You can't compare the US to the standings of other countries in student achievment, because many foreign countries do not educate all children as we do in the US. You also need to be sure that you are comparing data that results from equivalent testing practices and evironments if the comparisons are going to be valid.
A question for Morning Joe and other left of center news shows. Why do you choose a conservative like Jeb Bush as your outside expert on the teacher strike and let him drive the discussion? Why not interview Randi Weingarten, an articulate teacher and head of the AFT?
If all we care about is test scores why do we even bother hiring teachers - replace them all with hourly minimum wage workers and just drill the students for the tests. Let's use test scores for what they should be used. Test scores are a tool for educators to evaluate student progress in order to customize learning activities to make students successful in the classroom. They are not a teacher evaluation tool. Can they be a useful accessory in the teacher evaluation process. Sure but only in conjunction with several other measures of teacher effectiveness. Nothing takes the place of administrative and peer observation and evaluation. We are not manufacturing widgets; we are mentoring and educating human beings. Furthermore, test scores are only a valid tool for comparison if you are comparing closely matched testing cohorts. In simpler terms, you must insure that you are comparing apples to apples.
And as far as bad teachers in the system, I can only speak of my experience in one state. Yes, there are occasionally teachers in the system who are misplaced or have lost their effectiveness. They are a small minority and they are not still teaching because of "tenure", union muscle or any other so-called union intimidation. In my state, there are plenty of avenues to remove ineffective teachers. There is a fair process in place, but it takes a little work and requires consistent reviews. I do not blame the unions for protecting "bad teachers". I blame inefficient administrators. They have the tools to remove ineffective teachers and the teacher's union cannot stand in their way...at least in my state. So stop blaming the unions and stop painting the teaching profession with your broad conservative brush.
Jeb Bush said that he likes the possibilities of "digital learning" as a way to reduce budgets. Having an advanced degree in instructional technology, I can speak with some authority on that subject, and I know that authentic digital learning is not cheaper if it is done right. That comment is unfortunately typical of the shell game and smoke and mirrors used by conservatives when discussing education.
Teachers and unions are accused of being resistant to change. They are. They are resistant to the change wanted by the Koch brothers and their lackeys like Jeb Bush.
The sad part of this story is that Morning Joe, NBC, and other mainstream media outlets have joined Fox News on this issue. They take the liberal stance on every other issue, but when it comes to unions and education they swallow the Koch Kool-aid. The Koch brothers and their wealthy industrialist cronies want to return to the days of no unions or labor laws when they could freely exploit workers. They want a return to the days of lords and peasants, masters and slaves, rich and poor with no middle class. If that is not the case then why is elimination of unions, social security, and medicare the primary goals of all of the Koch secret PACS and shadow foundations?
And finally a word of warning to teachers and other union members. Don't count on any Democrat politician including Rahm and Barak. Their weak kneed capitulation to anti-union forces in this lastest test is disappointing at best. At the worst it is cowardly and despicable, and when the the Dems come begging at the door of the unions looking for money and help to get out the vote, the unions should slam the door. We don't need fair weather friends. We need friends with courage which brings to mind the words of Rev. Martin Niemoller, German anti-nazi theologian.
"First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the socialists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me."
Friday, September 14, 2012
Throw Teachers Under the Bus
We are on Day Three of the Chicago teacher's strike, and it appears that even the Democrat Party is comfortable throwing public school teachers under the bus. Some of the points I am hearing being made by liberals and Democrats!
They are hurting the children by striking during the school year. Yes, this is seriously unfortunate, but how effective would a strike in July be? No union member wants to strike, but it is sometimes the only tool that will pressure management to be reasonable. So when is the right time to strike? When the factory is experiencing a slow down or seasonal slump? No, the best time to strike is when the factory is working round the clock and offering overtime pay to meet the demand. That is when management is willing to listen, because it is then in their best interest to compromise. So for teachers September is a far more effective time to strike than June or July.
Why are we blaming the striking teachers for the strike and its impact on the students? Why not blame the administrators, school board members, and other local politicians who created the environment that led to the strike? At least let them share the "blame".
Can you trust the "facts" that are being used by anti-union Republicans and Democrats? I keep hearing that Chicago teachers make $70,000 a year. According to my research, starting pay for teachers in Illinois is $35,000. To suggest that "Chicago teachers make $70,000 a year" is dangerously misleading, but not surprising since the ultimate goal of the anti-union forces is to pit lower income workers against teachers by promoting salary envy. Facts are not important to these forces whose ultimate goal is the elimination of all labor unions and the rollback of all laws that protect American workers.
A major reason for the strike is management's unwillingness to accept the recommendation of the arbitrators. Management offered a 2% salary increase in exchange for an extended school day. Again Democrats are adding to the misinformation. A well known Democrat guest on MSNBC this morning complained about teachers only working until 2pm every day. While there may be teachers who go home at the contractual end of the day, they are a very small minority. As a former educator and husband of an educator, I can confirm that the overwhelming majority of teachers work well beyond contractual hours. They are still at school well beyond "2pm". They are back at school in the evenings, on week-ends, and during the summer, and they work at home grading papers, preparing lessons, etc.
