What's even worse is that TEACHERS are no longer respected either.

Someone needs to retake math.

If we are broke, over spent, How in the world does he plan on paying for a longer school year?

It is much like us trying to impose our values on other countries with his trying to impose upon us some educational doctrine that they are using somewhere else. and expect it to work.

Plus I just love his favorite word when presenting "HIS" solutions to our nations problems..........."COULD"

The cultural problem in Retardica is much worse than you know. The national reading average is at almost the fifth grade level and hardly anyone knows all the capitols of the states. Reinstate uniforms and the paddle. Get rid of the "grading on the curve" ideals and the teachers who support them. Besides, it shouldn't take the President to do something about our lack of education. It starts with parents and their willingness, or lack thereof, to discipline.

Ummm...lee-936758, stick to the subject! Sheesh!

Enough with the propaganda rhetoric from the right already. Better education in the country will with a doubt do the U.S some good. We rank very low compared to other nations, and yes Obama is right as stated by the one who started this thread in that money will not bring us up alone. It will take allot more and many years to reshape our education system. This is no laughing matter and there is no room nor time for partisan rhetoric that gets us or our children nowhere. An educated nation is a prosperous nation, but some elite rich fear mongers would rather the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and uneducated so they can wave money incentives for the poor to join the military to fight the wars for the rich and powerful. We need to move forward people, not backwards.

The unions turned the best car manufacturers into the worst and now they will turn the best education system into the worst.

Why can't anyone see that the Teacher's Unions are destroying education AND the taxpayers at the same time?

Longer schools are not the answer..

Teachers are disrespected daily by students. Admin staff cannot do ANYTHING except suspend students these days. Teachers do not " teach" anymore. they Teach what is on the standardized tests that students are supposed to pass. That is it.

The dumbing down of our schools so we do not offend the stupid kids hurts just as much and the poor teachers. I dont care if the "kid " is 21 years old and still a freshman in high school. If S/He doesnt know the material, he doesnt goto the next grade.

Money alone can't solve the problem because school administrators don't budget it correctly and spend it on all the wrong things. You can throw all the money you want at the problem, but it's not going to fix it. The problem in this country is that children don't realize how important their education is and it's not always being reinforced at home either. They fall into easy-money traps such as gangs and drug trafficking and drop out of school because that's easier than having to get a degree. *That's* where we have to start, by working on that mindset.

I don't agree with President Obama that we necessarily need a longer school year. What I do think is that instead of having 2 months off in the summer, it should be year-round schooling with a few weeks break in between. I believe some states already do this and many special education students have a school year like this. I think it would benefit regular ed students as well. Frequent short breaks would provide a nice break for them, but it won't be enough time to make them forget what they learned or become reluctant to get back to the routine.

If you extend the school year, the unions will demand compensation for the additional time (God forbid they work a full year like everyone else) and the taxpayers can not absorb that kind of hit. It will never happen. Once again, unions destroying America.

Well I'm sick of all the politcians thinking they know best for us. And by the way we are still in wars with 2 countries at the same time so this president must think it is good to send poor uneducated folks to war for his rich elitest self. Education should start at home and should focus on reading, writing and math so that people can learn whatever they put their efforts to. Hard work is also the key to prosperity not just education.

You could't be more right. I think Hollywood and hip hop music have turned America's youth into disrespectful foul mouthed turds. You can see the difference in those who are taught well at home, but when they are surrounded by "thugs" at school, and hear every dirty word in the book every day, it's bound to rub off on them. It's a shame.

It's not that doctors and scientists aren't respected, it's that hard work is not respected and intelligence is not respected. Kids that do well in school are geeks and nerds. And why spend 4-8 years in college and graduate school when you can go on a reality show and make easy money? Hell, even the rich aren't educating their kids. Look at Paris Hilton - she's from a very rich family and she doesn't have a college degree? What is that? There was a time when the rich when to college even if they were never going to work a day in their life. What's valued today is how much material things you have. This is what comes of a mass consumer culture that pushes buy, buy, buy.

Yes.. this IS a cultural problem. The elephant in the room is ignored again and again. Two parents working, mother too exhausted to set guidelines for her parents, harried father too exhausted with chaotic family to discipline with consistency. Children are allowed to sit in front of tv, computer and video games for hours on end, and parents dont object, because theyre too exhausted and stressed out to parent.

Kids dont need more school - they need a more stable home life, less television, less processed fast food soda and microwave meals, more parental education and discipline, and more time playing out in the fresh air. The only appeal of a full year of schooling is to act as babysitting because no mother is present during the summer any longer, and also to keep unparented kids "off the streets".

We have this all bassackwards, and believe you me, the powers that be KNOW it. The problem IS cultural. Mothers need to concentrate on being mothers. Single mothers perpetuate more single mothers. Single motherhood will never be eliminated - but there is a rash of it now. It used to be a single mother who was so because of being a loose woman, was a pariah in the community. It didnt happen very often because of social stigma. It was a valuable social stigma.

The basic social unit of the family has been destroyed, and a big part of that is economic. Our system is now rigged towards a two-income household. Homes are twice as expensive as they should be. The average family has not gotten ahead. They are overburdened with debt, overworked, overstressed, mentally ill (depression at epidemic proportions), and thier children pay the consequences - We have a nation of Lord-of-the-Flies children - on thier own, with parents present physically sometimes, and mentally /emotionally, rarely.

Children do not need to be kept in a kind of detention center year round so that we can continue to economically exploit the average family. The solution is returning to the one-income middle class family, and a true 7.5 - 8 hour day. Let children PLAY during the summer. We will not be helping the obesity epidemic by keeping kids on thier butts all summer long, not to mention the Air Conditioning bills for these large schools -

Nobody ever wants to face the REAL problems, because theyre too big and scary, and to face them means admitting that we have messed up on a monumental - cultural/societal scale.

Kids need thier moms, and not just a physical, but emotionally drained presence for a few hours a day, if theyre lucky.

What a sad pathetic mess this country is in, relative to where we were. The 1950s sure do look nice compared to the mess we have now.

