Because, you see yet again, the only factor that has any relevance whatsoever in test scores is the teacher. It's you me, or that other lowlife down the hall. Home life is of no importance whatsoever. Unemployment, underemployment, homelessness, learning disabilities, lack of English ability, lack of medical treatment, or even glasses--these are all excuses, and we're in the era of "no excuses."
Bridgeport, Ct, gave up control of its schools, relinquishing its school board to a hedge fund manager who promises to finance "reforms." That's kind of horrifying. Yet right here in NYC, a bunch of billionaires just financed the January Regents, not because of the low cost and high benefit, but because Mayor Bloomberg wants what he wants, and he wants it now. That's a chilling precedent, and we've undoubtedly seen much more of it, expressed somewhat more subtly, for years now.
In DC, they've passed an extension. But GE still pays way less than a secretary who actually works for it, and now they're using the money that paying zero dollars in US taxes netted them to invest in China. It doesn't benefit America to allow those who'd reap benefits write the tax laws. Nor does it benefit us to allow those who patronize private schools decide what's good for public schools. Nor does it benefit us to allow slimeball publishers like Murdoch trash teachers for no reason.
Because there's a big problem in this country. And teachers ain't it, no matter how badly some would wish to dump it on us.
Posts
