Okay, Now I'm Really Angry

Did you notice that I have changed the title of my blog from the "New ABCs" to "Mining the Golden Years" ? Well, I have been through the alphabet three times, and maybe that is enough. And, as you will see, from this entry, my anger today made me think that perhaps I should and could address some issues important to a senior citizen, and to all citizens. Either that, or learn to laugh at our Senior foibles.

Today's blog was spurred on by my reading an editorial in today's Herald/Bulletin.
It was another attack on our Anderson schools. It was written by a John Hughes of Chesterfield, and is titled, "Bring in the State for the Betterment of Students."
Now, Mr. Hughes does make some valid points. But near the end of his letter he states, "I read recently somewhere that teachers are considered the bottom of the barrel for college grads."
I refer you, dear reader, to www.theheraldbulletin.com, Friday, November 19, the editorial page.

I was so angry. It took me barely two minutes to get the computer fired up, and to start writing my own letter to the editor in defense of teachers. It took me even less time to mail the letter. I don't know that it will be published, or if it will do any good. But it made me feel better.

The picture accompanying this entry, are some of the very good teachers that I had the privilege of teaching with through the years. We were all together today, as we continue to work with books, kids, and people. We are all volunteering our time with the "Friends of Anderson Public Library." Now that's the kind of people that teachers are.

The following is a copy of my letter:

Okay, now I'm really angry. I just read the latest editorial attacking teachers and their ability to teach - calling them the "Bottom of the barrel!" I know many teachers. I taught for nearly thirty years. I am married to a retired educator. The "bottom of the Barrel" we are not.

I remember the hours I spent at my job. I remember the work I took home and finished every evening. I remember days when a fifteen minute break was impossible, and I ate my lunch in twenty minutes. I remember applying band-aids, comforting hurt feelings, calming fears, confronting anger, trying to instill some manners and values where none had been taught at home. I remember my fellow teachers, some not so good, but most of them tireless workers who had the best interest of students at heart.

The writer's words are like daggers in my heart. I never took a class on a field trip, when, at the end of the day, the exhausted parent chaperones did not say to me, "Thanks for all you do. I really don't know how you do it." But then, those were parents who cared, who took the time to teach their children manners and values. They took the time to be involved in their children's lives, to spend time at school involved in education.

I lived through all the so-called "educational movements, reforms, and improvements".
I witnessed the teachers' union go from gaining much needed change to unreasonable demands, just like the industrial unions that have caused industries to flee to foreign countries. I watched many changes in superintendents - some who fought everything teachers requested, some who were union sympathetic, some who built big "super-sized" school buildings intended to save on utilities and administrators' salaries. And all research shows that small, neighborhood schools with small classes are the best learning environment for kids. They are also much more accessible for parents and families.

I lived through the time when the School Board changed from being a mayor-appointed board to an elected board. Now, it is true that there have been many highly qualified board members elected to our school board. But it is also true that there have been some who were not qualified, and came with very selfish agendas.

And then there are the lawmakers who are now trying to legislate us out of the mess we are in. Let us consider merit pay for teachers, and the fact that the merit is to be measured by standardized testing. We are living in a society that has now abandoned its children. Teen, unmarried mothers think it is "cute" to have a baby. Few parents feel it is necessary to marry or establish a family and home where children can be taught to respect teachers, elders, or authority. Am I wrong to feel that teachers need bonus pay to teach in schools with the lowest scores? Call it "combat pay", if you must. Be realistic! A teacher must deal with the raw material that he/she receives.

And now we have closed schools, pushed students into huge schools that are grossly over-crowded, where there are inadequate means for discipline, where police are necessary in the hallways and lunchrooms. It is no wonder that all those caring parents,who are most concerned with their child's education, are fleeing our school system in favor of some alternative.

True, this is a turbulent transitional year. And all the transition years are difficult. Things will settle down. AND there are some wonderful things happening in education right here in Anderson, right in the midst of all the turmoil. Mr. Finger wrote an editorial in defense of the arts in schools. Everyone should have the chance to witness Mrs. Finger as a teacher of music. Let us talk about an outstanding and dedicated educator. Mrs. Finger TEACHES, she demands respect and gets it, she changes lives, she causes many of her students to set out on a path to becoming outstanding citizens. She is just one of many.

While we are at it, let's talk about merit pay for parents. Let's determine their salary by the hours they spend with their children, by the way their children show up at school ready to respect the teachers and be educated. This job is the responsibility of our entire society, not just the schools! And I have never heard on outstanding citizen say, "I owe it all to a teacher who taught for the standardized test." It was alwalys that teacher who was allowed the time and luxury to foster a love for learning, an excitement for some subject matter, and gave the student opportunities to pursue those subjects for which he felt a passion.