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Old 24-02-2003, 01:11 AM
Vcoerulea
 
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Default Plants, Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen, PS


"Iris Cohen" wrote in message
...
Sometimes it's the teacher's fault. My high school biology teacher, a
German-Jewish refugee, was a reincarnation of Socrates. Some of today's

public
school teachers are world-class idiots. Not that they are stupid. They are
narrow, unimaginative, & constricted by troglodyte administrations. Where

is
Miss Frizzle when you need her?
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)


There's a lot of truth in what you say. But I don't think you go high enough
up the ladder for the ultimate troglodyte blame. Parents who all have "above
average" kids put pressure on their legislaters, who in turn legislate
education and education reform (when they know little or nothing of the
educational process), and cut back funds so that the local administrations
have little to work with above what they can raise locally; and guess who's
at the bottom of the heap? I've talked with many educators with 25 years
experience and more, and they feel so overwhelmed by cover-your-ass
paperwork, phonecalls, and parent, peer, and superior meetings they'll quit
as soon as they hit minimal retirement requirements. There's little time
left to teach and prepare lessons or labs. And that's just the surface.
Talk of burnout! Teachers in many places are told what grades to give or
pressured into changing grades because their "Failure rate" is too high.
This goes on up to the college level and pervades inner city as well as
suburban schools. I too feel that education is sadly lacking in many of
today's youth. I feel too that much of it is atitude from the home and lack
of responsibility. They deserve what they want, NOW. I don't know where it's
all going. I don't know what influence you and I can have on it. But I do
think your blame is way too narrow. And the ultimate blame is on the parents
who want the schools as baby-sitter, educational teacher (but only approved
content), moral teacher (but only the "right" morals), but with no "teeth"
to back up decisions or punishment.