It's a whole cultural problem. The classrooms don't need more money but the teachers certainly do!! Those countries with the highest ranking systems pay their teachers in line with engineers and doctors. Not only this, but teachers actually have authority and are backed up by the administration and most importantly-the parents! As a teacher with a masters degree, I left the classroom because of the beaurocratic nonsense and because parents pass on an attitude of entitlement to their kids that is almost impossible to work against. The teachers I know spend several extra hours per day and many on the weekend working on schoolwork. How many other professions expect this from their workers?? Teachers are now required th tutor before and after school those students who are not passing the state tests-with no increase in pay!!! If we as a country want to attract the best and brightest to teaching, we must pay them much more and treat them as the professionals they are!!!!!

And another thing. Where in the constitution does it say anything about the right to an education? There was a time when an education was seen as a special opportunity. Parents didnt have to enroll children in school. Many children who went to school understood what a special privilege they were getting. They worked hard, they obeyed thier teacher, and it was no silly business - strait readin' writin', and 'rithmatic. No sports or art or home ec or shop etc. As schools have gotten larger with ever increasing electives with ever increasing demands for the latest technology, children have gotten less disciplined and appreiciative. We should NOT have a no-child-left-behind policy. After grade six or so, LEAVE EVERY SINGLE ONE THAT REFUSES TO VALUE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER THEMSELVES IN THE DUST - right where they belong. When they gain enough real-world kicks in the head to appreciate the value of education, THEN offer them that OPPORTUNITY, and stop squeezing taxpayers for more and more money. An education for ones adored children can never be good enough, which means that the tax revenues can never be sufficient enough to provide the perfect educational experience. Lets stick to the basics, and give a clear message that kids better start appreciating opportunities they have.

You're right. Until parents become accountable for their kids and start caring enough to say "no" to all the garbage filling their heads at home nothing that teachers do is going to make a difference. Our education problems start at home. No point in pouring more money into something until policies are reviewed, fixed, and put in place including but not limited to holding parents accountable for their kid's behavior. And, get rid of cell phones and other non-essential electronic devices during the school day. They are in school to learn, not socialize. Socialize after school.

Obama will find out that unions give their money to Democrats specifically because they expect NOT to have to make any changes - except to get more money.

Vegas and whut, right on! It all starts at home! I'll take it one step further, not only are teachers not respected, education on the whole in the US is not respected! It is given lip service only! Note some of the ignorant comments on this seed.

Why do foreign students in our classes do so much better than US kids? Because the importance of education has been instilled in them by their parents!!

This is from the experience of a 35-year retired teacher who has taught at the jr and senior high levels. I have seen all levels of student in my career, the most successful ones are the ones who have their parent's backing. Ask any teacher, whose parents show up at open houses and conferences, the parents of the successful students!

Regarding the school day or year: just because the students spend more time in school doesn't necessarily translate into a getting more education. It is the quality of education that matters! Extending the school year has met with great opposition from parents themselves. They can't go on vacations, etc. Going during the summer months means classrooms (not just the administrative offices) would have to be air-conditioned. Try that one on the local school board!

Oh yes, the individual who said teachers get a lot of days off. May I remind him/her that they are unpaid!

I would love to have all the anti-teacher commenters spend a few weeks (not just a day) in a real classroom and put up with all the problems teachers encounter on a daily basis. They will come away with an entirely different attitude about teachers. They will probably suggest a pay raise for all of them!!

Teachers brought their disrespected status upon themselves. During the seventies they engaged in illegal strikes to get more pay, faster tenure and easier hours, (meaning less money for new facilities, new teachers and student programs) then they used their union to require teacher cirtificates for anyone wanting a teaching job, thereby driving their competition for jobs into the ground (no more retired lawyers, businessmen, clerical workers teaching their skills to the next generation at give away prices, because they just wanted to give back to the kids) and forcing us to accept lousey teachers from a reduced pool of applicants, while simultaneously making teachers experts at teaching, but completely ignorant about the subject they were teaching (a math teacher should have a degree in math not education, etc.). Teacher's lobyists are by far the most pervasive and influential lobyists in state government now and you can't even change the paint in the teacher's lounge without the union approving it. Teachers decided to make it all about them and they deserve the lack of respect they get.

You are exactly correct Vegas Baby, and no more "feel good diploma's" either.

You can give out all the certificates and diplomas you like but,when these kids get to the real world and cant perform (on a job),they no longer "feel good" about themselves.

This doesnt require additional hours,it requires higher standards for students and teachers.

It's hard to think of ways that the government can give us even more good reasons to homeschool, but the government never ceases to amaze me with their ever increasing ability to promote absolute dependency, mediocrity & stupidity. Is there a class for it at that ivy leagues these days?...

Holding teachers accountable sounds great ....BUT...this is Obama, he loves to talk but I will be truly shocked if he takes a stand against the NEA. Longer school year? As someone said above, "government babysitting", so when both parents are forced to work in this lousy economy, to afford mandated health insurance premiums paid to the private insurance companys, their children can be more easily brainwashed and indoctrinated into the Obama youth Corps.

Whatever soul Obama ever had, he sold to the special interests long before he ever ran for president. Now he's paying back his student loans to the sponsers that groomed him to be their puppet. Very expensive on the job training, that the people will be paying for, for generations to come.

markc is right. My niece has a Masters in English, she can't teach English in school because she does not have a certificate. She doesn't want to, but just the idea that she is not qualified to teach without the certificate is nuts. It is like common sense took a field day in the teaching profession. Another point, I don't think any taxpayer funded position should be union.

Someone needs to retake math.

If we are broke, over spent, How in the world does he plan on paying for a longer school year?

If you cannot answer this question yourself you need to go back to school instead of using this forum to spread your hatred.

FACT: the BOTTOM 1/3 of college grads are those who go into teaching.

In other countries the TOP 10% go into teaching.

lee-936758, THAT'S THE WORST STATEMENT ON THIS WHOLE BOARD!!!!! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! STAY ON THE ISSUE!!!

