Quit whining; focus on improving schools

[ilbegone]

Interesting opinion piece in the Press Enterprise by an old school and presumably retired teacher:

Quit whining; focus on improving schools

March 30, 2011

By RANDY DONG

Having taught for a number of years in junior high and high school, I feel that I am qualified to share some insight regarding teachers and students.

First of all, anyone who has only been involved in education and not ever worked a real job in business or some type of industry where income is based on production is totally clueless about the real world.

All these pampered teachers who have never worked in a business to see what it takes to generate jobs and revenue need that experience.

Those teachers who have worked in business are usually not the whiney ones who complain about how tough they have it. They acknowledge that what they get in terms of vacation time, sick leave, tenure, pensions and other benefits is an unbelievable deal.

Unfortunately, teachers today think they're entitled. Who among us, though, has not worked hard or sacrificed? What makes teachers any different than the rest of us in that regard? We all could say we deserve more money.

What is different, though, is this: If teachers were paid depending on results, like the rest of us are, they would not deserve squat when comparing current students to those who graduated in the '50s and '60s.

Enough money

When my aunt began her teaching career in the '50s, her beginning salary was $2,200 her first year. My first year teaching in 1971, I made $8,800 and still managed to buy a truck and a stereo, learned how to scuba dive and continued my education without a loan.

My daughter-in-law in her first year of teaching made more than $40,000.

Throwing money at the problem is not the solution. So what is? We need to focus on the school environment.

First, we need to get rid of social promotion. Every year we graduate students who have an entitlement mentality. They have never known failure, have no work ethic and take no pride in what they do.

We need to hold back kids who aren't making the grade and get rid of the students who will not work. Kids don't need to feel good because they exist. They need to learn how to find satisfaction in work and in the joy of learning.

They cannot expect the life they live within the safe womb of education to continue forever. They need to learn how to get promoted in business, not expect to drive along the easy road that runs through government-sector jobs. America is not going to be innovative if we do not promote an atmosphere of initiative in our schools.

Second, we should not expect everyone to go to college. We should not coddle students who refuse to try and we must divorce ourselves from the notion that somehow they will magically turn into college material. Fact is, a good craftsman can earn more than a doctor in today's market anyway. It takes all types to make a great country.

Work and learn

Unproductive students only hinder teachers and other students who want to work and learn. No one who works and is willing to try is a failure, but to do nothing and be promoted or rewarded anyway is not right.

By keeping students under a constant umbrella of protection, we are creating irresponsible, lazy young adults.

Teachers can produce good and productive graduates, but not in today's environment. We need to take concrete step to produce better students. So let's focus on that, teachers, and stop whining like spoiled brats.

Randy Dong is a resident of Riverside.

http://www.pe.com/localnews/opinion/...1.1d6ac45.html

This opinion piece by Randy Dong does not indicate affiliation or agreement with any organization.

[Jeanfromfillmore]

Originally Posted by ilbegone

Interesting opinion piece in the Press Enterprise by an old school and presumably retired teacher:



This opinion piece by Randy Dong does not indicate affiliation or agreement with any organization.

Yup, that's old school. Boy, we sure could use some of that today.

[ilbegone]

Here are another two opinions concerning schools:

Expose poor school policies

How sad but refreshing to hear from the teachers who have written in, the ones in the trenches, about their struggles in the classroom.

Many of us who know or were teachers ourselves appreciate their frustrations.

I encourage more of them to vent to the media about the handcuffs our liberal policy-makers shackle them with.

And their venting isn't whining. It's education!

Ted Hanson

Moreno Valley




Stick to education

Regarding the article "Food for thought" (April 3), how incredibly ludicrous that school officials think that providing free breakfast or lunch is a way to increase test scores.

The responsibility for feeding these children lies squarely on the shoulders of the parents. It is not the responsibility of the county, state, teacher or school district to provide for them.

There are numerous resources for low-income families to secure healthy and nutritious food, but they must be willing to sign up and follow the rules for such programs.

Schools are not restaurants or soup kitchens. Schools exist to provide education and inspire young people to gain knowledge and learn skills for future success.

Margo L. Keck

Hemet

http://www.pe.com/localnews/opinion/...7.17210aa.html

These opinion pieces by Ted Hanson and Margo Keck do not indicate affiliation or agreement with any organization or cause.

[ilbegone]

And one more from the San Bernardino County Sun:

School choice
Posted: 03/29/2011 07:38:40 PM PDT

I was pleased to read the story about two community groups demanding better results from their public schools ("`Investment in our youth,"' March 16).

As the article implied, getting more out of the existing system is unlikely. The government has a near monopoly on the factories of education while the teachers union has a monopoly on educational labor, and we taxpayers and parents have the results of that monopoly - increased costs and decreased service.

I was able to put my children through private schools, which means I had to pay for their education twice.

Everyone should have the option of private school, and a voucher system would give it to them. The state of California spends about $8,000 per child per year. Keep taxes as they are, give that money to the parents in the form of vouchers good at any public or private school, and see what free choice and competition can do!

I chose a school with a good record for producing graduates who go to college and do well in college.

Some schools might have a different target outcome, but parents who know their children would be in a position to choose, and schools that want to stay in business would have a reason to produce good results.

Dropout rates in the double digits are evidence of educational malpractice, and the good people of San Bernardino have finally declared they will not suffer silently.

DAVID REMPEL
Colton

http://www.sbsun.com/letters/ci_17729223

This opinion piece by David Remple does not indicate affiliation or agreement with any organization or cause.

And please hit the link to the paper for respect to the publisher and editors of the Sun, I believe the online version, free to view, is entirely financed by adds - which advertisement becomes more valuable by hits on the site.