In a few short days Americans will celebrate Independence Day. The Founding Fathers were from a time called the Enlightenment. They liked to think and not rely on Divine Authority to make or break a situation. One of the Enlightenment’s biggest movers and shakers was Thomas Jefferson. He thought it would be a grand thing (to ensure the continuation of our country) if we guaranteed our kids an education. He postulated if our populace was educated, they would be thinkers, have minds of reason and not be led like sheep.
Public education, then, can be considered one of the cornerstones of our representative democratic experiment.
We received some letters from ‘anonymous.? Anonymous proclaims to be a local teacher. I wish Anonymous, or other teachers, would write me so we can work on fixing the problems you are about to read. Oh, I protect my sources. There is a letter for this week, and will be one for next.
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Dear School District Superintendent, School Board Members, Administration, and Teachers,
As I see it, the district is divided. Administrators are on one team, teachers on another team, and students/parents on a third team. Maybe instead of ‘working together? (which indicates separation) we should be united and working as one unit for one goal: The education of children.
All the bickering and murmuring about cuts, representatives, contracts, and unions distract and detract from the educational environment. Believe it or not, in one way or another, these problems do, in fact, affect students and their education. Why would a teacher give 110% effort when they know no one will fight for them and/or even if someone did, it won’t matter because they’re getting ‘let go? anyway?
Administrators are not backing teachers. Without support, teachers are losing authority in the classroom. Administration is too busy trying to make everyone happy. Administrators cannot afford to be wishy-washy yes-men and women. They need to make thoughtful, educated decisions and policies based on good, ethical moral judgment. Then, once precedent has been set, follow through.
One of the biggest problems is accountability in this district. Everyone wants to pass the buck. ‘It’s not my fault . . .? should not be the motto.
From administrators to the teachers to the students, no one wants to say, ‘Yeah, it’s my fault. I can do better.? The fact is, no one wants to tell students (or their parents) what is right and what is wrong. I’m sorry, but there is a right and a wrong!
Coming to class without a pencil, paper, or textbook is wrong. How else can they learn? Why are there no consequences? Should teachers really be encouraged to grade easier for students who don’t do anything to deserve to pass? Teachers can’t pass a student when there isn’t anything to pass them on to begin with.
Students must be held accountable! If they don’t show up, if they misbehave in class, if they disrespect the teacher, if they dress immodestly, if they don’t do their work, they should be held accountable and suffer the punishment and consequences that are instituted by administration and their teachers.
This isn’t happening and the education of students is suffering. If we don’t do this, then we are teaching them there are no consequences, work ethic doesn’t matter, there is always a good excuse to get you out of trouble or someone else to pass the buck to.
Teachers, what is wrong with going student to student in your classroom, helping each and every one as you go? I was actually told by several different teachers throughout the district (who’ve observed me) that they expect I will burn out, because I helped each student in my classroom.
What kind of work ethic is that?
There are teachers in this district that actually hand out an assignment, tell students to get to work, and then sit behind their desks doing whatever it is they want, only ‘helping? when absolutely necessary. I don’t know about you, but last time I checked that isn’t the best, most effective way to teach. I remember a time when teachers weren’t afraid of going the extra mile, but now teachers are afraid if they go the extra mile they will be criticized for it and maybe even lose their jobs (we all know how hard those are to find these days).
I hope this letter will start some constructive conversations. I hope that next school year some of these concerns will be discussed and resolved in our faculty meetings. I hope we are all mature enough and educated enough to know when it’s time to make things better.
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Don does, too. Readers — your comments?