Media Myth Debunked: Class Sizes Have Dropped 40 Percent Since 1960

Newsbusters ^ | June 11, 2012 | Noel Sheppard

[SMGFan]

A regular media meme, especially since Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's comments regarding public sector employees last week, has been that there just aren't enough school teachers in America.

Such statements ignore that according to the Census Bureau, since 1960, the average class size in our public schools has declined by 40 percent as the number of teachers rose almost four times faster than the student population.

Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2012/06/11/media-myth-debunked-number-teachers-increased-four-times-faster-stude#ixzz1xX8JXzzE

[SMGFan]

The NJEA regularly airs ad in NYC area TV claiming great schools are. Jersey City EA slogan is "First in Education" whatever that should mean

[vpintheak]

So, maybe it’s not just, “All about the kids”?

[Ann Archy]

geesh, I went to a 2-room Catholic grade school.....and in the 7th grade we moved and I had to go to a public school and they were teaching stuff I learned in the 3rd grade!!!! I was BORED to death!!! I learned more in those 2 rooms than I learn in all the years since!!!

[TexasFreeper2009]

no one wants to talk about the giant freaking elephant in the room.

the main thing that has changed since 1960 ... is the minority makeup of the children in the classrooms. There I said it, now the PC police can crucify me.

[SMGFan]

Sorry that was “First in Quality Education” it is on the side of their building up on Kennedy BLVD

[joelt]

Came across my class photo from 1st grade (1961). 32 kids in the picture with 4 listed as absent. It was an up-middle class suburb of Chicago.

[BfloGuy]

Yeah, back in the early sixties, we were easily 30 kids to a room. No one thought it unusual.

It was our responsibility to learn in those horrible circumstances -- as our parents constantly reminded us.

[skinkinthegrass]

lower teacher:student ratio;
really means more NEA thugs in the gov't.
indoctrination centers / classroom.

[SMGFan]

I recall 1970 to 1978 Jersey City Elementary school classes were 30 children. I think each class was 5 rows of 6 kids.

[King Moonracer]

no teacher left behind.

[CommieCutter]

the main thing that has changed since 1960 ... is the minority makeup of the children in the classrooms.

Foreign replacements for all our aborted children....

[gop4lyf]

Since teachers were actually allowed to discipline back then it would stand to reason that you could have larger classes with more learning going on. Not to mention that “back in the day” most of the kids grew up in 2 parent, stable households. I can count on one hand every year the number of kids that I have in which their mothers and fathers are married. I can usually also count just as many if not more of the parents who either are or were previously incarcerated (kids tell everyone their business).

I teach in Texas, which is not a union friendly state. I have never had any interest in joining a union, and refuse to join if the opportunity comes about. In my opinion, there are too many chiefs and not enough indians in the public school system. My elementary school had 4 administrators last year. My district bought a whole new set of books and materials for Spelling. The only problem is, we are not to use it. Administration will not be putting it into the curriculum for next year, either. There are hundreds of ways in my district alone in which money is simply wasted. The vast majority of the teachers at my school are conservative people who cannot wait to vote 0bama out of office.

[G Larry]

You missed an “elephant”...

The 50 million babies aborted have reduced class size.

[Woodsman27]

The most important thing in determining success is the support that comes from home not how many teachers are in the schools and how many fancy smart boards there are. Education is not valued or supported by many in the black and hispanic communities and until it is all the money and all of the specialists in the world is not going to fix anything.

Personally I think that public schools should have greater latitude to discipline and/or get rid of problem students who hurt the learning of others. My tax dollars shouldn’t be paying for an 18 year old freshman who will never graduate but who sells weed to his fellow students. That piece of trash should have been kicked to the curb years ago. That foul-mouthed 15 year old who cuts up so much that nobody else can learn anything should be gone.

[lyby]

I echo your comments! I am a 7th grade Math teacher in Alabama... Finally, I have met another FR teacher!

There are a number of people on here who write very negative comments aimed at ALL public education teachers.

My class sizes have ranged from 25 - 32, consistently over the years.

Regards,

~ Lyby

[SuperLuminal]

Biggest difference is that in the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s there were still teachers in the classrooms and the schools were still public schools. The number of students didn’t matter since they were all expected to behave and learn.

[GenXteacher]

Here, meet a FReeper high school history teacher. My classes are usually between 28-35 students.

[lyby]

I believe our paths have previously crossed on FR, GenXteacher!! Nice to make your acquaintance. :0 ~ Lyby

[Osage Orange]

Well...I dunno, but I went to grade school with plenty of kids with Hispanic sur-names..and that was in the 60's.

Of course that was SoCal....and plenty of Hispanic's lived there before my parents ever set foot in SoCal.

FWIW-

[BfloGuy]

I recall 1970 to 1978 Jersey City Elementary school classes were 30 children. I think each class was 5 rows of 6 kids.

Yep. My experience, too, just ten years earlier.

And the kids whose parents made sure they were taking school seriously did their best to learn something. The others didn't -- and smaller class sizes can't overcome that obstacle.

IMHO.