Out of touch? Look in the mirror. - Reader comments at The New York Sun

Reader comment on:
Steve Jobs Has Guts
in response to reader comment: He's a bit out of touch

Submitted by Perry Clark, Feb 21, 2007 18:48

With all due respect to Ms. Reid, to whom I wish no ill, I, a parent of two children in public schools, find Mr. Jobs' remarks spot on. I believe I understand the frustrations of Ms. Reid as well, having myself been in the position of the instructor expected to toe the line in innumerable ways, many illogical. Having said that, however, I must add that the notion that teachers are held accountable is true only in the sense of their responsibility to do as told, NOT with regards to actual student performance. (Just try identifying and rewarding teachers based on the attainment of actual educational goals. Hah!) The criteria to which the teacher must adhere emanate in the vast majority of cases from administrators and others who in turn find that their every move is scrutinized and to a great extent controlled by union and governmental rules and regulations--most of the later having a union label sewn in the collar.

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
A contract, last time I checked, is created by two sides, but when it comes time to discuss working conditions,... [MORE]	Paul J. Diamond	Mar 6, 2007 12:28
I wish I could thank him personally, but I cannot find his e-mail address. My shortfall, obviously. So, he has... [MORE]	bryan gudmundson	Feb 24, 2007 04:03
Why do good teachers leave the profession? Low pay, large classes, poor working conditions and site administrators and school district... [MORE]	ken tray	Feb 23, 2007 19:46
Let's look at Steve Jobs' comments scientifically. If his reasoning is correct, then states where teachers' unions are NOT powerful... [MORE]	DFrazier	Feb 22, 2007 23:58
The psychologists have taken control of the cirriculum at all accredited teachers colleges. They have replaced the Judeo/Christian ethic with... [MORE]	Incredulous	Feb 22, 2007 23:02
is that Boards of Education and Superintendent's are political creatures, whose biggest priorities usually are getting re-elected or a new... [MORE]	Paul	Feb 22, 2007 17:02
Parents teach their kids values, morals and ethics then the kids go to school where the teachers teach them there... [MORE]	Annette Hughes	Feb 22, 2007 12:27
Steve Jobs has guts. He says what many observers of education know but will not admit. I was involved with... [MORE]	Maury Leon	Feb 22, 2007 12:17
My mom was a shop steward for the teachers union and she said there were two things ruining the schools: ... [MORE]	Pierce Wetter	Feb 22, 2007 11:41
Some years back I was living in California. The high-mucky-muck of the teachers union was asked how his efforts would... [MORE]	rotten rip	Feb 22, 2007 11:38
As a seventeen year teaching veteran and proud union member I would like to invite Mr. Jobs to shadow me... [MORE]	Steve	Feb 22, 2007 00:37
And some....just don't! They coexist, and often in the same environment. Dedicated teachers have no need to feel insulted by... [MORE]	TL	Feb 22, 2007 05:32
Steve, you sound like a remarkable teacher , the kind of teacher we want to stay in education. And, no... [MORE]	Julie	Feb 22, 2007 10:26
Mr. Jobs is NOT teacher bashing. He is saying the unions tend to protect the teachers who are not doing... [MORE]	Geno	Feb 22, 2007 10:32
I don't see any place in his comments where he bashes teachers... I'm sure you do a great job, and... [MORE]	Matt	Feb 22, 2007 12:42
Mark Twain stated: " God made idiots for practice, then he made School Boards." and there lies your answer. Cheers to... [MORE]	Ray	Feb 28, 2007 15:43
Three cheers for Jobs!I've worked in the California Public Schools as a consultant and an artist. I also helped start... [MORE]	scott	Feb 21, 2007 22:43
Jobs is right on.....protecting the incompetent is ruining public education. I made the move to private education many years ago... [MORE]	Jim	Feb 21, 2007 19:23
