somewhere far below the ability of doctors and engineers, as you have done.... then trust me, that's what you will get, teachers who are nothing more than goverment babysitters!