You took the words righ out of my mouth. Very well understood and said.

Wow Obama throws money at everything assuming it is fixed...why the change?

Floundering...reaching for the heart strings to save the election...lame duck.

Sheila-846240,

Just for the record, if your niece has a masters degree in english and wanted to teach english, all she'd have to do is take the test to get her license in most states. Is it a bad thing to require teachers to have to get a license?

Interesting article in my local newspaper this weekend. A neighboring town received $220,000 in the latest round of 'stimulus' funds from the recent $30 billion package (or was it $50 billion...I'm losing track fo the money the prez is spending".

The article clearly states that the funds are to be used to "create of save jobs in the 2010-2011 schoolyear".

$20,000 of this payment went to add 3 hours per day for two custodians, making them now 'full time' employees of the school system. $20,000 was used to address underfunding of the current budget. The remaining $180,000 is to be put away and used on next year's (2011-2012) school budget.

Therefore a $220,000 'stimulus' payment from the piggy bank of the American taxpayer, providing for "creating or saving jobs in the cuurent school year"...resulted in an expenditure of about 9% of the total monies for the actual purpose intended by the president's plan.

Great plan, Mr. President. Please leave any other plans you have for the nation's educational system buried deep in the pile of your things-to-do list. We cannot afford the 'help' you provide.

Throw money at school! Our budget gets reduced every year. I have not had a raise in two years. I spent over $80 on school supplies for my kids to return to school. I do agree that the students are not invested in these tests, the pressure is on constantly for both teachers and the students. The don't understand something, well - sorry we have to move on now because we have too much material to cover in one year

markc-1976983

Teachers brought their disrespected status upon themselves. During the seventies they engaged in illegal strikes to get more pay, faster tenure and easier hours, (meaning less money for new facilities, new teachers and student programs) then they used their union to require teacher cirtificates for anyone wanting a teaching job, thereby driving their competition for jobs into the ground (no more retired lawyers, businessmen, clerical workers teaching their skills to the next generation at give away prices, because they just wanted to give back to the kids) and forcing us to accept lousey teachers from a reduced pool of applicants, while simultaneously making teachers experts at teaching, but completely ignorant about the subject they were teaching (a math teacher should have a degree in math not education, etc.).

What a wall of nonsensical, yammering text.

I dont know about you but I want teachers to be certified - would you want a retired lawyer wiring your house? No.

And as for a math teacher needing a degree in math not education - can you do differential equations? How about triple integration? Thats what they are teaching for HS math in calculus. Done by a teacher... with an education degree.

When a manuf company is failing - do you get rid of the machinist or do you get rid of the manager?

While I dont hold the teachers harmless - there's plenty of blame to go around.

Also - I work in education (not as a teacher) and the biggest problem I see is parents. They wear their pajama's when they drop their kid off at school (who's also in pajamas). The kids stink like cigarettes and look like shanty irish.

SilverFoc

Watch this video for the truth

http://video.foxnews.com/v/4345865/waiting-for-superman

LOL! Fox news indeed.

Couldn't agree with you more strenthinnumbers that is why I send my children to private schools and make them work to help pay the tuition. I understand that an educated population makes for better citizens, but why should I expect everyone to pay for my choice to have 5 children and to give them an education? People think I'm crazy that I won't take advantage of free schooling since we live in a very good district, but for me it is a matter of principles. I get disgusted when I think that I have to pay high taxes for other peoples choices so I won't make other people pay for mine. I see way too much entitled minded kids walking around today that have absolutely no respect for adults or the society that they have. And it truely is the parents fault. I am raising my kids differently, but I almost feel sorry for them, because unfortunately now that two of them are adults it is hard to fit in with a society of peers that think they are wierd because they believe in working hard, loyalty, respect for your elders, go to church on Sundays and all of the virtues that we were raised with. My oldest son laughs and says that he was really born in the wrong era, he says he is 26 year old with old man's mind.

Money has nothing to do with the problems in our schools. The real problem is the application of liberal principals to the classroom environment over the last 30 - 40 years.

They want everyone to "feel good about themselves" so they do everything they can to keep from failing little Johnny - even though he doesn't get his work done. They give out awards to everyone, so that everyone feels good - and the chlidren learn nothing about achievement. They take away Physical Education classes so that little Johnny doesn't skin his knee and then wonder why children are getting obese. For pity's sake - they can't even use a red pen anymore, because it might make little Johnny feel like he didn't do well -- BECAUSE HE DIDN'T.

The liberal methods have been tried for way too long now, with extremely poor results. How much longer are we going to allow this to go on before we say "enough". The current methods are not working - we need to try something else! Children need to fail. Children need to lose. If they don't, they will never succeed.

I agree, teaching starts in the home. However, these teachers are so consumed with testing the kids to see if they're learning anything is getting excessive. In California all our teachers did was test thekids. Once they were done with state mandated tests, they had to start testing the kids for yet another state mandated test. Why not give these teachers a chance to actually teach?

Why can't there be special classes specifically for teaching kids English as a second language? Our kids are stuck sitting there while the teacher works with the kids who can't read or write our language, and it's frustrating the teachers and the kids aren't learning.

How are schools in poor areas going to be improved? Are teachers who teach there going to be compensated the way tehy should be? Money talks! Besides, teachers aren't nearly paid enough for what they do.

Obama, why don't you take some creative ideas from us parents who's children *don't* attend private schools? Why not put your daughters in public schools? Oh, that's right, they'd be subjected to the same educational treatment of our non-white house kids!

Dear Strengthinnumbers

"And another thing. Where in the constitution does it say anything about the right to an education? There was a time when an education was seen as a special opportunity. Parents didnt have to enroll children in school. Many children who went to school understood what a special privilege they were getting. They worked hard, they obeyed thier teacher, and it was no silly business - strait readin' writin', and 'rithmatic. No sports or art or home ec or shop etc."

BANG! You hit the big nail right on the head. The constitution DOESN'T say word one about the right to an education. THe harder it is to get something, the harder someone will try to get it. Take away the "right" to an education and make it more difficult to obtain an education and you can bet your bottom dollar the education system will dramatically improve.