I have also heard several references by liberals to the great job charter schools are doing. Of course they have higher test scores, but would they if they were forced to educate the same range of students (academically, behaviorally, and attitudinally) as the average non-charter public school? I think that it is also a fair assumption that students attending charter schools have greater support and expectations from their parents or guardians. It is important to know what data is being quoted when comparing public schools to charter schools and that the data sources are equivalent. Politicians in particular have a tendency to locate statistics that support their own argument rather than objective statistics.
They are hurting the children by striking during the school year. Yes, this is seriously unfortunate, but how effective would a strike in July be? No union member wants to strike, but it is sometimes the only tool that will pressure management to be reasonable. So when is the right time to strike? When the factory is experiencing a slow down or seasonal slump? No, the best time to strike is when the factory is working round the clock and offering overtime pay to meet the demand. That is when management is willing to listen, because it is then in their best interest to compromise. So for teachers September is a far more effective time to strike than June or July.
Why are we blaming the striking teachers for the strike and its impact on the students? Why not blame the administrators, school board members, and other local politicians who created the environment that led to the strike? At least let them share the "blame".
Can you trust the "facts" that are being used by anti-union Republicans and Democrats? I keep hearing that Chicago teachers make $70,000 a year. According to my research, starting pay for teachers in Illinois is $35,000. To suggest that "Chicago teachers make $70,000 a year" is dangerously misleading, but not surprising since the ultimate goal of the anti-union forces is to pit lower income workers against teachers by promoting salary envy. Facts are not important to these forces whose ultimate goal is the elimination of all labor unions and the rollback of all laws that protect American workers.
A major reason for the strike is management's unwillingness to accept the recommendation of the arbitrators. Management offered a 2% salary increase in exchange for an extended school day. Again Democrats are adding to the misinformation. A well known Democrat guest on MSNBC this morning complained about teachers only working until 2pm every day. While there may be teachers who go home at the contractual end of the day, they are a very small minority. As a former educator and husband of an educator, I can confirm that the overwhelming majority of teachers work well beyond contractual hours. They are still at school well beyond "2pm". They are back at school in the evenings, on week-ends, and during the summer, and they work at home grading papers, preparing lessons, etc.
I have also heard several references by liberals to the great job charter schools are doing. Of course they have higher test scores, but would they if they were forced to educate the same range of students (academically, behaviorally, and attitudinally) as the average non-charter public school? I think that it is also a fair assumption that students attending charter schools have greater support and expectations from their parents or guardians. It is important to know what data is being quoted when comparing public schools to charter schools and that the data sources are equivalent. Politicians in particular have a tendency to locate statistics that support their own argument rather than objective statistics.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Invasion of the Democratic Body/Mind Snatchers
The 1956 science fiction film, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, tells the story of space aliens who invade the U.S. by replacing humans with alien duplicates. Is that what has happened to the Democratic Party? I have felt out of touch with the Party for some time for various reasons, but lately my alienation (forgive the pun) is more pronounced. Correct me if I am wrong, but memory tells me that when I was active in the party back in the 60's - 80's that support for unions and peace issues were core principles of the Democrat coalition. My observation of late is that the Democrat Party of 2012 seems a lot like the GOP of the 60's and 70's.
I no longer bother wasting my time trying to have a dialogue with any of the morning news shows. Past attempts to register polite disagreement with either Fox and Friends(FOXNEWS) or Morning Joe (MSNBC) have resulted in total dismissal. Their contact email addresses must forward viewer email directly into their email trash bins. Hence this new blog. This first rant is aimed at the Democrat Party(DP) and Morning Joe which in general always seemed to be an alternative to Fox and Friends(F&F). Morning Joe (MJ) appears much more friendly to President Obama and the DP than the GOP and Mitt Romney.
Now to today's rants. I thought that the DP was the anti-war party. Based on all of the saber rattling I heard at the DNC, apparently not on President Obama's watch. And I think it is fascinating that on Morning Joe as well as with the Obama surrogates that the hot topic of late is criticism of Candidate Romney for not mentioning Veterans or the the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in his convention speech. And wasn't the DP the anti-corporation/pro-labor party. Not lately. In fact this morning we are hearing Rahm Emmanuel, mayor of Chicago and former White House Chief of Staff, along with the Morning Joe crew sounding like old fashioned corporate union busters in their comments about the Chicago teacher's strike.
I have to agree that this Teacher's strike will invite tons of bad press for teachers and unions in general, but union members only resort to strikes when all other avenues have been exhausted. So why heap all the blame on the teachers for the strike? Maybe we should be looking at the actions of the people on the other side of the table. Perhaps they should shoulder the blame instead.
Which brings up another pet peeve. Whenever we hear the topic of failing grades in our public schools, who is blamed? School boards? No. Superintendents? No. Principals? No. Parents? No. Students? No. Teachers are the problem. So it will be no surprise to see a blizzard of complaints from the media about teachers striking. The real surprise will be to see and hear complaints from the Democrat Party and liberal news shows such as Morning Joe.
I still prefer the great discussion of the issues that takes place on Morning Joe with Mika, Joe, Willy, Mike Barnicle, and their great guests to the caustic and shallow commentary of Fox and Friends (scripted by Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch). But MJ is sounding more and more like a surrogate for the GOP and corporate America.
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