by T. M. Beeker

Created on: February 02, 2009

As a teacher I can say without any doubt that when there is a failure there are three parties involved. First the student, you can lead a child to learning but you can't make them think. Second, parents who either value education or those who think the big yellow bus is there to take kids to the sitter while Mom and Dad work. Which type of parent are YOU? Finally, the least empowered but the one politicians, communities, students, and parents think should be solely responsible for a child's learning: Teachers.

I will not make excuses for crappy teachers, we have them its a fact. Tenure protects some real turds out there. Same as malpractice insurance protects crappy doctors. You as a parent hold the ultimate power in a public school. If you really think a teacher or teachers have failed your kid then go to a school board meeting and raise some hell. It is democracy at the most simple and direct level. Rest assured if you shout long and loud that teacher will be moved or fired. But, before you saddle up for your crusade think about the first two corners of the learning triangle. Is my kid in school? Are they really making an effort and being denied help by a teacher? Have I checked there learning more frequently than just checking a report card every 6 or 9 weeks? Do I really know what my kid's teacher is doing?Have I visited their classroom to see for myself what is going on? So before the lynching get your facts straight. If the teacher is failing to educate your kid then by all means proceed. I as a teacher have no power or say over the retention of a crappy teacher, YOU DO. By the same token if you find the failure is you or your kid's fault then be big enough to face that problem.

Here are some guesses as to why teachers (and education) seem to be failing.

First in most states more money is spent on prisons than schools. Take a walk around your kid's school and look at the textbooks, technology, physical plant, and other areas. Realize that most districts have been hanging on by a thread. No, not recently but for decades schools have been woefully underfunded. While money for prisons increases every year. Take a look at what your state spends on average per prisoner versus per student. The results will likewise reveal where the percentage favors students the crime rate, teen pregnancy rate, and welfare population is smaller. Such a ratio likewise increases the literacy rate, median income, and widens the tax base. Wow, public education has value beyond merely

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