I dont know about you but I want teachers to be certified - would you want a retired lawyer wiring your house? No.

No, but that's a false analogy. I WOULD want a retired lawyer teaching my kid civics, even if he or she hadn't gone to "teaching training school" to learn nonsense. (I would favor a system in which teacher wanna-bes had to spend some time observing the masters, and doing some student teaching, then.)

Fake credentialism is one of the things that is ruining this country. There are plenty of good ways to learn a skill outside of a classroom. Autodidacts should be rewarded, not punished.

He is correct. Just like money without reform isn't going to help our Health Care System. Unfortunately, he didn't pick up on that concept before pushing through his "landmark" proposal.

A couple points. I find it amusing that BO has found something that throwing money at couldn't solve. Secondly, why would BO think that everything in this country is broke and if he doesn't fix it----it'll never get fixed. Fannie and Freddie need brought up to speed badly and they just keep letting them lag and lag. Vouchers would eliminate a lot of the problems. Kids/parents should have the right to go where they want.

well if the republicans and the Plutocrats had it there way, There would be no education. They would want the vast majority to be illiterate, that way they could scam and scare there way in politics.....HMMM just like whats going on today

Well I thought all this gambling in America was suppose to fix the money problem for our schools. Remember in California when playing the Lotto it was suppose to be giving money to the schools. What happened to that? The schools still suffered, because the Lotto failed to live up to tits bargain in helping them. The only thing the Lotto created was a gambling problem for the people on low income.

Now for the teachers, teachers should be easily removed from a position is he/she is not capable or able to do their job as a teacher.

This tenure needs to be overturned and people teachers should be just as easily fired as anyone else from in the work place.

I have a brother that has his masters degree, but did he earn it. No! once I learned he submittedall hos term papers to another person to correct and fix all his errors, that paper is no longer his and was altered by another individualal. He worked at a college for less than a year and they figured out he was a complete and utterly moron that shouldn't be teaching students.

He still refuses to accept that he was fired. He claims he was put on permanent suspension. Duh, that means you are permanently "Gone/Fired".

Teachers today vs the students. We really need to adapt one language in thiscountry and stop all these kids from entering the schools that cannot speak English, the American official language. They need to be sent to a school where they can learn to speak English, but if they are not legally here, then they should be deported. This is a big problem in our schools having kids with parents that cannot speak English, then the monies for our schools are being spent on Spanish/English translators in the classrooms. This needs to stop!

Now to the heart of the problem of students and learning issues. Don't just sit back and accuse all teachers of being bad. They aren't. When you have kids in schools that are allowed to bring in cell phones, food, MP3 players and whatnot, then you cannot remove these items from the students because if you do, then you can be accused of assault on a minor.

Parents need to remove all this technology from their kids that are in the K-12. This will eliminate all the distractions and disruptions in the schools, and if you start putting out better food other than junk food for the students to eat, then a lot of them be able to concentrate other than having all this artificial garbage in their system.

Sports in schools should be last on the agenda, but unfortunately it's not. Sports in school seems to take away from all the important thongs the students need to learn in order to become successful in life. Same goes for cheer-leading. All this sport krap and cheer-leading needs to come to an end. Make it an after-school event thing and lets see just how many kids want to hang around the schools to participate. To kids, school is a form of punishment and are eager to get the hell out once that final bell rings.

Bullies and Gang members in school. ll this needs to end, PRONTO. If you are a bully or a gang member, sorry, but you made your choices to be trouble for all others and you are not wanted here. These groups of thugs all need to be removed from the school system so kids can feel safe and concentrate on their class projects and discussions. They don't need to be sitting around in a classroom waiting or worrying about when the next bullet is going to pierce a wall or window, or when someone is going to become their next victim. Bullies and thugs need to be removed from all schools. When I was a kid growing up, bullies and thugs/gangs were removed from the campuses and then sent to boarding school for delinquents. They need stronger and better enforcement to deal with these problem children. Why should all other students suffer due to a few of the garbage that has blown onto the campuses of our schools for our kids.

Last but not least, any teacher hat gets caught abusing, molesting, encouraging other students to attack others (and it has been done), they all need to be removed from the schools, and those teachers that have tenure and are not allowed to teach but sit in another room collecting pay. It needs to stop. They all need to be FIRED and all that money being paid out to all these bad teachers that cannot be in a classroom teaching needs to be given their pink slip asap.

Obama had to get out ahead of the "Waiting for Superman" Docu/film ( done by the same guy that did AlGore's -- An Inconvenient Truth) . And NBC faithfully obliged by devoting it's whole morning schedule to "Education" and just happened to be the only "news" organization to get the exclusive 30 minutes with the POTUS...Perhaps just a "Convenient Coincidence" ?? Why did he allow the very successful Voucher Program to expire in DC...Union pressure I would surmise....who's he kidding ??.....We have been on to him since before Day 1

Money alone won't fix public education? Gee, Obama threw billions at the Wall Street, who destroyed the economy. Money seemed to work there (and he didn't demand any "reform" first either). He throws billions into wars and armaments, moneys seems to "work" pretty well there, too.

But anything they want to destroy, like public education "money" won't fix.

Obama is a big pusher of "Charter Schools". Charter schools are a back alley way to privatize education and when education is privatized there will be a two tiered system (much like our private healthcare system) for rich folks vs. middle class and poor people. Guess which one will be well funded and very good and which will be poorly funded and mediocre.

It's funny the public education just "doesn't seem to work" anymore isn't it? And all of a sudden how "bad" teachers are.

The U.S. beat the Great Depression, won WWII, went to the moon and invented the micro chip and the computer with a well funded public educational system but now for some strange reason, so says Bill Gates, the Republicans and many Democrats like Obama, it just just doesn't work and we need a stealth privatization through "charter Schools".

It's also strange that all of the countries we are hiring engineers from and outsourcing high tech manufacturing too, like China and India have public educational system that unlike ours even includes an education through college.

