Rupert Murdoch on US public schools

[Parrothead]

Leaving aside that refrigeration, which implies electricity and speaks to food safety, is not a trivial matter let's discuss some serious other, non technological differences between you and a Roman matron. (In China today social status is derived to a large part from possession of such technologies as indoor plumbing and electricity. You would be hard pressed to find a middle class person in China who thought these trivial matter in quality of life.)

 

Roman women had no political rights. Although they could be citizens, they could not vote or participate in politics. Your daughter, at 11, could be given in marriage by your husband without your, or her, consent. She almost certainly would be by 14. She could have been exposed (left to die) at birth if he had so chosen. If your husband divorced you, you would have no custody rights. She would also not be given the same kind of education as a boy, or for as long since she would be married young. Even a free woman was effectively the property of her male relatives. First her father, and then her husband. If widowed, other male relatives. The relatively rare event of getting hit by a bus (or chariot) would not be a flippant line, instead you and she would face a strong possibility of death in childbirth.

Well, I could poke hole after hole. I'll concede that we will have two different POVs, and will have to agree to disagree so as not to hijack the thread.

[hsbeth]

Great article and very interesting comments. It's a very complex issue and there is plenty of blame to go around. My husband teaches in an under performing high school. Many of his students come from extremely difficult circumstances- poverty, little or no family stability, etc. His district seems unwilling and unable to enforce their strict attendance policy. Many students drop-out and head to work, become pregnant, or end up in trouble with the law. It is impossible to teach children who miss upwards of 30% of their school days. Many of their parents are unavailable and completely uninvolved.

 

Because they often fail to meet the benchmarks required since NCLB, there is increased pressure each year to teach specifically to standardized tests. My husband has many years of valuable experience and a great track record of increasing student achievement throughout his career but he has effectively been shackled. Many good teachers do still exist in the public schools, but they are not allowed to teach anymore! He has no latitude in how or what he presents, is not able to pace his classes to better meet his students needs, nor is he even able to decide how best to assess their learning. This was not the case a decade ago! Each year he loses more teaching days to testing. Last year he was required to stop teaching for 6 complete weeks in order to review material from previous years before a test. The students are then further behind the next year. It's a terrible and self-defeating cycle.

 

I understand the concerns about unions. We detest the NEA personally and my husband opted out of our state union a few years back. The job is a difficult one though. My husband is underpaid when compared to other professionals with similar advanced degrees. Yes, he could work elsewhere and does teach at the university level part time. For him this is a mission and a calling. Many of his colleagues also feel this way. He doesn't drive almost an hour from our cushy suburb into the inner city because of the wonderful pay, great benefits, or the job security. He does it because he cares. Our state has been in a budget crisis and has instituted furlough days and made staff cuts. For the last few years those cuts have more than negated my husband's paltry wages, resulting in net pay cuts. As teachers have retired they have not been replaced. His student loads have never been higher. He had over 130 students last year. Many teaching positions are difficult to fill in most economic climates particularly math, science, special education, and those in impoverished districts. I hate to see people bashing those that are willing to get in the trenches.

 

I threw in the towel after teaching in a public school for only three years. It's a hard and thankless job. I blame parents, administration, poor government decisions, and yes- some teachers who don't deserve to be there. I don't think it's fair to point the finger in only one direction.

Edited October 12, 2010 by hsbeth