Most of the teachers I've met are hard working, concerned, dedicated
individuals. Absolutely, there are a few duds, they're everywhere; in every
profession. I think many of those duds were idealists at one point in their
careers, but came to realize an uncomfortable kinship with Don Quixote. I
can name the teachers I've had that were duds, but they were few and far
between. I've seen duds get dumped too. People think tenure means job
security, but a course in educational law would clear that up quickly.
Tenure means one thing - a teacher has the right to due process before they
are whacked. To the best of my knowledge, all state and federal employees
have that right. Anything wrong with providing evidence that someone
deserves to lose their job? Most union workers have similar rights - some
people don't like that but it's not too hard to figure out why. Read "The
Grapes of Wrath" ~ a great book by the way!
I'm not sure on what evidence you base your conclusion that the NEA is
clueless regarding education. Seems a bit broad. I'm a teacher and I don't
feel any pressure from the NEA to go stagnant, quite the opposite is true.
I'm not here to defend the NEA and don't even see why you felt the need to
change the subject from Bush to the NEA. If you are right about the NEA, are
you implying that two wrongs are making a right? Geez, I just read a thread
that says 4 rights can't even get you back to where you started from! Go
figure.
I'm not sure that we're not all suffering from entropy, which is why I don't
typically argue much here in a.s.a., beyond a few shots from left field.
Pick any thread and read it through and you'll see that 99% of the time, the
place is full of little Caesars jabbing each other with sharp sticks. That
goes for me too, when I feel like being petty, I come here. Don't have your
feelings hurt if I don't debate you point for point, it just means that I
think your mind is made up and I'm not particularly interested in swaying
your opinion. Hell, maybe you're right! But if you have real answers, now
would be a good time to come forward and lead us all into a new
enlightenment.
Scout


"Maxprop" wrote in message
link.net...

"Scout" wrote in message


I voted for Bush, even though I'm a reg democrat. But I'll tell you this
much: he doesn't know **** about education, other than how to make a bad
situation worse. He's good at making voters feel like he is doing
something
to improve things (no child left behind), but as funny as it sounds,
teachers are not the problem with the system (please remember that I'm
coming from a background in private industry, teaching is a second
career).
Beating up teachers won't fix what's wrong with America's schools. He
needs
to think about solving problems for America's families.

Your last sentence is absolutely correct. But as long as the NEA is
resistant to any and all attempts to improve the quality of teachers and
teaching, there will be little or no improvement in our school systems.
Why
is the NEA so opposed to anything that insures uniform teaching standards
and eliminates the duds? I'll tell you why: the NEA isn't interested in
good education; it is only interested in protecting teachers from any
accountability and responsibility in their profession. The NEA is a
special
interest group for/by/and of teachers. Not students, not education, not
society. You were right in that society ( American families) don't get
involved with the education process. But the NEA insures that teachers
won't accept any of the fault either.

I just met with two educators from Texas, where Bush's educational plan
has
been in place for many years. Here's what I said when I walked out of
the
meeting: Jesus.
Bush doesn't seem to understand that education is a two way street,

. . . nor does the NEA.

and that
parental involvement is critical for the vast majority of kids.

That is true. W won't risk alienating minorities or the poor by targeting
their parents as the source of many of education's problems. But for
teachers to place all the blame on society for education's ills is equally
disingenuous. There is culpability on both sides.

Unless you
can get the parents to partner up with the teachers, you're just blowing
smoke up the taxpayers collective ass.

Attempting to get parents to do this is probably blowing smoke up
everyone's
asses. No one will take on the minorities--it's just too politically
incorrect. No one will take on the poor--same reason. So the problems
will
continue. Teachers, OTOH, aren't perfect either. Most are excellent
educators, but there are some serious deficiencies in their ranks. Tenure
and NEA protectionism keeps the losers in their jobs along with the
top-notch teachers.

Max