Clinton Raps Teacher Merit Pay

AP ^ | Nov 19, 2007 | MIKE WILSON

[upchuck]

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) - Performance-based merit pay for teachers is a bad idea, Hillary Rodham Clinton told Iowa teachers on Monday. School uniforms for kids, however, is worth looking at.

Merit pay for teachers "could be demeaning and discouraging, and who would decide" who would receive it, she said in a meeting with teachers at Cunningham Elementary. "It would open a whole lot of problems."

Clinton, the Democratic presidential front-runner nationally, is in a tight race with Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards in Iowa. Merit pay is a clear point of disagreement with Obama.

Last summer, Obama told the National Education Association, the country's largest teachers union, that the idea should be considered. Teachers unions typically oppose the idea.

Clinton said Monday she does support incentives for teachers who work in geographic areas and on subjects where there are shortages. And she has said she supports "schoolwide pay for performance programs because I think that the school has to be viewed as a whole unit with everybody working together."

On other topics at the school Monday, she:

- Denounced violence and profanity on television and in videogames, saying young children should not be allowed to play the games. "If someone came into your house and did and said the things you see on TV, you'd call the police," Clinton said.

- Said she supports implementing a school uniform policy so students, particularly girls, can focus on school and not peer pressure over what they wear. "Take that off the table and put the focus on school, not on what you're wearing," she said.

- Told a group of children her favorite activities when she was their age were reading and recess. Her favorite book: "The Nancy Drew mysteries."

- Said, "I want to be president to help every boy and girl have a better future, have the health care they need and get a good education and live your dreams."

[upchuck]

Sorta related: Clinton raps vouchers

Also related: Young people reading a lot less

Clinton: "I want to be president to help every boy and girl have a better future, have the health care they need and get a good education and live your dreams."

Hmmm... sounds like The Hildabeaste is promoting home schooling and capitalism. Ya think :)

[dodger]

In the previous debates she supported merit pay!

[rabscuttle385]

"I want to be president to help every boy and girl have a better future, have the health care they need and get a good education and live your dreams."

So I take it that Hillary's idea of "a better future" includes on-demand abortions, Soviet-style indoctrination, and the nightmares of every good parent out there becoming reality?

[pogo101]

Do the NEA/ AFT and Hillary differ on any major education-employment issue? Any at all?

[blackdog]

How odd? All the problems with merit pay based on her comments, describe exactly how the teachers unions fork out the cash for candidates that line their pockets in the form of paychecks, reduce their work load, and absolve the union members from accountability.........

[Old Sarge]

Hillary Rodham Clinton ... School uniforms for kids, however, is worth looking at.

Oh, under Her reign, they will be...

They WILL be...

[G Larry]

Newsflash!
Libs have a problem with setting standards and expecting folks to strive to meet them!

[JoanneSD]

We need merit pay for congress.....save a lot of money.

[FMBass]

Let me check my personal copy of the Constitution. Nope nothing there about Presidents and skool.

Let’s see, this person Hilary Clinton, let me check her credentials for any evidence of having studied educating yutes (OK I’m from NJ, ya got me). Nope nothing there either.

“Said she supports implementing a school uniform policy” – hey, didn’t ole Chairman Mao Tse Tung do that? Are the students just the first before we all have to?

[Lizavetta]

I can’t believe that teachers actually support this cankly asshat. Why shouldn’t top notch teachers get rewarded? It’s demeaning to get more money for being good? On what planet?

[tacticalogic]

They don’t like people having the idea they can succeed on their own efforts. They stay in office by convincing people that everything they have, they owe to the politicians, and they’re the only thing standing between them and the poorhouse.

[ml/nj]

Merit pay for teachers "could be demeaning and discouraging, and who would decide" who would receive it

How is this different from merit pay for say engineers, or any other free-market job?

ML/NJ

[Past Your Eyes]

"Merit pay for teachers "could be demeaning and discouraging...

You mean some of them might not have their quota of self esteem?

[Cecily]

“On what planet?”

On planet Marxist Hildebeast.

[Cacique]

She's absolutely right. If she was paid for her job as senator based on merit. We would be knocking on her door demanding a refund.

Cacique's Recomended Reading List for week of November 19, 2007
CLICK ON ANY COVER FOR MORE INFORMATION

Thanks mtntop3 for your recomendation

[patriotspride]

Why shouldn’t top notch teachers get rewarded

Because you all need to fall in line. “Average is great, help those who can’t make it become average”

These are the marching orders. Never mind the idea of individual success and reward.

The concept of no merit is right out of the union playbook so of course they want Hildabeast..............

[Jaysun]

Merit pay for teachers "could be demeaning and discouraging, and who would decide" who would receive it, she said in a meeting with teachers at Cunningham Elementary. "It would open a whole lot of problems."

Demeaning and discouraging. It's okay if you're a f**k up, as long as you feel good about it.

[tacticalogic]

Unions don’t like people who can get a job without them. They start asking questions like “Why should I give you my money?”.

[Jaysun]

Why shouldn’t top notch teachers get rewarded? It’s demeaning to get more money for being good? On what planet?

You have to remember that the liberals always take the position of the loser. It's not demeaning to get more money for being good, but they aren't for the good. It's demeaning to be bad and not get more money. So to avoid hurting the feelings of the losers out there we need to keep standards down. That idea is woven throughout all of the left's policies when it comes to education.

[goodnesswins]

"Merit pay for teachers "could be demeaning and discouraging, and who would decide" who would receive it, she said in a meeting with teachers at Cunningham Elementary. "It would open a whole lot of problems."

I think she's stepped in it bigtime.....MANY people have jobs where they are given raises, promotions, etc based upon merit.....and know that it is worth it. Separates the performers from the non-performers.