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Don't Blame the Teachers

Submitted by Harold Brown, Jun 14, 2007 12:06

As the old saying goes, "You can't make chicken soup from chicken feathers". When most of a child's capacity for learning is formed before he or she ever passes through the schoolhouse door, parents play a crucial role in role in ensuring school success. When they fail to prepare, support, and encourage their children to succeed, disappointing results are inevitable. Schools cannot replace parental involvement.

In industry, having production standards is universal. No sane company would expect its assembly line workers to create a defect-free product, without first implementing a quality-control process over the component parts which make up the product. You just can't make a good, reliable product using defective parts. Yet, American schools are expected to create a quality product even though they have no control over the raw materials they are given, their pupils.

Public schools are failing because they are trying to be all things for all students. As a result, they have "dumbed down" the curriculum so as to make it easier for students to stay in school. There is an economic reason for this. The more students school districts can keep on the books, the more state aid, and tax dollars flow into the school district . The more money a school district receives, the more administrators and "specialists" they can hire, the higher salaries they can pay to their employees, and the better dressed their sports teams and cheerleaders will be. It's all a matter of priorities.

Public schools will never succeed until they are publicy willing to admit that they many of them are losing the war. They must ignore political-correctness and admit that there are some students will fail, despite our best efforts. Whether the blame is placed on DNA, lack of parental support, changes in society, etc., it doesn't really matter. Until the root of the problem is addressed, school success will not occur for some students.

Back some time ago, I read that the largest group of children living in poverty are children. This was attributed to the ever-increasing number of single-parent households. With half the level of parental attention and supervision, coupled with half (or less) the money to support the family, is it any wonder that many of these kids have trouble in school? In fact, for many children, government-supplied school breakfasts and lunches are the only proper meals they have to look forward to each day. This is hardly a good foundation for learning.

Also, our culture of hedonism and instant gratification, along with a strong dose of celebrity worship, has done little to encourage students to pursue their educations in hope of some future reward. Afterall the lowest paid professional athlete or rap star makes more money a year than most Nobel Prize winners. What kind of message does this send to our youth?

The problem in American education is not how we treat our more able students. They'll usually succeed in spite of us. The problem lies with how we treat those who aren't so able. These are the childern that, for whatever reason, have difficulty achieving acceptable results. Warehousing them until they graduate, while feeding them a watered-down curriculum which lacks practicality or challenge, is where our schools are failing the most.

Granted, some students have "special needs" which require they be given special attention to help them succeed. They will always be at risk of failure. However, any honest educator will admit that special needs programs have become dumping grounds for students with behavioral problems, attention defecit disorders, learning disabilities, et al. These progams have become a giant sucking vacuum when it comes to taxpayer dollars; a self-perpetuating, self-serving industry within public education. Too many parents and teachers have used the "special needs" label as a cop-out to excuse why their kids aren't learning, thus absolving themselves of any responsibility when they fail.

Vocational education used to education's ugly stepchild. Students who were less academically inclined, but who wanted to support themselves after graduation, were often shunted into these programs. Fortunately, this has changed. One does not need a college education to enjoy a successful life. In fact, the college-educated must pay their non-college peers big dollars to repair their cars, their plumbing, their photocopiers, and their computers. The list is endless. Stong vocational trades programs, with close working ties to industry, are what America needs more of. Apprenticeship programs, coupled with post-secondary training programs, will enable us to fill the endless stream service industry jobs, and help insure that even a high school graduate can still have a shot at the brass ring.

Several other random thoughts.

Teacher tenure laws need to be revised. In many states it takes years, and thousands of dollars, to dismiss an incompetent teacher. While all this is going on, they are usually assigned to teach the lower-track classes. Unfortunately, the students in the lower tracks are the ones who can most benefit from good teaching. An expedited hearing process which takes less than a year, where employer and employee can both present their cases to an impartial panel, is long overdue.

Teacher unions strongly oppose this simple change. They want dismissal to be such a "bitter pill" (meaning cost) for school districts to swallow, that they'll back off and tolerate substandard teaching until the employee leaves on their own or retires. Most people don't realize that a suspended teacher or administrator, will still draw full salary and benefits until their case is resolved years later.

