Ot: Soap Box Rant

[IronMike]

For Iron Mike' date=' Don & Other teachers.

I'll be one of the first to agree that teachers almost have to be a policeman these days in school. Then as Don pointed out, don't get caught smacking anyone's hands, or a swat on the rear with the wooden paddle like we got at school if we misbehaved. Then you get charged with battery against a minor, plus a lawsuit. But..........there is a way to change that.

Without teachers, there is no school, no matter how many school buildings are built. Teachers are members of a union. They get together and strike for higher benefits and salary's whenever their contracts expire, etc. if need be. So...........what better benefit would this be for the teacher. Have it put in your union contract that you are allowed to send a kid out of you room to the office 3 times. If after sending that kid to the office three times, he's suspended for a period of days or expelled all together. That way you get rid of the trouble makers and then just maybe you can spend more quality time teaching instead of trying to keep someone from disrupting the classroom. They did that when I was in school and it worked. Oh, and regardless of how many people you kick out of your class, the teacher doesn't get a demotion or fired for not being able to control the animals.

In short, lay down the law in your teachers contract and let the school board know you are tired of being policemen. Now, I would think that would be one of the best and easiest concessions that could be put into any contract. If they don't give it, then go on strike and stay out until you get it. I normally don't support a lot of reasons for striking (or even a union), but here is one thing I would support.[/quote']

I grew as much of you did, get a whacking at school and you were getting one at home...... but that was a different time of parenting as well. A lot of the discipline issues at school originate from the home. We as a society have become one of permissiveness instead of respect and self-discipline. We the teacher are often the bad guy.....

The Fed. and Local governments have pretty much legislated discipline out of public schools. Suspensions are frowned upon because it causes attendance rates to drop and attendance along with test scores and graduation rates is what drives the perception of a successful school. Too many consistent drops in any of those catagories and the govt. steps in and takes over the school. Re-assigning, firing and hiring as they see fit. The admin. on the school level learns to play ball to keep the statistics looking good. Things that got you put out of school in our day are barely addressed. You pretty much have to be physically assaultive in order to get suspended. Mind you some school districts are more assertive with their discipline than others but they run the risk of appearing to be a bad school when the "report cards" hit the papers.

So as you see we end up in "dog chases tail" and gets no where mode. Then you have the whole private versus public school debate. The privates are perceived to be so much better but the playing field is not level...... Privates that don't take federal monies may discipline, educate, or kick out students as they see fit, like the public schools of old..... Heck you can't even assign grades in the public school like in the old days. Johnny comes in does absolutely nothing, fails the class with the 45% F that he earned and I can't assign anything less than a 60% so Johnny has the opportunity to make it up and pass in the following grading period. (can't hurt his self esteem or the graduation rate)

As far as the unions, I don't belong.... they appear a bit self serving to me in my district..... I am not all gloom and doom despite what the government legislates, I enjoy my job...... feel that I am compensated fairly and have made a difference is some students lives plus, I get to coach a sport that I love (football) and impact a lot of young men in a positive way and help them learn the value of respect, hard work and being accountable for their actions. ( we still get to hold our young men to a higher standard than the school). I just wanted to share this info so some may have an understanding of what handcuffs schools/admin/teachers sometimes.

It's good to have old cars as a therapeutic outlet!