"Waah, waah, waah." Of course one of his prime targets for the blame of America's under performing schools were the teacher unions who protect bad teachers by giving them tenure. He makes a compelling argument unless you stop to consider why teachers are given tenure in the first place: to protect them like bureaucrats like you, Mr. Klein.
A student performs poorly year after year after year on Mr. Kleins hallowed state tests and who does he blame? The incompetent teachers of course! I am sure they are out there. And I realize city schools face bigger challenges finding quality teachers than small towns but Mr. Klein and his ilk never once stop to consider the single biggest contributing factor to low test scores: the PERSON TAKING THE TEST!
He supports merit pay of course and paying science and math teachers more than p.e. teachers. I shudder to think what he thinks music, art or speech teachers should be paid. I am no fan of p.e. but I don't subscribe to the theory that science and math are more important than say, hmmm.... let me think.... READING?! What a blowhard. And how many studies have to cite the value of music and arts education before we take them seriously?
Of course he is in favor of merit pay. I submit that the teacher who will get this "merit pay" that Mr. Klein is so fond will end up being the worst teachers in the schools, spending all their time drilling kids for the insipid state tests. Thank goodness I never had to work for a district that evaluated teachers on their students' state test performance.
Don't get me wrong I am not against testing or standards. But they cannot be the only measure. Of course bureaucrats love them because they use them to turn teachers into whipping boys.
If you want to fix the school, Mr. Klein first you are going to have to SUPPORT them. People like Mr. Klein are often fond of telling us that money alone won't solve the problem. Tell that to Halliburton the next time they want to overcharge us for another few thousand pair of night vision goggles.
Or how about flunking a few idle students without worrying about how they are going to "fit in" socially next year?
He wants to extend the school day and the school year. Wait a minute! According to you we aren't using the time we have in school well now. This makes absolutely no sense unless we realize that some kids need to go to school longer than others. Extend the school day for them. If they can't be trusted to do their homework keep them at school until they do. Oh wait. We used to do that. It was called staying after school.
If you want to fix the schools real fast you need to hang a big wooden paddle on every chalkboard in the country. You wouldn't even have to use it. Half the troublemakers will keel over at the sight of it (if they even recognize it). It wouldn't hurt to keep it handy during parent-teacher conferences when parents start blaming the teacher for the bad grades their child just received.
Close all the Catholic schools and send in the nuns. Make sure they bring their rulers. They are going to need them! You can leave the guilt at home though unless it applies to unfinished homework.
CNN recently had a feature on home schoolers, happily measuring out materials for a science project in the woods. I guess the cameraman was too busy to follow them later on their trip to the mall. Home schooling should be banned. Time for them to evolve too like the rest of us.
Close the charter schools as well. Why should they be given preferential treatment? It isn't fair to only fund only a few schools fully.
Maybe the only hope is for Bank of America to take over the schools. The government would be quick to bail them out then.
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