Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Amazing! ABC and 20/20 Finally Did Something "Right"

My wife is one of the last, really good public school teachers. At least once a month she has a parent conference where her firing is being asked for. Luckily, she covers herself very well. I just hope she makes it to retirement.

ABC's 20/20 did a great show last week. They actually told the truth about public education. Read the link and you'll see what I mean!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

John Stossel says he is really getting the hate mail.

Every year of my adult life, I have seen the Teachers Union demand and get more money for education. Yet, where has it gotten us?

I recently got into a loud argument about school vouchers with a co-worker. His wife is a teacher at a private school. They object to vouchers because they don't want the voucher kids at their school. He also gets defensive when I rant about failed modern teaching principles like "whole language." He says that it's not the teachers but rather the families that make unteachable kids. I say it's the liberal teachers, schools and culture that has brought us to this sorry state of affairs.

Mary said...

I'm sorry that I missed the John Stossel piece. It must be very difficult for ABC to air his stuff, but I guess they do it to show how "fair and balanced" they are.

Tiger, there is no greater testimony to your wife's teaching ability than the fact that parents are unhappy with her. The irony is their children are lucky to have her as a teacher.

There's no question that unions have taken on a life of their own and have helped to kill public education in the process.

Whit, it's interesting that you say a private school teacher didn't want the voucher kids at her school. I know private schools that recruit the kids because it really helps those schools stay afloat financially. However, they aren't suburban schools.

The solution to the education problem isn't simple. It's not a money matter. If it were, the state of public education in America would not be as dreadful as it is.

There needs to be a coordinated effort between teachers, parents, and kids, and a real commitment to education. At present, it seems that there's just a lot of finger-pointing and failure.

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

ahaha...you know the Stossel Special said something right when it mobilizes the NEA to encourage hate mail.

I watched that special. It didn't offer anything new that I haven't already been hearing about; but it's nice to see it out in the mainstream.

Tiger said...

Thanks for the comments, guys. Mary, I'll let Donna know, thanks. And, the Wordsmith is correct - no solutions were presented.

We worked hard and sent our kids to private school until the eight grade. It may surprise you, Whit, but I don't like vouchers either and it's not because I don't want "those kinds of kids" in my school. I am "those kind" : ).

My reasons are different than most. My "pessimism" is such that any government involvement in private systems means an eventual takeover and manipilation of that private system. Vouchers create that opportunity to "ruin" private schools.

You mentioned Liberals - and, speaking of plantations, the NEA is one of the most corrupt, enslaving groups in America.

The solutions are there, but nobody wants them.

1. Prayer in schools
2.Removal of the Feds (the Dept. of Ed. needs to be done away with)
3. The reestablishment of Corporal punishment and discipline.
4. The reestablishment of dress code.
5. The removal of the NEA.
6. Stop using book publishers than re-write history and are P.C.
... on and on and on ...

... I can hear it now, "none of this will ever happen!" You're correct, it won't happen, so I'm so pessimistic that I suggest we work hard to destroy every support structure of public education we can!

The entire system must be destroyed so it can be rebuilt. My public school wife's comment? She agrees - the system is so bad it needs destroying, even if it means we lose her retirement.