Here's an article I found on line about the attack on one of the bedrocks of any democratic society, a quality public education.

Obama escalates assault on public education

By Tom Eley
25 July 2009

On Friday, President Barack Obama announced an assault on public education that would go beyond the Bush administration's "No Child Left Behind" program. He outlined an education "reform" that would link teacher pay to the test performance of students and force state governments to shift funding from established public schools to so-called charter schools.

Obama spoke on Friday at the Department of Education, unveiling a $4.3 billion "competition" among the states for federal grants, named "Race to the Top." Money from the fund would be awarded to only a handful of states that best promote "innovation"— charter schools and merit-based pay among teachers. States that forbid these policies, such as California, New York, and Wisconsin—home of the nation's highest-ranked education system—would be barred from consideration.

Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan presented the $4.3 billion as if it were an extraordinary amount of money. But it is tens of billions less than has been doled out to individual banks, such as Goldman Sachs, in Obama's bailout of the finance industry. It is also less than the personal fortunes of about 90 Americans, according to the Forbes 400 list of 2008. Nor does it meet the desperate needs of cash-starved public education; the Detroit public school system alone has a deficit of $400 million....

....Obama and Duncan implicitly laid the blame for the problems of public education at the feet of "bad" teachers.

While it is certainly the case that the US has among the worst public education systems in the industrialized nations—with high drop-out rates and poor accomplishment in key subject areas—this is not the fault of teachers. It is the outcome of decades in which public education has been starved of resources, while the wealth of the country has been channeled ever more openly into the coffers of the very rich.

Merit-based pay for teachers will only discourage educators from taking positions at disadvantaged schools and among students who need the most help. Its practical effect, like No Child Left Behind, will be to shift funding out of the schools that need it most. It is a giant step toward the privatization of public education in America and the formalization of a two-tier, class-based education system.

Already, the quality of eduction for American children depends largely on the affluence of the area in which any given school is located. Much of US school funding is based on property taxes and other forms of local revenue, and certain states make available far more money per student than others. In this set-up, the public schools in the wealthy neighborhoods and suburbs are vastly superior to those in the inner cities, small towns, reservations, and other financially starved areas. Rich and upper-middle class families may also bypass public education altogether by sending their children to expensive private or parochial schools. Obama's policies will serve to deepen, and make official, these disparities....

....Obama's education proposals demonstrate that social inequality in America is so advanced, and the power of the financial aristocracy so immense, that no public service or program, including education, that is not openly based on class privilege and status can long survive....

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/jul2009/educ-j25.shtml

Okay first of all, the only people who get a degree in education are primary teachers, and that's because they have to teach everything. They get an interdisciplinary degree with classes that are specifically designed for future teachers. For instance I took an earth science class which was designed not just to teach earth science but also to teach how to teach earth science.

Secondary teachers have to get BA/BS in their respective field and get what is basically a minor in education. I am getting an 8-12 science certificate. I have to get the same BS in biology (with a chem minor) that the pre-med students do. Except that I have to take MORE sciences PlUS take education classes and go through the certification process. And trust me those education classes are NECESSARY. People who are changing careers and get their certificates through an alternative certification program rarely last 5 years. Teaching isn't just about knowing the subject. My education classes include ethics, learning theory, technology implementation, observing experienced teachers, and a whole semester of student teaching.

Here in PA, gambling was supposed to lower our property/school taxes. It did----$127.00 a year. Every state that has a lottery claims that the proceeds help the seniors. How much does that and how much goes to administering the plan? In NC, fire companies and other entities went to old time concerts etc. to raise revenue. Somebody took a look and found out 80% was going to the fundraisers! Most people want to see their taxes at work. OK, I paid it, what got done with it? The tax system top to bottom, federal, state, local, needs reworked. I read a piece that said----blacks are 18% of the population with only 44% having a high school diploma. That is not good. If a kid does well in school, we need to make sure that he goes as far as possible and money should not be an issue.

In the litte state I live in, our "educational leaders" have spent $1.6 billion dollars in 15 years to solve the problem of the "achievement gap"...the variation in standardized test scores and graduation rates between while students and their minority counterparts.

In 2010, it was announced that our state has the worst 'achievement gap' in the nation, despite that $1.6 billion.

So we're told that our state's "educational leaders" are now formulating a new plan to solve the problem of the 'achievement gap'...since we now know that the first $1.6 in spending basically accomplished nothing and even made the 'gap' worse.

It is projected that our state will have a $3 billion budget shortfall by the end of this year. A $1.4 deficit would have been a smaller pill to swallow for my state's taxpayers, who now wait to see how much the new solutions being discussed by the "experts" will cost us.

Make the tests worth something to the students, then watch scores improve, and THEN it would be fair to assess school and teacher performance on those tests

Instead of increasing teacher's pay, say, beginning in 6th grade make available awards or scholarship money to those who outperform. That will give them something to "test" for as well as reinforce the merits of a college education.

Additionally, we need to address the fact that we have dumbed down education for the last 40 years in this country using racial, cultural and economic differences as the reasoning and justification behind it. Until we rectify that fact this will all just be a bunch of hot air that politicians use as the carrot in front of our noses to elect or in this case re-elect them!

Come on Obama let's finally deliver on that "Real Change That We Can All Believe In."

Maybe if we start telling kids (those that we know are capable) if you don't pass, you repeat. We leave it up to the parents to decide whether or not a failing student is moved on to the next grade and most parents won't hold them back because little Johnny or Susie had a very difficult life this year. Stop blaming teachers! Start looking at individual student achievement and student growth. We are one of the few nations where everyone is entitled to an education--some of these so-called higher achieving nations do not educate those students we would label as "special ed"--they would put these kids in Institutions instead. We, here in America, believe that these children can be educated and many of them make great strides in becoming educated individuals.

I work with students and many would respond to scholarship program. Also, I wonder why we have done away with job-skill classes. Some students have no desire to attend college but would be thrilled to learn a skill.

Jeff, you're absolutely right. My sister and her husband did job-skill classes which translated into future work for them. Many countries offer this as an alternative to higher education. College and universities aren't for everyone.