State and federal governments have dumped ever increasing dollars into public education, proving the maxim that when you spend more... [MORE]	Steve	Feb 21, 2007 18:24
And I say it again: Amen! The best and the brightest tend--with exceptions, naturally--NOT to choose education as a career. The... [MORE]	Perry Clark	Feb 22, 2007 00:48
Kudos to Jobs! Kudos! The only thing I would add is that lazy, borderline-apathetic parents don't help, either. [MORE]	Chris Baecker	Feb 21, 2007 17:50
that is the proplem what is the solution? [MORE]	wayne rients	Feb 21, 2007 17:03
Unions are a farce. They allow legalized extortion. The unions are killing form and many other once great firms. Collective... [MORE]	honorable one	Feb 22, 2007 02:18
Steve Jobs has done the nation a valuable service by pointing out the negative impact that teachers have had on... [MORE]	Chris	Feb 21, 2007 16:45
amen to steve jobs jmb [MORE]	john brodnan	Feb 21, 2007 16:00
Without competition who strives to get better? Most Americans are starting to realize this now. Tax the rich to give... [MORE]	Ted Runnels	Feb 21, 2007 17:24
Thank you Steve Jobs! Now if we can just get some fellow industry leaders and others of influence to see... [MORE]	Wes Parry	Feb 21, 2007 15:04
When was the last time he stepped into a public school classroom in Florida or an urban school system. Teachers... [MORE]	Joanne Reid	Feb 21, 2007 13:32
With all due respect to Ms. Reid, to whom I wish no ill, I, a parent of two children in...	Perry Clark	Feb 21, 2007 18:48
Ron, you sound somewhat mixed up. Teachers have to be protected if they don't do a good job and the... [MORE]	Alan	Feb 21, 2007 20:36
Blame the Union, Blame the Union, Blame the Union. Yes, Perry, I read carefully the comments. It was a combination... [MORE]	ex-teacher	Feb 22, 2007 06:51
In football cheap shots are penalized. In real life, super wealthy people, like Steve Jobs, get to dump their garbage... [MORE]	Mark	Feb 22, 2007 08:33
which have nothing to do with Jobs' comments. But you are wrong about administrations living in fear of unions. In... [MORE]	paul	Feb 22, 2007 17:23
Steve Jobs is courageous and astute for identifying one of the two largest institutional barriers to significantly improving public schools;... [MORE]	Dr. Anne Marie Vickers Quin	Feb 21, 2007 12:08
Blame the teacher, blame the teacher, blame the teacher. Teachers work under supervisors who DO have the authority to guide... [MORE]	ex-teacher	Feb 21, 2007 18:12
Thank you, Dr. Vickers Quin, for saying it so well. Would that the entire political and governmental establishments hear and... [MORE]	Perry Clark	Feb 22, 2007 00:19
Few if any of the many concerned individuals are "blaming the teacher". The entire point of Jobs' comments, and most... [MORE]	Perry Clark	Feb 22, 2007 00:35
I've heard the exact same comment made by Dr. Quin from numerous people within the education community, and the correctness... [MORE]	William Bowen	Feb 22, 2007 02:02
Has anyone mentioned that the building administrators are responsible for observing, evaluating, and retaining or removing teachers? The building principal... [MORE]	Sally	Feb 19, 2008 22:35
Jobs spoke the truth. Our nations' public schools are fraught with incompetent bums! Truthfully, teachers do have a tough job. No... [MORE]	Scott	Feb 21, 2007 11:24
Michael Dell has a lot of gall to talk about employees being treated unfairly, considering how HIS company treats most... [MORE]	Gary Akins	Feb 21, 2007 10:23
Unions are the best thing to happen to teaching. The teachers who don't perform well have to be protected. If... [MORE]	ron	Feb 21, 2007 09:30
Teachers who don't perform well need to be fired, not protected. Public education exists for the benfit of the children... [MORE]	Matt	Feb 21, 2007 23:15
Wow - here's a perfect example of what's wrong with the "union attitude"...let's see... "The teachers who don't perform well have... [MORE]	barry	Feb 22, 2007 14:20
Finally someone had the courage to say what we in education have known for years. Unions are killing public education.... [MORE]	Peter	Feb 21, 2007 08:37