School vouchers should be made available to parents. If the school in my neighborhood is failing, I should be allowed to select a better one. In the real world, if I don't like my local grocery store, I can drive across town to shop at another. Public schools should not be given a monopoly any more than a grocery store chain should be given one. Only by competing for students within their own ranks and with private school alternatives, can we ever expect to see a positive change. Also, if we recognize that parental interest and committment are keys to a child's academic success, why should we discourage it? Any parent that is willing to investigate and select a school for their child to attend will work to ensure that their decision was the correct one.

In conclusion. I spent twenty-one years in public education as a teacher and administrator. I hold two Master's degrees (including an MBA), and held two superintendent of schools positions. I've worked in rural, suburban, and small city school districts. Since leaving education, I've owned my own business and have worked for the last eight years in private industry. It has taken me quite some time to gather my thoughts on this important subject. Thank you for giving me an excuse to jot them down.

Harold Brown

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel Klein have hoodwinked the public into thinking that conditions in our schools are improving.... [MORE]	Ed Greenspan	Oct 28, 2007 16:15
I was reading your comments, and I was thinking about what the real role of the teacher is, because I... [MORE]	Dulce Dedieu	Sep 3, 2007 15:43
After a daunting first year of teaching, I can see why so many teachers leave the profession. First, we are... [MORE]	Donna	Jun 18, 2007 19:54
After reading this article and many of the comments, I felt I had to say something. I have been a... [MORE]	Heather Perkins	Jun 18, 2007 12:09
One of the problems we have in this country is assigning blame…….We are great at blaming everyone else but not... [MORE]	Bob Dean	Jun 17, 2007 11:36
Re. Don't Blame the Teacher By Diane Ravitch The responsibility for educating a child is placed squarely in the hands of... [MORE]	Phyllis Cynthia Murray	Jun 16, 2007 17:28
When I first read Ravitch's article I thought....great points. Yes, in poorer nations children are hungry for learning and success.... [MORE]	MLR	Jun 16, 2007 13:50
BRAVO to Diane Ravitch! Teachers know the truth. We do everything we can. We talk to the students and to... [MORE]	Judith	Jun 16, 2007 10:51
Ms. Ravitch you are right. The detractors of public education in America have been fooling the public and even many... [MORE]	Paul Preston, Inside Education, Educational Talk Radio	Jun 16, 2007 09:30
To get a real picture of where the U.S. stands in regards to other countries on public education, see the... [MORE]	Debbie Smith	Jun 18, 2007 14:07
Ms.Ravitch starts her article with: "The meeting proceeded through the now-familiar litany of bad news: American students perform poorly on... [MORE]	Paul Preston, Inside Education, Educational Talk Radio	Jun 19, 2007 23:50
Paul, by commenting on the "litany of bad news" regarding the state of our public school system, Ms. Ravitch is... [MORE]	Debbie Smith	Jun 20, 2007 13:44
Thankfullly, we finally live in a state that has mandatory testing. It's a godsend since most of my childrens' teachers... [MORE]	Moira	Jun 15, 2007 23:03
Everyone who can remember when tests were measures of student success rather than the teacher's... raise your hand....! And by the... [MORE]	Michelle	Jun 18, 2007 07:27
Yes, BRAVO for NCLB, it is truly the first step in legislative efforts at public education reform. In addition to... [MORE]	Debbie Smith	Jun 18, 2007 14:14
To Diane Ravitch: Thank you! [MORE]	Dennis Fermoyle	Jun 15, 2007 21:28
I am a teacher and have been an assistant principal and a high school principal. I now work for the... [MORE]	Mary	Jun 15, 2007 20:07
Diane Ravitch--this is an awesome statement. Politicians, business people, most conservatives, and all those others who could never hold their... [MORE]	John E. Russo II	Jun 15, 2007 15:36
Those who want to blame the entire set of teachers for the state of education today have never bothered to... [MORE]	Michelle	Jun 15, 2007 13:08
Diane Ravich is absolutely correct in identifying the source of America's educational woes in students' lack of work ethic. But... [MORE]	Mary Hudson	Jun 15, 2007 11:39
I only partially agree, because I'm sure a very small percentage of students are as Ms. Ravitch describes. (A very... [MORE]	Anne Spence	Jun 15, 2007 08:27
I agree with Ms. Ravitch that student apathy is a real problem in government schools and with many of the... [MORE]	Crimson Wife	Jun 15, 2007 15:44
