@evlynealeshire5850
Unions have ruined teachers. I retired from teaching. I hated the union!
@rogercarroll8764
New Jersey spent tons of money on "education", and has nothing to show for it. I graduated high school without knowing how to do long division (a basic skill). I can count on the fingers of one hand all the good teachers I had. Public education is a waste of money.
@DanielCastillo-v3n
Unions = more money for less work and less results
@scottcrowley2061
Brilliant essay. It goes unheeded. If one does nothing else, at least teach oneself to read.
@corsairman1956
After 40+ years as a Mathematics, Physics and Engineering educator, a hard-earned PhD, all the while teaching full-time, raising a family, I never made it past $100K. What I did ask for was resources to provide meaningful experimental experiences for my students. I was a happy camper when given resources NOT simply a higher salary. Having said that, with all of my credentials plus a Presidential Award (PAEMST), etc., etc., there were teachers who should’ve been fired who were making as much if not more than me!
@joemarchetti6931
My father was a school teacher for 34 years and would roll over in his grave if he heard the salaries today giving the complete failure of the school system. The teachers in my school system are top rated, and the children are achieving high standards, and they are not paid that much unless they are in administrative positions. A hard worker in the construction industry makes that much because of the debilitating effects of that type of work. Overpaid for failure typical behavior of a democratic society
@mktexas4187
Thomas is exactly correct here, however, the CORE about the dismal results of education also has another aspect and that is the total lack of being able to discipline in the classroom. When you have teachers trying to teach with students who are allowed to disrespect the teachers and other students with ZERO consequences, AND then parents who rush to defend the kid no matter what they do, you have totally removed the ability to teach, and this is NOT the fault of the teachers! Their salaries are HAZARD pay!! Believe me!! It takes a BRAVE individual to walk into a classroom today!!!! Give teachers authority again! Teaching is a high risk position now a days!
@roybarron5289
My parents made us learn flash cards on math, I had my multi and div tables memorized helped a lot in life.
@NigellaSim
I truly do despair at this situation. We have achieved a level where we have teachers who are below standard wanting the sort of pay that the average person doesn't get.
@user-wl8wl8lp9r
As a non teacher, the point that is very obvious is “They” pay the teachers to put up with the violence and disrespect the teachers must endure, while the teacher still attempts to educate non interested students. Teaching in some cities can be a very dangerous occupation, and teachers have to teach by a protocol that has been forced ( cookie cutter testing no child left behind). If student behaviors cannot be controlled in an educational environment, because the students do not want to learn, and their families don’t care that they don’t want to learn, then teachers cannot be blamed. If parents were held accountable ( and they should be) for their child’s behavior while in school things might improve. If the welfare state was revised things might change, if generational welfare recipient children were taught a good work ethic, things might change. If morality was taught and rewarded and held in high regard things might change. Teachers can only do so much. Expectations about getting a good education starts in the home. Again, another factor, children with learning disabilities that have behavioral issues, their parents have pushed for their children to be mainstreamed into regular classroom settings, thinking it best for their child, but it is not always best for other children, because the teacher is then expected to prepare lessons for mainstream while balancing several special education children in the routine, they may have an aide to assist, but the teacher must maintain the class in such a way that they deal with trying to educate regular and learning disabled children, while managing the behaviors of mainstream kids that act out and then special needs kids with behavioral issues that act out, all the while trying to make sure the students that do want to learn and don’t present with behaviors get the opportunity to do so during all the classroom disruption caused by the other students with behavioral situations. To me teachers deserve every penny they make and more. They also work all day at school then go home and grade papers and prepare lessons etc, so it is longer hours than most people realize. As, I said, I am not a teacher but have observed what teachers deal with, and it seems no one listens to them or their concerns or suggestions on how to improve things. Time to get the political activists out of the way and figure out how teachers and parents can make the educational system better.
@user333-us4qz
Amazing speech !
@ferndog1461
In big city Houston, high school teachers are pressured to increase the classroom percentage of passing students. Increasingly, the material must be dumbed down, and late work must be accepted at any time.
@bryon5284
In California you can easily search for teachers and administrators salaries: 90k for teachers 115k, 150k, 175k for administrators. Then with a couple of clicks you review HS test scores in one district: 45% ELA are passing 15% math ready for college..what thats really means 65% of their students are below reading level. What's more sickening is that 85% of their students passing math. They are stuck in pre algebra and teachers are passing them. There's 0 accountability
@RedStickHistorian
Not only are Chicago students doing worse, but more of them are graduating and going on to college. If they can't do high school work, how can they do college-level work? The answer is, of course, the standards get lowered.
@jdillmeister
Government schools, and their unions, are awful. Horrible stuff..😢
@eddiekulp1241
Being paid more doesn't make a better worker or teacher
@maryellis7622
What a disgrace !!! Your selfish greed will eventually trickle down to your children. Blinded by the almighty buck.
@denniswood6791
One of my cultural heroes is Booker T. Washington. Sue the administrative Doctors of Education for malpractice.
@annathemaanderson4448
It isn't the teacher's fault that certain people can't read, it's their culture. Or themselves.
@sowelltoday