Are Teachers Unions Blocking Education Reform in Olympia?

The problem with this bill and this discussion is that it asks the wrong questions. Instead of asking “how should we lay off teachers?” the question ought to be “how do we not lay off any teachers at all?” No matter where you stand on the debate over whether evaluating teachers is a useful thing to do or not, we should all be able to agree that any teacher layoffs not motivated by job performance are a very, very bad idea. The research and data is extremely clear that smaller class sizes are the best way to improve student learning and that larger class sizes make student achievement more difficult. So any “reformer” who is not fighting tooth and nail against teacher layoffs period should probably not be taken seriously as a “reformer” at all.

So in that sense, Trevor Griffey is the closest to the mark here when he correctly points out this is about how to defund the public schools. I’d love to see a Think Tank discussion on whether public schools should be defunded. At least then we’d be having a direct conversation about the actual issue, instead of beating about the bush.

The problem with this bill and this discussion is that it asks the wrong questions. Instead of asking “how should we lay off teachers?” the question ought to be “how do we not lay off any teachers at all?” No matter where you stand on the debate over whether evaluating teachers is a useful thing to do or not, we should all be able to agree that any teacher layoffs not motivated by job performance are a very, very bad idea. The research and data is extremely clear that smaller class sizes are the best way to improve student learning and that larger class sizes make student achievement more difficult. So any “reformer” who is not fighting tooth and nail against teacher layoffs period should probably not be taken seriously as a “reformer” at all.

So in that sense, Trevor Griffey is the closest to the mark here when he correctly points out this is about how to defund the public schools. I’d love to see a Think Tank discussion on whether public schools should be defunded. At least then we’d be having a direct conversation about the actual issue, instead of beating about the bush.

Josh, if you have the stones to put up a think tank like that, that would be epic and your new nickname would be Biggest Pair.

I think it’s quite telling that folks like Michelle Rhee and the other ed reformers haven’t been very outspoken on the issue of school funding, class size, or any of the other structural issues.

The fact is, they’re pushing their divisive agenda at the worst possible moment for public education — when budgets are broken.

It’s telling that they see this time of extreme vulnerability as their moment. They couldn’t get their agenda passed normally, so they’re using a movie and a crisis to shove it through.

The largest education reform groups I’m aware of in this state absolutely support increased funding. In fact, fully funding K-12 in Washington, as demanded by our Constitution, has been a central cause for Stand, LEV, etc.

Heck I wouldn’t stop there. As far as I can tell they support increasing teacher salaries in order to attract the best and brightest. The only place where I see them parting ways with the teachers unions is on evaluation and tenure. In most cases, what’s good for the teacher is also good for students. In fact to its credit the WEA and NEA nationally, have been the de facto advocates for children in education for many years. Most of the argument is in the margins which, due to the economy, seems to be all that’s discussed these days.

Just wanted to add that I’m really enjoying these “Think Tank” features. It’s really a great format and very interesting. Keep it up!

A caution for the editors of Publicola: the term “reform” is hopeless loaded. Who isn’t for “reform” and who isn’t critical of anyone against “reform.”

In education, many are well intentioned and working hard to help others succeed. And others, backed by organizations with specific agendas often based on dubious research or even a sense of the purpose of education, are claiming the mantle of “reform.”

Diane Ravitch, whose credentials as an expert on the debate is unquestioned, has decided that much of the “reform” that she herself once pushed is misguided and actually harmful. (See http://www.dianeravitch.com/articles.html)

The notion that teachers unions are an obstacle to reform overstates their power and the notion that tenure is itself an obstacle to learning is blown up by Ravitch in her latest book, which shows that non-unionized schools in the South perform roughly the same as those in the unionized north. Advocacy pieces like “Waiting for Superman” pull together false and misleading data to present simplistic solutions. Anyone spending time thinking about Teach for America would conclude the flaw in the notion of pushing aside experienced, trained teachers to make way for recent college graduates whose hirings are induced by checks to school districts of $4,000 or more for each hire.

Finally, if you look at the board members or financiers of the “reform” movement, you often find wealthy individuals who work for companies that have documented records of avoiding taxes. Can you think of any nearby that come to mind?

So let’s start with clarity and reason in discussion around education and its future. Nobody gets to use the word “reform.”

A caution for the editors of Publicola: the term “reform” is hopeless loaded. Who isn’t for “reform” and who isn’t critical of anyone against “reform.”

