No easy answers to questions about public education

No easy answers to questions about public education

EDITOR:

An incompetent teacher might be one who lacks the skills to manage inner city children from lower social and economic backgrounds. This could be one who knows a great deal about school curriculum and current teaching philosophies but just can’t seem to adjust teaching style to address Tommy who is from a broken home and whose mother is a drug addict.

This same teacher performs with excellence in an upper middle class suburban school district. The discipline situations encountered are of a different sort. Parent involvement is high. Ninety-nine percent of the students are reading at or above grade level and consistently do well on standardized tests.

Throughout the 1990s, Chicago’s inner city principals complained about the incompetent teacher. They argued that the schools were on academic probation because the process for removing an incompetent teacher was too tedious. Principals wanted sole power over teachers’ livelihoods.

On the surface, educational reforms and the opening of charter schools appear to be a good thing for our children. However, the underlying purpose of the charter school is to diminish the power of the teachers unions and keep teachers’ salaries in check.

Do charter schools outperform public schools? Perhaps, but it’s not because of better teachers. In Chicago, principals and local school councils engage in what Kansas City educator Rowen Conklin called “the cherry picking of students.” They will find a way of getting around accepting a child’s application who is reading two grade levels behind.

Since the first charter school was started in Minnesota in 1992, all but 10 states have joined the movement. Today, 160,000 students attend charter schools. There is no indisputable clear cut evidence that your child will receive a superior education at a charter school. This charter school business is an experiment. President Barack Obama and his education secretary, Arne Duncan, haven’t a clue to where this movement will lead.

ALFRED SPENCER

Warren

Better to give than receive

EDITOR:

Every election cycle, those running for public office state their top priority is serving the people. Likewise, administrators will tell you they could be holding lucrative private sector positions, but have a deep seeded desire for public service. The people believe and trust.

The people continue to believe and trust each time they pass a safety force levy, school levy, sales tax, etc., because they are told it is in their best interest.

During these difficult financial times, other than the few who have, can the people believe and trust that those who have only their best interest at heart, will have enough heart to give back a little of what the people have given them? After all, would that not be in the best interest of and help insure the best services to the people?

MAGGY LORENZI

Youngstown