Posted on 05/03/2015 12:18:56 PM PDT by 11th_VA
Dave Miceli doesn't know me from a hole in the ground, but he's my new hero.
Anyone that can dredge up the guts to teach in Baltimore's public schools automatically becomes a candidate for hero status in my book, especially if said anyone has taught in these schools for 20 years, as Miceli has.
But it was his bold, insightful, no-punches-pulled letter to the editors of the July 15 edition of the Baltimore Sun that put Miceli on my hero's list. I'm reprinting that letter in its entirety.
"How dare you accuse, through implication or otherwise, that the need for 'better schools' is a reason there is so much killing. Had you defined the loosely used term, 'better schools,' perhaps I and probably others may not have been so nauseated. "I have taught in the Baltimore public school system for the past two decades. What we need is better students. We have many excellent teachers. I cannot count the number of students who have physically destroyed property in the schools.
"They have trashed brand new computers, destroyed exit signs, set multiple fires, destroyed many, many lockers, stolen teachers' school supplies, written their filth on the tops of classroom desks, defecated in the bathrooms and stairwells, assaulted teachers (beyond constantly telling them to perform certain impossible acts upon themselves) and refused to do any homework or class work.
"Need I go any further? I won't even bother addressing the other 'causes' you listed. Too inane. In summary, the problem seems to be a total disregard for life that exists not only in our crime-ridden city, but also in all of the major cities throughout the United States.
"So, go blame other root causes, but please leave our city police, prosecutors and teachers out of the finger wagging."
Having two biological parents telling their child to behave and do his/her homework is more effective than any amount of money spent on schools, police and jails.
I bet he gets fired and I bet the teachers union does nothing about it.
His letter proves that the administrators of the schools aren’t controlling the students.
“I believe we also need better parents and better citizens.”
Exactly. The money spent on schools has very little to do with quality of education. The most important thing is Parental attitudes. If the parents demand that the kids learn - they will mostly learn.
If the parents do not, the kids do not.
And it only takes a few non-interested kids to make it hard for most of the rest to learn.
Ron Smith was awesome. Could only get WBAL during summmer evenings in Northern VA - during winter they powered down at sunset and I had to wait all winter to hear Ron in the Spring during my evening commute - miss him greatly.
Bathroom floors, sinks, anyplace.
End compulsory education past grade six. I’m serious.
“End compulsory education past grade six. I’m serious.”
We don’t have compulsory education now!
We only have compulsory daycare.
And in Baltimore, it is only at a 50% compliance.
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