In education, many are well intentioned and working hard to help others succeed. And others, backed by organizations with specific agendas often based on dubious research or even a sense of the purpose of education, are claiming the mantle of “reform.”

Diane Ravitch, whose credentials as an expert on the debate is unquestioned, has decided that much of the “reform” that she herself once pushed is misguided and actually harmful. (See http://www.dianeravitch.com/articles.html)

The notion that teachers unions are an obstacle to reform overstates their power and the notion that tenure is itself an obstacle to learning is blown up by Ravitch in her latest book, which shows that non-unionized schools in the South perform roughly the same as those in the unionized north. Advocacy pieces like “Waiting for Superman” pull together false and misleading data to present simplistic solutions. Anyone spending time thinking about Teach for America would conclude the flaw in the notion of pushing aside experienced, trained teachers to make way for recent college graduates whose hirings are induced by checks to school districts of $4,000 or more for each hire.

Finally, if you look at the board members or financiers of the “reform” movement, you often find wealthy individuals who work for companies that have documented records of avoiding taxes. Can you think of any nearby that come to mind?

So let’s start with clarity and reason in discussion around education and its future. Nobody gets to use the word “reform.”

We agree that “reform” is a problematic term. And we have used other adjectives to describe education “reform” in our previous coverage. We’ve talked about “the Obama agenda,” “the Arne Duncan agenda,” “Waiting for Superman-style-reforms,” etc.

But that can get clunky or a bit confusing. What exactly is the Obama agenda? So, sometimes we go with reform, with the understanding that, depending on the reader, “reform” can be bad reform or good reform, such as—tort reform, welfare reform, health care reform. Does everyone agree with the implications of those terms?

Reducing class size does increase student achievement, but it may not be the most cost-effective way to do so. Unfortunately, we have a limited pool of education dollars, and it may be worth exploring alternative methods. One source, you can find many with a bit of Googling:*

In any case, I agree with Toby that factors outside the school are tremendously important. I think a focus on early childhood and preschool education and nutrition are hugely important for getting our kids started on the right foot.

*: warning, it’s a pdf: http://www.ode.state.or.us/sfda/qualityed/docs/ClassSizeReductionPicus.PDF

I have to hand it to Steve Mullin on this one. He points out what common sense and extensive research indicate: a high-quality, motivated teacher in the classroom is the number one factor – more important than class size – in whether children learn and are prepared to move up to the next grade level. This is how private schools operate, and is the primary reason, not money, why these schools produce better outcomes for children of all backgrounds. Justin Fox-Bailey says, “…every child in our state deserves the best possible public education.” O.K., then I challenge him to let go of the special power the union holds within the education establishment. We don’t need eight-year plans, pilot projects, and three-year reviews to find out that keeping a young talented teacher is smarter than retaining a bad teacher with an earlier hire date. Changing from seniority to performance in retaining teachers would take one day, and the benefit to children could begin immediately. The union’s consistent opposition to change is one reason many people, including public school parents like me, have come to view unions as the primary obstacle to improving educational outcomes for children. – Paul Guppy, Washington Policy Center.

Until teachers are actually paid for their knowledge and expertise as a reflection of the market for those skills, we’re still going to have Phys-Ed teachers with 30 years in the system making more than the young science/math teacher who can easily double their salary in the IT fields…

“This is how private schools operate, and is the primary reason, not money, why these schools produce better outcomes for children of all backgrounds.”

I have to disagree with this assertion. The tuition at Lakeside is more than $25,000 a year. About the same at the Bush School. Good private schools charge tuition that is often twice or more what we spend per pupil on public education, and unlike public schools those schools don’t typically have to educate large numbers of special needs or ESL kids, who cost more to educate. To borrow a point I’ve heard Nick Hanauer make, seems to me like private school tuitions are a good example of the market setting the going price for a high quality K-12 education. Paul, as a conservative, free markets guy, do really believe the additional $10K to $15K per pupil these schools receive is not a significant factor in their ability to provide a quality education?

Your credibility is nil, Guppy. You’ll find any excuse to attack any union in any sector of the economy for any reason whatever. You’re a liar for hire, and have made a career out of being one. Only a fool would believe a word you have to say.