You are angry--that 's obvious. However, as a public school Teacher, with excellent evaluations and commendations, I know Diane Ravitch... [MORE]	John E. Russo II	Jun 15, 2007 16:12
I was saddened to read the posting from the mother of the dyslexic student. Having been a special educator for... [MORE]	Jeanne	Jun 18, 2007 10:25
Sorry to hear of your child's educational horror story. BTW, it's Johnny not Jonnie. Remember, teaching is a cultural act... [MORE]	rb	Aug 24, 2007 21:36
I'm a Chinese student. No offense to all the teachers in the US, I have to say that, from a... [MORE]	Vera	Oct 8, 2007 09:22
You dramatically made the case that politically correct textbooks reflect bad scholarship and are part of the problem in The... [MORE]	Jon T. Hill	Jun 14, 2007 19:36
Get rid of active engagement with reflection, expressivism, WAC, and other "dumbed down" nonsense based on racial and gender stereotypes.... [MORE]	Paul Cameron	Jun 14, 2007 19:18
As a committed liberal, I have never been a fan of Professor Ravitch's work--until now. It is good for both... [MORE]	Bernard Freydberg	Jun 14, 2007 19:06
Teachers teach the content set forth by the state standards and benchmarks. They have some say in formal curriculum adoptions,... [MORE]	Michelle	Jun 15, 2007 13:25
Who else is there to blame? Kids are sent to school. Teachers are paid to teach them. But they don't... [MORE]	Don Swearingen	Jun 14, 2007 19:05
Thank you for defending teachers. I taught special education for 17 years before being called to another career. I worked... [MORE]	Nancy	Jun 14, 2007 15:30
It's not that most parents don't support their children in school and that they don't push their children to work... [MORE]	Debbie Smith	Jun 14, 2007 14:16
School administrators are often caught between student need and lack of funding. This makes them horribly defensive, and have a... [MORE]	Michelle	Jun 15, 2007 13:43
I appreciate the sentiment you are expressing to the notion that if parents simply refuse to accept "no" for an... [MORE]	Debbie Smith	Jun 16, 2007 17:06
While it is true that many parents either lack knowhow and/or time in order to ensure the best education for... [MORE]	Michelle	Jun 18, 2007 07:06
I agree with you that we need stronger legislation and better enforcement in our schools, but, the facts surrounding school... [MORE]	Debbie Smith	Jun 18, 2007 13:42
What Ravitch says is true, as far as it goes, but some things are the fault of the teaching profession,... [MORE]	Charles Connell	Jun 14, 2007 12:58
Kids get A's and B's for work that would have earned us C's and D's because when they get C's... [MORE]	Michelle	Jun 15, 2007 13:47
To: Ms. Ravitch and the Editors No doubt the teachers are wrongfully blamed for the past several decades of public education... [MORE]	Nancy Joyce Jancourtz	Jun 14, 2007 12:24
As the old saying goes, "You can't make chicken soup from chicken feathers". When most of a child's capacity for...	Harold Brown	Jun 14, 2007 12:06
I love this article ! I am a special ed dept. head in a urban high school. There are some... [MORE]	Ben Hull	Jun 14, 2007 11:23
I am no expert, just a mother of four children, but I see that in families where there are high... [MORE]	sonja moran	Jun 14, 2007 11:14
Finally someone hears what we teachers are saying. Notice that we are never included in the discussion. Why is that?... [MORE]	Heather	Jun 14, 2007 11:08
Does no one hear the words of Jamie Vollmer? Students go to school and they are there no matter what... [MORE]	Jaime Cordero	Jun 15, 2007 10:41
"The parents are the primary educators of their children. As your school we are here to help" We found this... [MORE]	Linda Jalufka	Jun 14, 2007 10:54
To me, your article is clear and hits the 'Nail' right on the head. Your perspective is so obvious to... [MORE]	Robert D. Mossman	Jun 14, 2007 10:41
I am in my late 50's and have been teaching for 6 years here in North Carolina. In all that... [MORE]	Joe Grace	Jun 14, 2007 10:22
Throughout my years in education, particularly as an administrator, I have not always agreed with Diane Ravitch's ideas or conclusions,... [MORE]	Jim Little	Jun 14, 2007 09:46
I know an outstanding teacher who recently asked her students what career path they were interested in. About 60% said... [MORE]	Fred Jenson	Jun 14, 2007 09:14
The real reason why students are slackers, and why education is ridiculed, etc. is simple: students are forced to go... [MORE]	David	Jun 14, 2007 09:04
Students are the primary agents of their own learning. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make... [MORE]	Thomas Farrell	Jun 14, 2007 08:54

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