John Stossel: Accepting the Teacher Union's Offer (Or Not)

Creator's Syndicate ^ | April 5, 2006 | John Stossel

[Sam Cree]

Funny.

[jazzlite]

We have so few John Stossel's around. I sometimes wonder if the US would not be much closer, politically, to Cuba or Venezuela if we did not have folks like John, Bill O'Riley, Rush Limbaugh, and a handful of others out there day after day exposing the powermongers and their agenda. The politicization of public education in America has probably destroyed our future. It would seem that even the most decadent politician would not have wanted that. I suppose they only care about personal aggrandizement and power, thinking someone else will come along to bear the burden of cleaning up the mess. When messes get too big, they have to be scrapped and an entirely new structure has to be built. In my view, this is what needs to happen in public education. Take the power of the socialists or worse away and give it to people who care about educating children.

[Glenn]

students learn to do PowerPoint demonstrations

What do they demonstrate for or against?

[ozdragon]

My two daughters graduated from the Beacon School in 2000 & 2001. At the time it was a terrific school although it did lean left. It is a "special school" where the administrators had greater flexibility in choosing teachers and in teaching the NY state curriculum. The administration also had some flexibility in choosing students who had to apply.My children received an education equal to that offered at some of the better private schools. However, in recent years the school has been forced to take and keep students who are not highly motivated. Almost all students graduate and go to college.

[SIDENET]

"We got high schools, we got elementary schools, we got junior high schools!"

An English teacher, perhaps? At least this teacher didn't say "We gots high schools", etc.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Funny

Only in very sad and disturbing way. I'm not laughing.

[skinkinthegrass]

What do they demonstrate for or against?

...Against it....Its' whats' in Fashion for the last 40 years. :^/

[Sam Cree]

Thanks, that's very interesting.
Best of luck to your daughters.

[Sam Cree]

I agree that it's sad and disturbing.

[JohnEBoy]

The whole thing seems odd to me. It was the teacher's union who challenged Stossel to "try teaching for a week". In other words, he didn't understand their "challenges". Fine. So he accepted. Then they pulled out of the deal. Here was an opportunity for the world to see how difficult it is to teach and how the teachers need more pay, smaller classes, more computers, yada, yada, yada and yet they ultimately decided that this publicity would not help their union members. Is it possible that the teacher's unions and the administrative beauacracies are their own worst enemies?

[David Isaac]

"We have so few John Stossel's around. I sometimes wonder if the US would not be much closer, politically, to Cuba or Venezuela if we did not have folks like John, Bill O'Riley, Rush Limbaugh, and a handful of others out there day after day exposing the powermongers and their agenda."

If these heroes say something less than glowing about the President, they are not treated as such, rather they are called traitors and tools of the left. It is sad.

[Condor51]

Randi Weingarten, head of New York City's union, took the microphone and hollered, "Just teach for a week!" She said I could select from many schools. "We got high schools, we got elementary schools, we got junior high schools!"

"We got"??? Apparently English is 'union head' Randi's second language. It's "we have" Randi, "we have". Even in New York where you all talk 'funny' - it's still "we have".

BTW, Stossel falls into the same 'language trap' with his "Lots of people". That should be "A lot of people".

[Tax-chick]

Totally unsurprised at this.

[AD from SpringBay]

The Teacher's Union probably thought they would teach him a lesson and burn up so much cash and resources from 20/20 that Stossel would regret his interaction with them. This is just the latest round. Stay tuned.

[Mr. Thorne]

Well, if you're using PowerPoint, you're probably demonstrating against logic and linear reasoning, since PowerPoint shuns these things.

= )

[redgolum]

The union can not allow any one to see what happens in schools. Might disrupt their on going whines for more money.

[Tax-chick]

Is it possible that the teacher's unions and the administrative beauacracies are their own worst enemies?

Unquestionably. Unfortunately, they're also students' and the taxpayers' worst enemies, too!

[joe fonebone]

bump for later

[Mr. Brightside]

"We got high schools, we got elementary schools, we got junior high schools!"

I assume these weren't ENGLISH teachers.