Private schools produce better outcomes for children of all backgrounds? Bullshit. Private schools don’t ACCEPT children of all backgrounds. Autism? ADHD? Tourette’s? Peanut allergies? Dyslexia? Show me a private school that will take kids with ANY of these conditions! You can’t, so quit making shit up. Public schools have to deal with all of these factors, regularly and on a daily basis, and these kids can’t be segregated in their own classrooms, or their own schools, anymore like they used to be.

Even setting these factors aside, private schools can wash out any kid for any reason, and parents have no recourse. So when a school can self-select, obviously any comparison of grades will have considerable bias.

Seniority is entrenched because over decades it has proven to be the “least bad” system. No one claims it is perfect. Not me, not any teacher, not any teachers union employee. Every other system has proven impossible to administer accurately or fairly. Not all young teachers are talented, and not all experienced ones are space wasters. Teaching talent takes time and experience to develop, just like any other skill does. You and your paymasters don’t WANT better teachers. You just want to hire them cheap. Who in hell do think you’re kidding?

We don’t need eight-year plans or pilot projects? Tell that to the House, the Senate, the Governor’s office, OSPI, the School Board Directors Association, the Principals’ Association, and yes, the WEA, all of whom sat down and hammered this plan out in good faith, and after a lot of effort. They are TRYING to evaluate teachers on a more detailed basis. But that’s not what you want, is it? I guess your fucking right-wing stink tank knows better than all of these stakeholders put together, right? Take your shit on out of here, you lamer.

So much focus on the teacher, the union, the activists…so little on the kids.

Toby gets another great part of the overall education system a child has, and that is their life outside of school. Private school kids do better thanks to more advantages. Higher likelihood of parents that are home to do homework and reading with the kids. Better access to healthcare. Need a tutor? Shit, spending $25k on school, might as well toss some more in.

Kids who have parents that work full time plus, or two jobs, in order to put food on the table are at an automatic disadvantage. Exacerbating that are the after-school providers that are focused on income, and not ensuring that kids do better in school.

Luckily, there is the ability for plenty of kids in Seattle to go to programs such as CDSA, which provides immediate after-school continuing education, help with homework, and one-on-one interaction with people who care about the kids (I’m looking at you, Madrona CDSA!), but not every poor kid has that.

So, while I fully support completely re-vamping our education system (which is a lofty goal, and my commie ass recognizes it’s not going to happen), we must look at the pupil as a whole. Not just the period that they are on campus, but what are the life circumstances everywhere.

And that means also funding human services. Parks and Recreation. Apple Health for Kids. Families and Education.

And when we talk about incentive pay, and teacher evaluations, make sure we’re taking into account what our teachers are being handed. No point in cutting BHP to pay for incentives to public school teachers in the Lake Washington District. If we want full equity in quality education, we need full funding of social and health programs directed at those with limited means.

Diane Ravitch spoke at my college graduation in the late 1980s. Sorry to admit that back then I had no idea who the hell she was, and didn’t really pay a whole of attention to her speech. But since then it has been interesting to follow her work. She’s something of a Cassandra these days, issuing well-informed warnings about the current trends in education reform that are ignored by many who should be reflecting on her criticisms. But it is worth noting that Cassandra turned out to be right.

Paul, as a conservative, free markets guy, do really believe the additional $10K to $15K per pupil these schools receive is not a significant factor in their ability to provide a quality education?

This is called “reductio ad absurdum.” Choose an extreme example and present it as typical. Lakeside is not your typical private school; its an expensive, elite academy. More typical are Catholic schools, which charge around $6,000 a year and educate kids from low-income and immigrant families (for example Holy Family in Seattle’s Roxbury neighborhood). The objection that private schools don’t take all students is valid – public schools have a much broader mission than private schools, but that doesn’t mean public education officials can’t learn best practices from their private sector colleagues, like – put the local principal in charge of the school, focus resources on the classroom, trim non-education costs to a minimum, hire the best person for the job, weed out low performing teachers quickly, reward top teachers with year-end bonuses, retain quality teachers with merit raises. Private schools use all these tools, but many commonsense management practices are rendered difficult or impossible in public schools because of restrictive mandatory collective bargaining agreements. – Paul.

ivan 41 minutes ago in reply to Paul Guppy

Ivan sez: liar for hire…making shit up…fucking right-wing stink tank…take your shit on out of here…lamer…

Attacking the messenger is a pretty good sign of a weak argument, or no argument. What does my working at a stink tank have to do with anything? If the data and experience shows an idea works, lets adopt it and improve learning outcomes for children. Over 100,000 Washington kids attend private schools – academic outcomes are very high and dropout rates are low – there must be SOMETHING policymakers can learn from this vast real-world pilot project. And we can learn from other states too. For example, President Obama supports charter schools and they exist in 43 states. Yet the WEA supports Washington’s legal ban on charters – why not try charters here? – Paul.