A longer school years isn't the solution. Kids need time to be kids and in order to grow up they have to have time to grow up. What we really need to do is stop adding more and more material to the classroom crowding out things like the 3Rs.

Teacher incentive pay is an excellent way of taking things back to the 40s and 50s where there were schools which were practically worthless as other schools in the same district were excellent. Taking it out on the teachers is really not appropriate, when they typically get only 5 hours a week with a student at the middle and high school level.

Even in elementary school you're talking 30 hours a week, out of a total of 168 hours in the week, that's really not enough time to counter act the remaining time.

teacher jeff I think skills based training was once called tracked education and if we push university level training skills based learning goes the way of a ghost. I agree, not every student has the need to be pushed off to a university, especially with the costs of Uni going up at two to three times the typical inflation rate each year. I am not a poor man, yet putting one child through a major state sponsored university nearly put me in the poor house.

Do away with NO Child Left Behind type programs. Pick up tract based training that provides the child at least an entry level educational background in something. Make it possible for parents to actually parent.

Forget the 4 Billion please. Just stick with the slogan; "Race To The Top." This will be as effective as the last two: " No Child Left Behind," and Success For Every Student."

When he was asked why he didn't send his children to the D.C. public schools he should have told the truth: " I have the money to send them to one of the better private schools in the country, do you think for a moment that Michelle and I would send them to one of the top ten worst school systems in the nation?"

With 24 million people unemployed, tax revenues are way down and without the tax revenue you can't fix anything. On top of that you have to pay out 100's of Billions in unemployment benefits If you just focused on jobs you would have put a big dent in a lot of problem, healthcare, unemployment, deficits, forclosures, etc.

It's the ECONOMY you stupid crackhead President.

Stimulus that does not stimulate La La La, Spending our way out of debt La La La, HealthCare reform that is not reform La La La, Gays in the military La La La, Financial Reform that it not Reforn La La La, Cap and Trade La La La. One G D job Killing bill after another. New unemployment claims at 478 thousand per week La La La, we created 78,000 jobs this month but lost a million La La La. We save GM so they can build a new plant in Mexico La La La. We shut down Saturn Automotive a 100% USA made and the most fuel efficient line of cars in the made is USA La La La. Forclosures La La La.

Pelosi, Reid and Obama have been running the show in Washington DC for almost 4 years. You have lost 12 million jobs, to 10%, 33% in the black communites, doubled the proverty rate to 1 in 6 and 1 in 4 amoungest blacks.

If I did not know anything about the President and some told me the President of the U.S. was a secret KKK member I would look at the numbers and have to agree, no President could have more perfectl distoried the Black communities. You get and A for that.

Mr. President Barak Hussien Obama you are the worst President ever.

I thought this President was going to workout. Jesus Christ, what GD mess. I am so sorry America.

He continues to throw more and more of other peoples' money at the problem. The real problem is that the average IQ in America is 101, so college preparation for all means poor education for all, regardless of what you spend.

We as a nation refuse to accept the reality that existing is not worthy of a blue ribbon, there has to be effort and intellectual ability involved.

I think Obama is right for once, yes we need a longer school year. But, let's make it contingent on restoring recess, because, yes kids need to play. And let's make sure we have a full education that includes more than just "the tests." Bring back science and social studies. Bring back PE to develop the physical body, perhaps stressing sports students can use for life, rather than just the competitive team sports. Bring back art to develop an appreciation for beauty. Bring back music, it actually develops the whole brain in addition to developing an appreciation for culture.

The average teacher spends about 60 hours a week when you include preparation, planning, meetings, and training sessions on new standards and curriculums, although they get paid for 40. Most spend time throughout the summer taking workshops and classes at their own expence, attending district required workshops and training, and working on curriculunm for the next year on their own time. So please do not expect them to add more weeks in without their asking for more pay.

Currently, our local district is 9 1/2 months (mid-August to late May), teachers only get off from beginning of June to beginning of August due to required trainings. If they are new to the district, they actually start middle of July. Our local teachers say it has actually been several years since they got even cost of living raises due to budget crunches, so more than ever are trying to find work for those two summer months.

Mr Cool:

You are correct, that would have been a totally honest (though disastrous) answer.

The key is this -- How about we look at those top private schools? See what their priorities are? What is expected of students? Of parents? Of teachers?

Now -- instead of putting public schools into a straitjacket of regulations that is increasingly strangling them, try giving them the freedom to operate like those private schools. Give public school teachers the resources, the class sizes, the autonomy and the support they need to provide a quality education for the children in their classes.

It is that simple.

But, yes, it will be expensive -- because that means providing a high quality education for all children, including the ones that those private schools often claim they are not prepared to admit -- children with severe handicaps, children from abusive home situations, homeless children... You get the idea.

Are we willing to do that as American citizens? Do we really believe that all kids deserve a quality education? Or just our own kids? Or maybe not even our own kids, if it costs too much?

I'm reminded of a bumpersticker I saw some years ago : Think education is expensive? Try ignorance. Sadly, that seems to be just what we are doing.

Concerning post 3.7 by MrCool

One thought.

President Obama would have made one hell of a splash IF HE ACTUALLY DID enroll his children in one of the ten worst schools in the country. The school would immediately be in the spotlight. The presence of the secret service agents would prevent bullying and gang warfare. The grades of the students would almost have to improve because the entire school would be in a fishbowl.

Didn't Amy Carter attend a public school in Washington DC? I can't remember if she did.

The real problem is that the average IQ in America is 101

The average IQ in EVERY country is supposed to be 100. This is true by definition, because otherwise IQ tests wouldn't be valid. That means, BTW, that there are just as many people with IQs BELOW 100 as above it. When I tell people this, I get blank looks, which actually scares me as a "math person".

...Jeff....very true...not every student is college material, that is why it was called 'higher education', and was intended for the best and brightest amongst us, not everyone. But over the past 30 years 'higher education' has been dumbed down to a grade of average or below to accomondate students of lesser abilities, and that is why we are graduating subpar engineers, scientist and the likes....Higher standards for college acceptance and more focus on vocational training for the 72% of high school students who never even acquire a BA is needed.....

