I would like to comment on the Jan. 16 letter, “We’ll never learn.”
First, I would like to explain what the word “poor” means: “Having little or no money; without means; needy; miserable; wretched; unfortunate; feeble; deserving of pity; unproductive; of inferior quality. Inadequately; with little or no success; without spirit; somewhat ill; out of sorts.”
The letter stated, “Northview and Dothan High School are producing such poor quality students” and “The reason for this poor quality of high school education is the poor quality of teachers.”
I feel the letter writer owes the students and teachers at these two schools an apology. On his knees would be best. Each one of these students is a living, human being. They may have some problems in their lives, but they are trying to learn and, some day, have the American dream.
These teachers were not just given their degrees. Many of our teachers have worked hard and hold as many as two Master’s degrees. Some have even more credit to their education.
I agree, our government wants higher graduations of students to compete with other countries. The blame game against our teachers does not cut it. The letter writer should go down to both schools and sit in on a few classes, then write his degrading letter.
Jake Cannon
Dothan
Jan. 22, 2009
Posted by Cicero on Jan. 22, 2009 - 7:46 p.m.
ReplyDelete--Food for thought--
Mr. Cannon... I commend you for taking up for the school children. Most teachers that post here make snide remarks about parents and their "little darlings." And about those "damn parents." One gets the idea that only educators should be allowed to have children in the future... everyone else being unqualified. Educators receive their paychecks from the taxpayers that the complain endlessly about.
Teachers don’t realize how they’re contributing to the lack of trust. When parents send their children to school, but they’re told that the teachers must do what’s best for a classroom whether it’s best for their children or not, it doesn’t exactly instill confidence and trust, now does it? There’s nothing unrealistic about people’s expectations, except within the context of the public school system as it exists. If the public school system were transformed into schools for The 21st Century Student, then people’s expectations could be individually met. It’s not entirely the teachers’ fault that the system is the way it is except many teachers and their unions tirelessly work to keep the system from changing into what it must and will become.
I’m wondering how much schools practice looking out for the other guy when their “needs” come nose-to-nose with the “needs” of others? Do good citizens keep lobbying to increase their own salaries, pensions and benefits and to reduce their workloads at taxpayer expense in exchange for tiny improvements in quality? Do they fight against school choice? Is that responsive or respectful? In some respects, schools need to take the beams out of their own eyes. [See, Matthew, Chapter 7 of the Bible]