The problem is not unions blocking education reform. The problem is POVERTY, and in this economic climate, DEFUNDING our schools in high poverty errors is a death sentence to the academic futures or our children who are already struggling in classrooms that have the 3rd highest class sizes in the entire country. Our legislators do not have the political stomach to solve the real problem of POVERTY.

To solve the problem of poverty we would need to deal with BIG issues: eliminate corporate lobbying, campaign reform, pay all head-of-household workers a living wage, regulate credit card interest rates and mortgage interest rates, provide health care benefits to all – just to name a few. Then localize human services, move public services into schools in areas of poverty allowing service autonomy while sharing building/operations budgets: DSHS, Public nurses, doctors, translators, immigration services, food banks, child care services and more…

The “problem” is not unions, teachers, and adminstrators. See more about the problem of poverty on this video: “The Frustrated Teacher: Stephan Krashen” here: http://www.thefrustratedteacher.com/2011/04/steph...

Because Obama is as full of shit as you are, and because the voters, who are smarter than both of you, have rejected charter schools three times already in statewide referenda.

Hey you guys, keep it civil.

Having read all of the above: Paul, you are a President Obama supporter? That kind of surprises me, as you *claim* to be a conservative. Would I find equally supportive comments for his policies in other areas, should I take the time to go looking for them? Why do you vilify teachers’ unions? What is your beef with teachers who have years of experience? In fact, why do you look so poorly on public education? If you went there, your writing teachers seem to have succeeded at what they were supposed to do. If you went to private schools, you don’t really know what public schools are like.

I teach 8th Grade English & reading. I work damned hard at my job, getting to work most days at 6 or 6:30, and staying until at least 4, to make sure I do the best job I can. I have worked for 30 years in a couple of states, with and without union contracts, with high poverty and at-risk students, making me one of the teachers you are so desperate to have fired. I am a proud and loyal member of my local, state, and national teachers’ unions.

Paul, I work 9 and 10 hour days for 180 days a year, plus a lot of evenings for student/family activities or for evening conferences. I’ve given up more weekends than I could possibly count. (Yeah, I stay at school longer than most, but most of the others take their work home to do it in a more comfortable environment. I prefer a full separation between my home and school environments.) Add in another bunch of summer days while taking classes to renew my credential every five years. Not only do I give those days to my job–so please don’t call them “vacation”–I pay for the classes myself.

I hope I have done enough to establish my credentials as one qualified to comment on this topic. I am now going to do so, point after point. Please read it the same way.

I take it from your stance, Paul, that you would prefer a heart surgeon whose only experience with your innards was from her textbooks. You want veteran teachers replaced with brand-new ones. That’s fairly shortsighted, don’t you think? Enthusiasm is great, and I love to see it in entering professionals; whom would you have foster and nurture these young, skilled educators once all the teachers with greater experience are eased out the door to make way for them? Very few things can replace actual time in a field of endeavor, whatever it is. Those previously mentioned summer classes are used to keep me fresh and up-to-date in my pedagogical skills. I’ve been taking these “How To Be A Better Teacher” classes for more than thirty years, Paul; the people you want to replace me with have been taking them for 10 to 24 *months*.

Comparing *any* form of private school to public school is truly like apples and oranges: they are both fruit. That is to say, no real comparison at all, they both have teachers and students. Naming just a couple of differences: While some church-based schools accept students with minor behavioral or learning challenges, they are very much the exception rather than the rule; ALL public schools have them. Parents can be required to volunteer or otherwise participate at private schools; some parents are almost never seen after registering their kids in public school Kindergarten. Students who are total screw-ups, though not a problem under the law, can be thrown out and sent to the public school system. The public school system, dealing with the same child, can suspend him for one to as much as five days at a time, for a limited number of days per year. Beyond that the school system keeps him. The private and charter schools have low dropout rates, but what are their throwout rates? How stringent are their entry requirements?

