Kinda reminds me of some people I've known in IT. They actually created (or perceived) "problems" where none actually existed (or could be solved with a little finesse) - in the sole interest of keeping their job(s). I guess these "teachers" (aka "parents", nannies, psuedo-shrinks) will damned near break their fingers waving those pencils furiously while dancing to the tune the cash register makes.
Fool that I am, I checked my ping-page before hitting the sack. :)
The problem is more subtle -- and crooked -- than that. Actually, the teachers hate it, because it makes it damn near impossible to teach their clases. Clarification -- the teachers except for the "special ed" teachers hate it.
But ah, there's the rub. The ones that really love it are the administrators. Here's the deal: They don't have enough "special ed" teachers, because 1) they cost more than "regular" teachers, and 2) at the wholesale rate they're going "domini domini domini, you're a special ed student", there's no way they could ever hope to channel all the special ed kids into special ed classes.
The result is a lot of seriously messed-up kids thrown into regular classes, where the only thing that gets accomplished (besides more taxbux to the coffers) is major league disruption on an ongoing basis.
And yeah, they *do* shove 'em into any and every class, including "advanced computers". They also still illegals who can't speak a word of English into those classes too. Why? $$$ That's why. Not for the teachers, either. No one wants to believe it, but administration is so bloatedly top-heavy that it's a wonder it doesn't collapse of its own weight. Incredible cronyism, incredible featherbedding -- and no union involved in the process. And, administrator salaries go up each year at a rate that leaves teacher wages in the dust.
Teachers here don't even make COLA. They don't keep up with inflation. Administrators leave it in the dust.
And the f'n union?
Too damn busy stumping and humping for Jenni and Kerry to bother negotiating a decent contract.
The picture you get in the press about "teachers and unions" ain't 'zackly how it is in the real world. Maybe in the big cities it's different, but out here in flyover country, it's a whole 'nuther thing from the way we see it in the news.