Education

Why are schools failing and getting worse?  Several articles in today's newspapers point the fingers at some of the reasons.

First, there was a story about cell phone/texting usage in the schools.  Read what the administrators and teachers say!!!!!!  "As long as the texting isn't disruptive...."  What!?!?!?  "We allow individual teachers to set their own classroom rules?"  What!?!?!?  Why not just say "no!?"  There are no cell phones/texting in school during instruction time, say 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM!  Period!  Oh, that might cause some school teachers and administrators to actually enforce a rule or rules.  Sorry, my fault.

Then, I see where the state says "Students need individual instruction."  What is this?  I won't argue for or against "individual instruction" here, although I could.  But isn't this the same state that is cutting money to the schools?  Doesn't "individual instruction" mean more teachers?  Hasn't "war" been declared on teachers, their benefits, health care, etc.?  (Of course, the answer we'd get is, "Oh, no!")  So, teachers get less pay, fewer benefits, and a lousier pension.  But "individual instruction" requires more teachers.  Yeah--"less pay, fewer benefits, and a lousier pension" will attract the cream of the crop to teaching.  (Again, I might argue we haven't really attracted the cream of the crop to teaching over the past few decades, but I won't here.)  Isn't it funny (dare I say hypocritical?) of these same business-types in state government to talk about "the free market" on everything except education?  Why aren't free market principles applied here?  Let's see, to attract the best, wouldn't one have to pay the best?  (Why did that Prince guy sign with the Tigers??????  Gee, did they offer him the most money?  Again, I could argue that good pay hasn't attracted good teachers, but that's an argument for a different time.  I have to go trim some trees.)

And last, hurriedly, I see MSU has increased tuition almost 4%, pretty much following other schools' increases.  Gee, I thought we were in tough times?  I guess not.  A lot of folks must be getting raises that I don't know about, you know, to cover the college increases.  Maybe I'm the only one not getting any raise?  Where's the pressure on these schools to lower costs?  C'mon...I get the same pay whether I have 27 or 37 students in each class.  Where does that extra money from tuition from ten more students go?  It doesn't go to me, although I do a lot more work.  It doesn't go for more electricity or heat--rooms still use the same amount of energy with 37 as with 27.  I'm guessing more secretaries aren't hired.  I'm not picking on my school, but asking what about the big schools that increase tuition each year.

Education is run by foolish people--both the education-types and the politician/businessmen who wrongly think they know what they are doing.  And most people let it happen.  Hey, who's going to listen to the lone voice in the wilderness, even with 42 years of experience at all levels, being critical of the schools when the vast majority, both administrators and teachers, are shouting accolades or remaining silent?  Right...nobody.

Out to trim trees....