If you want to sell me on charter schools, get the charter schools to take the same percentage of special needs students as the schools they’re sucking public school money from. They don’t do that. And again, fully independent studies have shown they have no benefit to a city’s overall student population, because the numbers get skewed by the dismissal of non-producing students. Just like private schools. Oh wait, charter schools ARE private schools. Maybe that’s why the voters have tossed out the idea in favor of an an actual public school system. These schools share another thing with private schools that don’t take public money: they can send away any students they don’t like, “dumping” them into the public schools. Why does WEA support the legal ban on charter schools? Aside from what I already said about them, read what you wrote. A “legal ban” makes it the law. I think you’ll find that WEA also fully supports the legal ban on armed robbery.

Unions exist in most of the Northern states and not in most of the Southern states. Independent studies have failed to find any significant educational differences between the two regions. My union protects me from the whim of any cruel administrator, who might decide to get rid of me because of a personality conflict having nothing to do with my performance. My unions also are the reason I have decent working conditions, a livable wage, and protections from legal nonsense, among other benefits of collective bargaining.

Merit pay has been shown over and over again to go one of three ways: blind and single-minded teaching to the test to get the extra dollars, padding test scores to get the extra dollars, or administrators’ pets getting classes loaded with the best students in order to give the extra dollars to friends and toadies. Which choice do you prefer, Paul?

Giving the individual schools more control over the curriculum and budget? Absolutely. No question. There must be some constraints, but not a one-size-fits-all curriculum. That’s just dumb.

Getting rid of non-essential expenses, cutting costs that keep money from the classroom is an excellent idea. Trouble is, the people making those decisions will be axing their own six-figure jobs. Good luck Really. I wish you very good luck.

“Yet the WEA supports Washington’s legal ban on charters – why not try charters here?”

The legal ban on charters was put in place by the voters via the initiative process, Paul. Why shouldn’t we trust their wisdom?

This legislation is based upon the research of Dan Goldhaber and Roddy Theobald of the Center for Education Data and Research at the University of Washington, Bothell. At this point it is appropriate to read the words of the researchers.

Goldhaber:
Value-added tests ” … are administered only for certain subjects in certain grades, only teachers in those classes became part of the research, ….” While his research involved only teachers whose subjects were tested, the bill applies its remedies to all teachers, whether or not their field was part of the data.
“Teacher do a lot of thing (note measured in) a student’s test scores.” He acknowledges there are many factors of teacher performance that are not even addressed by his research, but the bill applies the inferred remedies never-the-less.
“…the bill would require districts to use evaluation scores, not value-added scores.” He points out that the bill does not actually use his research as a remedy, but substitutes another criteria with no research data attached. Sounds kind of like a bait and switch operation.

Theobald:
“We’re definitely not proposing this as a way to determine laying off teachers.” When you think about it, that’s a rather striking statement. The researcher says they never suggested it be used for the purpose this bill claims.
“It’s probably reasonable to do something between just laying off on the basis of seniority and just laying off on the basis of effectiveness….”. And, by coincidence that’s just what the work on new evaluation protocols under SB 6696 from the 2010 legislative session will accomplish.

Bottom line here? Proponents of this legislation have fed the public, media, and other legislators a calculated set of lies. They should not be rewarded with success. This bill should die the death it so richly deserves.

I’m assuming that everyone who is talking about better funding of schools and social services and all the things that help children become better educated has actively worked for a better tax system for our state, including taking ridiculous tax exemptions away from corporations, and have–before and during each legislative session, meaning NOW–talked to your legislators about that. Because if you haven’t, you have no right to talk about funding. Your theories mean nothing without dollars.

Am I the only graduate of the Seattle Public School system who believes I got a good education? (My father, my son and myself all graduated from Garfield High School). My father and I went on to get graduate degrees. My son is working on his. I am wary of reform. The most valuable piece of an education is the development of critical thinking skills. I do not believe there is a good tool to evalute critical thinking, nor do I think there should be.

Where to start? Mr.Mullin pulls out ALL the ed reform talking points – ” laser-like focus”, Change is never easy” and on and on.

“When virtually every education study underscores the impact excellent teachers have on students, Washington state retains a system that pink-slips its best and brightest.”

Please. Mr. Mullin, show us the proof that every single teacher who is pink-slipped is one of the “best and brightest.” Every single one? Some new teachers are good teachers but research has shown that the first 1-3 years of a teacher’s career is when they are the weakest teachers. Show us the proof.

Seventeen districts are piloting new ways to assess teachers. Seattle School district signed what has been called a historic contract with national implications with a new four-tier system of assessment. (The union, along WITH the School Board and the Superintendent, signed onto using seniority over the next 3-years as they phase in the new assessments.)