It is time for America to wake up to reality and realize every child does not have the capacity for 'higher education', and time to realize the industrial age is still upon us and hands on labor is still a necessity for economical growth.....We need to abandon the focus of making more chiefs and start educating more indians...environmentalist may not like it, but resurrecting the industrial and manufacturing base is crucial for America's survival

No, he shouldn't. That would be an extremely blatant violation of the constitution. Politicians that get reelected are doing whatever it is that their constituents want. Which, unfortunately, in much of the country means voting against the best interest of the people and generally behaving poorly.

frank -- this is one time I can say constitution be da..ed and mean it. School officials are not elected and need to be able to perform at a certain level. There are teachers out there who took the class they teach exactly once in a most crowded University life. I know I had chemistry teachers who exploded their experiments, had NO idea what the periodic table meant, and could not tell you the difference between an ion and covalent electrons.

The first truly elected officials are the school boards. Do your duty here and elect someone that cares.

The last thing this country needs is more socialists brainwashing more kids.

He's been a Constitutional Professor you twit. He has plenty of degrees.

I am detecting BS in your comment. Nothing you said benefits our education system. We need to stop lying to our kids and let them know what reality is. Hold them accountable. Teachers, nor teacher's unions are the sole reason and probably less of a reason behind why our school systems are a failure. Stop making excuses for your kids. If they aren't getting it, it's not at the fault of the teachers. As parents, you have to education your own kids and monitor their progress and stop using our education system as a babysitting service.

"Look at Paris Hilton - she's from a very rich family and she doesn't have a college degree"

Paris Hilton is so dumb she thinks Moby Dick is a venereal disease.

would you actually WANT Barrack Obama to teach your child?

Most definately! Has a higher IQ than all Republicans.

terry - but can he teach?? I'm sure that if you did a survey of the homeless in America, many of them would also have high IQ's

I would like Barack Obama (or Arne Duncan or Michelle Rhee or anyone who is critical of teachers) to take on the job of teaching an elementary school class for a month.

I have great respect for the President's intelligence. But it takes a whole lot more than intelligence to be in charge of the total learning experience of 20 or 30 little kids, even for a month.

If he is paying attention, he would learn that children learn best when they enjoy school and want to be there. That means making learning fun and interesting. It also means making sure that bullying is dealt with in a constructive and effective manner. It means comforting children who couldn't sleep last night for reasons ranging from a deceased pet to quarreling parents to police activity outside the window. The multiplication tables just don't mean much in that context -- a teacher needs to help kids find a degree of safety and security in school before they can move on to learning.

He would realize that the most important work he does is about attitude. If kids feel that they can learn, they do learn. He will have to find out what each and every child knows, and what they need to learn. He will need to teach them how to go about learning what they need to know. He will need to develop multiple ways to approach the same concept, because what works with one child may not work with another.

And we have not even touched on the suffocating issues of paperwork, testing and other demands from outside that have little to do with real teaching and learning. Anyone who steps into this job with the intention of doing it well, even for a month, will see things very differently at the end.

Most definately! Has a higher IQ than all Republicans.

For an obviously gifted person who can magically intuit the IQs of every Republican, you really should learn to spell. Or at least use spell check. "Definately".

"Voluntary prayer" is never voluntary, and you know that. What happens to children who do not want to join in with praying to Jesus? Beatings at recess? Being pointed out by their teachers? Your comment shows that you don't like those who don't believe as you do, and you'd like to either get rid of them or make them change.

So now, jay, it's the students who do pray that are being pointed our by their teachers and get beatings at recess.

We already have prayer in school. It starts with the teacher saying "pop quiz."

Voluntary prayer does exist. A person can prayer to themselves whenever they choose and that does not have to offend anyone. You can not keep me or anyone else from praying to themselves, but it should be up to the individual and not pressured by setting aside time for it. If you want this type of environment people should go to a private school of their religious preference. But this conversation is supposed to be about education and I do not believe that longer school years are the answer. Better home situations would help a lot. The people that made this country into the power that it became did not go to school as long as they do now. Also hands on education is very important and not all people are cut out for book learning but are just as gifted in their own way and should not be pressured into a college education just because.

"Try allowing GOD back in with voluntary Prayer and see what happens"

Exactly what bearing do you feel that would have on the problem?

Actually the argument for voluntary prayer is a great idea! It teaches children about Jesus Christ. Which is a good thing, since not accepting him as your savior and asking him to forgive your sins will result in spending eternity in Hell. It’s like having a sibling with a drug addiction, do you ignore and become accepting of the problem, or do everything you can to lead him away from the addiction? It is a Christian’s job to win over others, not by forcing religion down anyone’s throat, but by setting an example, teaching them the truth so that they can make their own decision. Christian’s don’t accept other religions or beliefs and should not give the impression that they do.

"Also hands on education is very important and not all people are cut out for book learning but are just as gifted in their own way and should not be pressured into a college education just because."

Agree 100%

Actually the argument for voluntary prayer is a great idea! It teaches children about Jesus Christ. Which is a good thing, since not accepting him as your savior and asking him to forgive your sins will result in spending eternity in Hell. It’s like having a sibling with a drug addiction, do you ignore and become accepting of the problem, or do everything you can to lead him away from the addiction? It is a Christian’s job to win over others, not by forcing religion down anyone’s throat, but by setting an example, teaching them the truth so that they can make their own decision. Christian’s don’t accept other religions or beliefs and should not give the impression that they do.

Voluntary prayer is a bad idea. I've seen the trend from that to evangelizing and outright majority oppression by zealots into harassment and divisiveness. Keep public schools secular, and private schools theological unless you actively promote chaos.

