Join Us…Your One Thread To All The California Recall News Threads! 
Want on our daily or major news ping lists? Freepmail DoctorZin
Posted on 09/25/2003 8:48:33 PM PDT by churchillbuff
This semester, Matilija Junior High teacher Denise Thomas asked students to write "respect" on the first page of their notebooks. They brainstormed words each letter could represent: "R" could mean responsibility. "S" could stand for security.
Thomas wanted her class to be reminded each day about the meaning of the word.
Thomas learned the exercise in August when 15 Ojai teachers took five days of tolerance training from the Anti-Defamation League.
"We all need this kind of training because we deal with so many personalities," Thomas said. "Every religion, skin color, values -- in every class."
A bill signed Sept. 11 by Gov. Gray Davis might make it easier for all California teachers to complete similar training.
Two weeks ago, Davis approved Assembly Bill 1250. AB1250 added hatred and intolerance prevention to a list of topics teachers can learn during three annual, state-funded staff development days they already receive. The measure became part of the existing Instructional Time and Staff Development Reform Program, which already was being funded by the state. The intolerance-and-hatred component takes effect Jan. 1.
The program awards grants to school districts to pay for teachers to attend workshops about issues such as classroom management, conflict resolution and state performance standards.
Under the measure, school districts and county offices of education receive $293 per teacher for taking three days of tolerance training during in-service days; $153 is allotted for one-day training for aides. No new funds were approved through the bill. Instead, tolerance training simply was added to the list of subjects that could be taught through the program.
All 20 Ventura County school districts applied for and received state staff development money, sharing $5.1 million in 2001-02. County Superintendent of Schools Chuck Weis said the school districts will decide whether to use the money for tolerance training. He said most districts now use it for topics dealing with state standards. However, Weis said, his office will encourage districts to offer the training, which would augment a program that sends eighth-graders to the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles.
"Our schools have been working diligently ... to deal with issues of tolerance," he said.
AB1250 was partially prompted by California Department of Education Statistics showing a 16 percent rise in crimes against students in 2000-01.
Judith Michaels, legislative director of the California Federation of Teachers, one of the groups that lobbied for the bill, said districts decide where training is held and who provides the instruction. She noted that state funds pay districts for the time teachers are not in classrooms, not for the training itself, adding that many agencies offer such training for free or minimal cost.
"Our members really needed some tools so they could cope with (violence) before a situation escalates," she said.
The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish civil rights organization fighting anti-Semitism and prejudice, has long conducted teacher training in Ventura County. An August workshop the group conducted in Ojai, for instance, was funded by community donations. Julie Saltoun, the league's Tri-counties community director, said training is integrated into state education standards. She said lessons let teachers examine their prejudices, explore viewpoints and critical thinking skills and help kids break down barriers they bring to school.
"It's really badly needed, especially with the state budget cuts to the schools," Saltoun said. "They don't have any money for anti-bias education."
Meanwhile, Thomas, who teaches conflict resolution, is not the only Matilija instructor using the training.
She said a history teacher integrates the lessons into a unit about the Holocaust.
"I think it really helped me examine what biases and prejudices I have, and look at how I can change that in myself," she said. "It helps me teach that to students. ... Most kids want to be good."
*groan* Instead of spending the money teaching "tolerance" classes and whatever other social-engineering topics to the teachers, plus all the administrative overhead required to run the programs, how about we let the schools have the money and hire good teachers who can teach Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic? (and History, Science, Civics, and Art)
Tolerance is important, but we should simply let the schools hire reasonably tolerant teachers who actually teach the important subjects, and let the schools fire incompetent teachers. We shouldn't dictate at the state level to which programs each education dollar should go.
$600 per classroom (or $20 per pupil) could buy some books to be used for several years, lots of pencils and paper, other classroom equipment, etc. Or, the money could help pay for bathroom cleaning and maintenance repairs.
If every teacher uses that program each year, then we spend around $500 Million. If we're in the mood for cuts, that's a small, but not insignificant start.
If we are to limit government waste, this is one of the programs that should be eliminated, at least as a start, and it doesn't have much to do with homeschooling.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.