These same people who want “quality” teachers also support Teach for America recruits who have a college degree and 5 weeks of training. They cost districts more money than a fully-certificated new teacher and they leave in 2 years. There’s continuity for you. And we have hundreds of unemployed fully-qualified teachers already here in Washington State (did I mention that they import TFA recruits from out of of state?).

ivan, I teach in a private school that currently has children with each of these conditions. I, too, disagree with Mr. Guppy’s assessment–but your comment does not help the discussion when you, also, make things up. (Pot calling the kettle black.)

Mr. Guppy –

You deserve credit for several things:

1. getting paid as part of a decades old messaging machine that is stunningly fabulous at spinning lies.

“Free Market” – WHERE is there a “free market”? WHERE is there a market which isn’t an oligopoly of big companies making sure they do NOT have to compete by DELIBERATELY rigging the rules of their markets? Health Care? Defense Contracting? Transportation? Communications? Food Production? Farmer’s Markets and Independent Coffee Roasters and the local food businesses are competitive, but they live by rules. Even in black markets, such as drug deals, there are rules – and if you doubt me, try NOT paying some Columbian / Mexican / Afghan / Golden Triangle drug lord according to the rules of their respective markets. ALL Markets have rules.

2. your mastery of doublethink. I’m curious – are 1 of the servant class keeping food on the table by being a cheerleader for the latest flavor of double think, OR, are you 1 of the architects? ( I don’t expect an answer – part of the mastery of doublethink is NOT knowing you’re doing it? Maybe Orwell was secretly a Zen master? )

3. your effective use of meaningless, but effective, soundbites which will do NOTHING to help millions of kids realize their potential, BUT do help continue the blame game on da guver-mint and lazy union-ists for all evils, phake and fony.

4. great tactics – Ivan calls you what you are, you attack the messenger! (pst! you know this already … remember to call him “angry” and talk about how there isn’t “civility” and how we need “bipartisanship” as you work for policies that insure that the pigs at the top get to stay on top and get to stay pigs. Make sure, when you lie about ME, you claim how I’m defending the status quo! (Isn’t that 1 of the favorite tricks of Chris Kormos from LEV ?)

I can’t give you credit for having as “opponents” people who are members of the most politically incompetent generations since the Depression. I was a cook in Boston in the 80′s – I lived in Tip O’Neil’s district! – and I’ve been out here in Seattle for 22 years. If I hadn’t been around these upper middle cla$$ Democrats for 30+ years (as part of their servant cla$$), I would have thought that they’re on some super secret right wing payroll as betrayers of the bottom 90%+. Fortunately for your paymasters, they don’t have to pay the incompetent guardians of the community !

rmm.

oh. my. god. People are from other states?!?

what could people from other places possibly know that we don’t know here?

Paul the big difference between private schools and public schools is this: Private schools are able to reject any applicant they want (so, there’s no need for special education, english as a second language, or any remedial classes) and can expel immediately any student they perceive as a troublemaker or who’s parents can’t pay the bill.

How do you suggest we change our public education system to give public schools similar capabilities?

The title of the article should be “Should public schools be run like corporations?” Steve Mullin, Live Finne, and Paul Guppy all make a living promoting free market capitalism in ALL aspects of society. Paul says unions block change, but he has little idea what roll we play in public schools. I say we, because I’m a 6th grade social studies teacher and proud leader of my local, state, and national union. Paul has his kids enrolled in exclusive private schools and has supported tax breaks for private schools. Let’s remember private schools have extremely low #s of ESL, low income, special ed, or ethnically diverse students for reasons obviously linked to income, and they can expel anyone for any reason. I know, because I also taught in private schools for 5 years. Comparisons between private and public schools are almost a complete waste of time.

Children are not widgets who all enter our schools the same. Therefore, it is very predictable they depart our schools representing a huge range of diversity. For profit corporate theories work well in the widget world but will produce horrible consequences in the human world of education.

If you read the Senate bills carefully, the end goal is to rank all teachers based upon test scores of students. Since students only spend 17% of their life between age 6 and 18 in school, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to link family income taxes to test scores? If your kid tests low you pay more, since society will have to pay for your child one way or another. I hope everyone can see the illogic of basing our tax rates on student test scores. So why should my career and salary be based upon a 3 hour test that only assesses a very limited range of skills or knowledge?

