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"I could fill a whole thread with my thoughts on teachers) but you have to recognize what teachers are facing in the classroom today. I did not graduate from high school all that long ago, but I was shocked at the way students today act in the classroom today. It is literally like a different planet."
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LD, I know "what teachers are facing in the classroom today." But, It was NOT parents that dictated the policies that made those conditions possible. Actually mandatory. Nor was it the teachers. It has been education "leaders" and union "leaders' who lobbied for the LAWS that made discipline in schools IMPOSSIBLE. Teachers WATCHED and acquiesced these policies handed down from "on high" that any scientient being would KNOW would lead to the chaos we have. As I wrote earlier, "home" life matters NOT a'tall when it comes to discipline.

Children learn QUICKLY that when out of sight of "mom and dad", ANYTHING goes. And, since they ARE "mom and dad's little angels" they are believed by their parents. They DO "act right" at home. Bring back corporal punishment, and reform schools for those students who won't learn from a short period of stinging sensation that most times lasts for a lifetime. Of course, as a highly placed education counsellor told me, "We CAN'T call them "reform" schools. There is a bad connotation with that word."

THEN, get the administrations to BACK UP THE TEACHERS except in KNOWN cases of abuse. THIS STORY chronicles the adventures of a teacher who braved "inner city" schools. Note, too that "Josh" also puts some blame on the parents. But, again, which of the policies did the parents initiate? In their acceptance of the "violence {in ALL cases} begets violence", theory of morons, teachers have stood idly by and accepted the chaos creation policies handed down from "on high". In the beginning possibly from belief engendered by psychiatrists, but most probably later by fear of losing well paid jobs. It is a myth that teachers are "low paid". For the most part, their beginning salary is well above that of the parents of the students they teach. ESPECIALLY in "inner city" schools.

"It" is most certainly a MESS, but to blame parents is flat out wrong. When you and I went to school, there WAS discipline in the classroom! Most everywhere. Parents haven't changed. The system of education HAS. For the worse, DESPITE {because of??} the infusion of billions of dollars MORE to the education establishment. Peace and love, George.

No More Gore Anymore: I agree with everything you wrote - most social workers are mush-brained leftists, or starry-eyed idealists with no concept of where the money comes from. However, my original point was that social workers are absolutely necessary in schools today, for purely pragmatic reasons. Someone needs to deal with the abuse victims, the child who hasn't eaten in three days, and the child who shows up without a coat on when it is -5 outside. Someone needs to deal with the parents who allow their child to be chronically truant. My point was that these kinds of problems are far more prevalent today than they were when I was in school. If it is left to a teacher to do it, it will take more time away from the kids who want to learn - And they already lose enough teacher time because of the "squeaky wheel" effect of the ill-behaved spawn of unfit parents.

George: I think you are partially correct in your assignment of blame to the educational establishment; They are partly responsible for the unilateral disarmament of teachers, along with the trial lawyers. I know of a couple of teachers who have been sued for completely spurious reasons.

However, most of the problems in schools today are the result of broader societal problems. Drug-using parents and single parent households (frequently combined) raise children who have not been socialized as members of this species. These kids are completely out of control, and only in school because Mom will go to jail and/or lose the welfare check if they don't show.

In any event, no matter what caused the problems, they exist, and impede the educational process in almost every public school in America. If we don't deal with them, then education gets even worse, and the good kids who want to learn get screwed even more than they are now.

I'm not really a teacher - I'm just substitute teaching while I'm between jobs. As a military veteran and a business executive with an MBA, I have a hard time understanding the rationale for many of the policies which the school department has in place. If I were in charge (and, since I'm considering a run for school board in two years, that might actually happen) I would make a number of policy changes. They do a lot of things that are just plain dumb - like shift problem students from school to school instead of just getting rid of them, or sending them to a reform school program. However, all the school policy changes in the world won't eliminate the problem students, or make them miraculously see the error of their ways and behave.

From the article you cited: I quickly learned from such experiences how essential parental support is in determining whether a school succeeds in educating a child. And of course, parental support not just of the teachers but of the kids: as I came to know my students better, I saw that those who had seen violence, neglect, or drug abuse at home were usually the uncontrollable ones, while my best-behaved, hardest-working kids were typically those with the most nurturing home environments.

The author is absolutely correct, and the story he goes on to tell about being charged with assault and sued is all too familiar.