Quote of the Day

When did pay for performance become an evil system? Just how should we measure teacher performance? Well dressed? How often they run field trips to the museum or Hollywood movies? Would Matt Daman hire teachers for his kids based on seniority? I’m getting a bit sick of the hypocrisy from these wealthy leftwing ideologues that insist on supporting the teachers union line on this (word for word no less) and then turn around and send their kids to private schools where they certainly do measure teacher performance largely based on testing. Unreal.

Hugh: Schools are not businesses, they are vehicles for learning. It is a terrible shame IMHO that the new boogeyman for the right wingers are teachers. All Americans until recently supported teachers in their difficult jobs 100%, but now we get corporate interests pulling the levers of conservative activism to demonize teachers because they bargain collectively. It would not be fair to judge teachers solely on standardized testing, and it would lead to cheating. Parents are the main driving force of student achievement, not teachers. David made some great points, I want my kids learning the world, not how to fill in a blank. Sure, there are some bad apples, I have 2 kids in public schools and have seen it all, but the way to improve things is not to hire Gordon Gekko…

Mr. Miller: All your suggestions except for the cell phone one are already law. Where did you get the idea that schools tolerate weapons and thugs? A 2.0 GPA is required for any sport participant, and Alegbra is required for graduation. It seems you want more from teachers, thats a nobel sentiment, but we sure are not going to attract more qualified teachers if we demonize and scapegoat them IMHO.

Mike Alexakis- Having laws on the books accomplishes nothing unless enforced. They are not being equally enforced within the schools and throughout the country. I am not demonizing teachers- I am just stating the truth. Today’s teachers are less educated and and are not doing the job. I admit their hands are tied by the asinine ACLU rulings that allow students to rule the classrooms, while tying teachers hands when they try to maintain discipline in the classroom. People like yourself need to quit making excuses and settling for less from our schools.