When I ask parents why their kids are in private school the # 1 answer is class size. There are no less than 33 kids in all my classes in the Bellevue public schools. Washington State is ranked 49th in the nation in class size and destined to be rock bottom after this budget year. Why don’t Stand For Children, the Gates Foundation, Pro Capitalism Think Tanks, and the Senators who voted for the amendments on this bill want to talk about class size? Because then they would have to talk about taxes and funding. True leaders must confront the big problems.

All this talk of saving great young teachers is a smoke screen for the real issues. Billions of dollars have been cut in recent years and at least 2 billion more will be cut this session from Washington public schools. In Bellevue, we have no librarians in our secondary schools, a nurse 1-2 days a week, over 40 kids in some classes, and materials that don’t work with low income and ESL kids. Don’t tell me funding isn’t the problem! We shouldn’t be firing any effective teacher when our enrollment is at historic high levels. We need that young teacher’s energy and new ideas. We also need those veteran teachers who know how to handle 33-40 kids in a room, have figured out how to meet the diverse needs of our students, and can mentor that new teacher so they are still teaching when we retire one day.

Please stop attacking teachers and our unions and start talking about what is the real problem…Funding!

no. readers in general understand reform to be good; is a positive improvement; it implies agreement there’s something in need of reform. So if you say education reform, you are supporting that side. Same with tort reform, which I’d call tort deform.

reform is as neutral as “improvement,” if you want a boring neutral term refer to education “changes” etc.

I dont recall the WEA being all out in front of the battle for high earners tax, or even retaining the soda tax. Maybe they gave some money, I don’t know. But go read the entire threat above and you won’t find the big funding proposal that teachers say is needed. They don’t got a plan — if they did, they’d be leading the charge against the 2/3 rule that blocks funding increases, they’d be leading the income tax charge, etc. etc.

Has a teacher group even sued to overturn the 2.3 rule? Well, how in hell do we raise taxes with the 2.3 minority rule rulz pls ?

Teach us that.

Unfortunately many of the up and coming new teachers will see the handwriting on the wall and realize that they will not have a future in education. It will become quite apparent that there will no longer be a future in education because so many people have become critical of experienced teachers and only want to have beginning teachers hired because they cost less. These future teachers will ask themselves if it is worth investing time in schools when they may be cast off in favor of a less expensive “hire” after serving for 10 or more years. In other words the best and brightest potential teachers may just think that it is not worth investing the time and money to go into a profession that the public no longer respects or wants to fund. In fact thousands of present middle level teachers will now be looking for other professional opportunities because they will also see that their future prospects will be limited by a public that just doesn’t value education and no longer values advanced degrees or experience. Never mind that every business has experience levels and time on the job as the basis of pay levels. The public believes that teachers are overpaid and and part of those horrible unions that are out to destroy America. Well folks you just may not have to worry about those darn union teachers because they won’t want to work for you when they can have a more secure future and not have to deal with your “kids” who in many cases don’t even want to be in school. Countries like Finland have between 2 and 3 teachers in each classroom and spend considerable money in providing some of the finest quality education in the world. So many of our corporations want to pay Americans the same wages as in China and India. In fact many businesses who are members of the chamber of commerce want to abolish the minimum wage. They also want to get rid of medicare and social security and not have to fund public schools or see teachers have health care or pensions. In fact many of the business people want to have teachers work without a salary schedule or yearly pay increases. Just how much abuse do you think teachers are going to take in the future. I have been in education for more than 40 years and am surprised that more teachers have not left the profession in the last several years. Well I can tell you that thousands of teachers will be leaving because they are tired of all the abuse. They don’t mind working 10-12 hour days helping “kids” before school, during lunch and after school, often working all weekends. They are tired of the general public who could care less about schools and don’t want to fund their childrens education. So people get ready for the time when the best and brightest don’t care about being abused anymore by all the fanatics who are hell bent on attacking teachers. I can guarantee that there will be a tremendous teacher shortage in the next 5 years and no one in their right mind will want to be in a profession where their job involves a system of teacher evaluations which are based only on student performance. Everyone will eventually get a low level group and then be fired because of failing to bring this group to some testing standard. Morale would be horrible with friends making sure that friends got the best students. So America will get what it deserves a broken system of education because they were unwilling to fund a system of quality education and continually attacked teachers, forgetting that many of thesesame parents failed to do their job as parents.,

Wordy.

Fingerpaint or get off the pot.