Reply #13: Great story proud2BlibKansan... and so true. [View All]

[AnArmyVeteran]

But standardized testing has had the opposite effect. And top down education systems have virtually silenced teachers. At one time teachers were given the upmost respect and parents sided with teachers when 'little Johnny' got into trouble or wasn't doing well. But now parents attack teachers. Teachers are underpaid and overworked. Under GW Bush he created an even more top down system making teachers teach the answers to the state mandated test, instead of allowing them to teach. Because of Bush, Texas led the nation in 10th grade dropout rates. Less than half of high school graduates could pass college entrance examinations.

The average amount of money a Texas teacher had to take out of their own pockets to get the supplies they needed to teach was $1,000. And that money wasn't compensated. Conservatives seem to hate teachers. Even Ron Paige, Bush's education secretary, called teachers unions 'Terrorist Groups'. Teachers unions have both negative and positive elements. But it's the only way teachers have any voice at all anymore. If a teacher speaks out against their principals or administration they are retaliated against. I know, I ran for a position on the school board to give teachers a voice. I received all the votes from teachers, but a right winger who worked for the company that owned the bank where the school district kept its money won. Even though he had conflicts of interest and sided with administration on every issue, he got the position on the board.

Because of Bush, school years started with 45,000 less teachers than they needed before each school year. Teacher morale plummeted. Only 50% of teachers polled said they would still be teaching within three years. But Gore never said a word of any of Bush's Texas disasters during the campaign or during the debates. He let the bumbling Bush off the hook and by not challenging Bush like he should have he put our country on the hook with economic collapse, two useless wars, deregulation and the worst environmental disaster in our history.

Thanks for your great article! I'm going to remember that one.


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Blueberry Story on why schools can't be ran like businesses:
http://www.jamievollmer.com/blue_story.html