| What's wrong with today's teachers? It's a | | | | After all, wouldn't it go against the "rugged |
| well known fact that academic performance is | | | | individualism" this country strives toward if |
| suffering in American society. National | | | | kids were told they don't always need to be |
| standardized testing reveals increasingly | | | | the center of attention? Besides, if it |
| poor performance in reading comprehension, | | | | weren't for managing the increasingly |
| mathematics, science and every other area of | | | | combative, disruptive and apathetic behavior |
| academics for grades K through 12. So what | | | | we've worked so hard to teach our children by |
| exactly is it about teachers today that has | | | | example, what we be paying teachers for in |
| resulted in the dumbing down of American | | | | the first place? |
| children? | | | | |
| | | | And just because budget cutbacks decried by |
| How could these collective individuals allow | | | | the same taxpayers who refuse to pay more for |
| the educational system to get so far out of | | | | their own children's education result in |
| hand? After all, teachers have a union. | | | | overwhelming class sizes, that's still no |
| Surely that means they must wield substantial | | | | excuse for our education system's poor |
| power over the local, state and federal | | | | performance. If anything, learning |
| bureaucratic management of our children's | | | | environments where kids get less individual |
| education, right? All we ever hear about is | | | | attention serve to prepare them for the |
| how teachers are paid less and less every | | | | modern state of parenthood, right? |
| year and forced to do more with a dwindling | | | | |
| budget. What about poor parents who are | | | | Yes, it's obvious…the blame lies |
| expected to show an active interest in their | | | | squarely on the shoulders of teachers. Why |
| children's future? Isn't it enough that they | | | | blame our society's overwhelming attitude of |
| sired the children and drop them off at the | | | | pride toward being uninterested in math and |
| mall or provide a television set for | | | | science? Why blame unruly children who |
| entertainment? I mean, really…given | | | | aren't getting any attention, guidance or |
| the choice between expecting and demanding | | | | discipline at home? Why blame salaries that |
| more of our kids academically and encouraging | | | | are barely enough to live on and education |
| them to participate in athletics, who | | | | budgets that pale in comparison to the amount |
| wouldn't choose football and cheerleading? | | | | of money spent on waging pointless, fruitless |
| | | | wars that devastate the lives of countless |
| Thankfully, not everyone is complacent with | | | | innocent civilians abroad? Everyone knows |
| the current state of affairs. A quick look | | | | that people living outside of American shores |
| at educationally related news from around the | | | | don't matter anyway, right? |
| country shows several stories featuring | | | | |
| parents suing schools because their children | | | | Yes, we could examine the aforementioned, but |
| misbehave, are reprimanded for wearing | | | | that might force us to examine ourselves, how |
| inappropriate clothing that goes against | | | | we live, how we vote and why we've lost all |
| school policy or refuse to follow rules | | | | sense of personal accountability and |
| designed to keep kids collectively focused on | | | | responsibility. Why do that when we can do |
| the task at hand. It sure is comforting to | | | | things the American way…let's just |
| know that parents like these are teaching | | | | continue to blame teachers. |
| their kids what's really important in life. | | | | |