Posted on 08/15/2004 9:20:58 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
I don't know whether to laugh or cry after reading some of these comments from 'teachers'. Lordy, where to begin?
How about considering the product of your efforts folks. I can't find a fast food restaurant where the cashiers know how to make change. Their basic math skills are non-existant. These kids can't add two digit numbers. Is that due to supply problems?
Let's talk about Geography. If you ask kids today where Germany, India, Poland or China are, they're as likely to point to Canada as anywhere else.
I could go on and on, but obviously you folks don't want to hear it. Instead you want to convince me that supplies are the problem, and I'm just a trouble-maker.
Have you folks heard of chalk and chalk-baords? Please explain to me why you can't do math examples on the board. Please explain to me why kids can't take notes on paper they come to school with. Please explain to me why you can't have interclass math bees, spelling bees, geography contests and the like.
Why can't you show kids a map, let them study it and test them on it. Maps are a one-time purchase that could last for a decade or more.
I don't hear any creativity. All I hear is how burdened you are. Frankly, quit! Get out of teaching if this is the extent of your skills. You are unqualified to teach members of my family and I don't want them exposed to your influence if this is any example of your thought processes.
When I was in school, we didn't have exotic teaching tools. We had textbooks, our own pencils and a notebook. Some people had folderz, but not many.
Our teachers taught by using the chalk-board, textbooks and little else.
If we're talking about the sciences, I agree that extended supplies are needed, but that is not the major portion of the class lineup is it.
Under Bush the education budget has been increased dramaticly. The problem isn't the money. The problem is where that money is going. It's well known that only a fraction of education dollars are making their way into the classroom. That isn't the public's fault. It is the administrator's fault.
If you teachers think you are not getting enough of the education dollars into the classroom, then I'd suggest you band together against the administration. Don't come whine to us here because we've had it with people who have dedicated their whole lives to children, but can't find a way to educate them without more more more more more.
Quit the whining and get to work. If your prefession can't get it's act together, and I am convinced it can't, then I think you all should just give up and let the private sector step in and do what you either refuse to do or are unqualified to do.
Please show me the "free public education is an entitlement" clause in the Constitution, if you will, Mr. NEA.
And I'd be more than happy to bite anything off of you that you wish.
Screw it. Teachers shouldn't spend a dime. Let the little ankle biters learn on what filters through the school district budget.
I was in a teacher's union when I taught at MSU, but only because I was required to be.
Since you chose to ignore it, I must repeat my request: Please show me the public eductation entitlement clause of the United States Constitution.
When a teacher spends personal coin on classroom materials they at least have the freedom of choosing what to buy for their classes. Soldiers do the same thing when they buy boots, web gear and fighting knives through private sources. Having a $300 Randall might not make you more dangerous in a knife fight, but the freedom to blow your money on one is what it's all about.
I know teachers who travel abroad on school breaks and spend hundreds on posters and souvenirs and bring back tons of photos and lots of travel stories to share with their classes. This is mostly a good thing for the students but it really isn't something that I want to pay for, so it's exactly the right thing for these teachers to contribute on their own nickel.
The hard part is when certain public school systems get stiffed on basic supplies and text and reference books and teachers have to take up the slack or go without. For many reasons this does happen in certain places.
But Bush is a liberal, so don't hold your breath.
Yes. Depending on whether or not he itemizes, what the equipment is, etc. There are ways (but I'm not a tax specialist)...
Thanks for the link Visagoth. Imagine, a law needed to tell parents they must provide a few of their children's items in school. Wonder how many of the kids (even in low-income areas) have cell phones, video games etc? One teacher here in WA told me that some categories of minority, low-income parents (isn't that clever how I couched that?) are the ones who can't provide socks, new shoes, or school supplies - but have no trouble coming up with $200 for a prom dress. "It's cultural" she said. Well, it certainly is true that the poorer you are, the better your buying choices had better be.
"It seems like the parents get hit up all the time," said Brenda Nauta, a Lowell parent. "And I don't remember my parents having to pay for all these things when I was a kid." Free teaching is NOT enough.
How is it discrimination- They are showing up for class without supplies which all the students are required to have. Maybe this needs to become a test case in court. Good move on your part to use leftover notebooks, tho. I wish you well. Perhaps a stronger support system and pre-class meetings-big ones-with parents will make them realize the supplies are provided by the parents. My whole post was stating we only perpetuate the problem, and make it worse.
Truly--I don't know how old you are--but I am over 60. PARENTS provided supplies. Not the school.. Making that shopping trip each year was really fun. We spent Dad's money on school supplies--not on $180 athletic shoes and $16 CD's, purchased by the handful. Priorities need to be readdressed by parents and students alike, IMO.
It's that phrase "for the public good." Pretty much doing us in nowadays...
My daughter taught in an inner city grade school a few years back. She said a lot of the kids didn't have underwear, but then they'd have $100 sneakers. For so many people, it's a matter of priorities.
I appreciate the comments and agree with them. Let me ask you though. You're a teacher that is dedicated to your kids, right? The school year starts and you don't have school books, teaching aides, even the basics like chalk. Are you going to allow that school year to progress more than a week before you call your fellow school teachers together and call a press conference about it?
Seriously, just how dedicated to those kids are you, if you don't? It's a national scandle how few pennies make it into the classroom of every dollar that schools get. It's about damn time someone who's on the inside cared enough to blast the school board out of the water for allowing this to take place.
I cannot believe for a momment the teachers who come here and claim that things are as bad as they do, then admit that I was continuing to play along. Which is it? Are things really that bad? Are these teachers admitting that they play along with going to community leaders and telling them what's going on? Or are these people just lying their arses off?
Something stinks is river city, and I say the school systems are rotten from the top dog to the lowest lackey.
No underwear? Most likely just a fashion statement... /s
As to you question about students showing up with no supplies...if no means were available from the school or families to obtain needed supplies, I would then go to the community and commercial businesses with a reasonable appeal for assistance. In communities struggling to get by, you could appeal outside the area. Many areas welcome the opportunity to assist a sister school. Their reasons (charity, feel-good, learning) really do not matter as long as you get what is needed to educate your students. Direct money requests will be looked at with suspicion, and equipment requests should be reasonable. That's how I see it and I'm not in the field.
White on white - whatever...
Or possibly other colors ;)
For once, I'm at a loss for words!
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