Steve, um unless you haven't figured out that America has a religious plurality, it is unlikely that all those who decide to pray would pray to Jesus. Besides, if it's voluntary, they could pray to whomever or whatever they wanted. Also if you are trying to make the word Christian plural, you don't need to use an apostrophe because that shows ownership. Of course Christians (notice the lack of an apostophe?) shouldn't accept other religious beliefs for themselves. If they did it's probable that they aren't Christians. However, Christians should accept the fact that not everyone wants or agrees with Christian theology and probably would prefer not to have it imposed on them in any manner, just like a Christian wouldn't want someone else imposing their religious beliefs on Christians.

please introduce me to god the next class period. I have never seen him/her/it teaching any class. Maybve god can tell us all about the difference between RNA and DNA

ceknight78, Thanks for pointing out the incorrect use of an apostrophe in my last post. It demonstrates that none of us are perfect. Another example of this fact is your misspelling of the word apostrophe the second time you used it in your post. Based on your response, I think you are missing the point of my post altogether. I agree with "Besides, if it's voluntary, they could pray to whomever or whatever they wanted." As I said "It is a Christian's job to win over others, not by forcing religion down anyone's throat, but by setting an example, teaching them the truth so that they can make their own decision." I pray daily for all those who are lost.

Leave religion where it belongs, in church, not schools. Pray before you go to school if that makes you happy. But do not think for one minute that it makes any difference in the way students learn. The problems in the schools today can be settled in several ways, more time in the classroom, more discipline and parental support are just a few ways to help. Also when you speak to a school age child do you ask them " How do you like school? I always hated ..... (plug in your least favorite subject here)." We teach kids to dislike school.

I so believe that the problem is the lack of religion. That was when the schools started going downhill because the kids went downhill.

That was Marx's and Lenin's philosophy as well and probably from Disraeli too.

Historically, much of the motivation for public schooling has been to stifle variety and institute social control. – Jack Hugh

The public school system: "Usually a twelve year sentence of mind control. Crushing creativity, smashing individualism, encouraging collectivism and compromise, destroying the exercise of intellectual inquiry, twisting it instead into meek subservience to authority." – Walter Karp, Editor Harper's Magazine

"That was Marx's and Lenin's philosophy as well"

I didn't know Groucho and John felt that way.

Pretty good, StoneCold, pretty good!

A waste is a terrible thing to mind.

IXNAY the entire public school system and make parents pay for their children's education. I, for one, do not have kids YET I'm forced to subsidize this waste we call public education. And I still have to put up with arrogant illiterates who graduated from these waste lands called "Public School" and now work in the various White Hens and 7 11s. Come on. They can't even make correct change without using their fingers.

If they're lucky and well connected, they get jobs working for the DPW. How many DPW workers does it take to fill in a 3 foot pot hole? Let's see. . .um. . . 17. One to fill in the hole and 16 to stand around in da-glo orange vests, drinking coffee, and looking at passing traffic.

I get the impression that way too many homeschoolers are into molding their children, channeling their kids' creativity and individuality into channels the parents choose, teaching rigid and limiting ways of thinking, and definitely not teaching them honest intellectual questioning.

As a public school teacher, I made it a point to encourage questioning. We had some non-negotiable rules, but those were mostly about respecting one another. If you want to call that social control, so be it.

You get this impression based on WHAT, exactly? I'm a homeschooler and I always encouraged my kids to have their own views, as long as they could support them in a written essay. When my older son decided to go to private high school (he won a scholarship!) and there was a volunteer requirement, I encouraged him to choose anything he wanted, even to work for a presidential campaign that I personally disagreed with. After all, this was HIS thing, and when kids are too young to vote, this is all they can do to express their opinions. You can bet he DID vote when he was old enough, too. I would rather he cancel out my vote than be a typical apathetic young person.

Believe it or not, not all homeschoolers are even Christians, let alone right wingers or left wingers. The original father of homeschooling was John Holt, who was very left wing.

Based on the homeschoolers I have actually known. I certainly hope that there are many more homeschoolers out there who are doing what you do. (Please note that I did say "way too many," not "all.")

John Holt was one of the writers whose ideas formed the basis of my personal teaching philosophy. How Children Fail and How Children Learn are two books that influenced my teaching all the way through my career.

Oh -- and I want to congratulate you on encouraging your children to think for themselves, and allowing them to come to their own conclusions, particularly if you do not agree with them. That is not an easy thing for a parent or teacher -- any parent or teacher -- to do.

I think this is a basic Jewish value which applies to all parents whether they homeschool or not, but I thank you.

Give it up xenophobe.

Nothing xenophobic about it........ That is unless you think Obama is an alien???

Another Fox News droid. If you would pull your head out of your Limbaugh induced coma you would be able to make an educated comment.

doris912 come on stop criticizing Obama he is trying his best. Tying to fix and bring back a country which has gone through one of the worst recessions in history. why don't the media stop seeing the negative in his decisions and try to see some light ok

T-105389 I shall attempt to send you a semi illiterate missive and my head isn't stuffed half way up my limaugh either.

I agree fox news is a part of the problem, as is virtually every other television network from A to Z regardless of political direction. The problem seems to me to fall into two categories, in school and at home.

At home problems involve two major areas. The children either spend their home time locked in their room or down in the basement, where ever the computer might be, playing computer games, on a chat room or bulletin board, or maybe watching television or the latest movie. To fill in the time, we hear about gangs and we know about drop out children who are being paid huge dollars just to play a game most of us gave up in high school. The child uses these for their day to day heroes becasuse mom and dad are too busy working, playing or maybe arguing to remember they have children in the house.

The second MAJOR part of the problem is in the school and I fear no added days of training will ever make up for the lack of performance brought on by a poor course of studies. Teachers need to be in smaller class rooms teaching vastly smaller groups of students. They need to be experts in the subjects they teach, not someone who once heard that class taught somewhere. Finally, the courses being taught need to be challenging, not socially significant and correct. We are graduating children that might be able to use a computer if they know how to right and left click but they can not even balance their check books. How do we expect them to excel in university.

Last, we need to have an attitude adjustment when it comes to expectations. Correct understanding of what must be learned at the teacher and parent levels will allow students to grow in their intelligence even if they do NOT go off to university. That leaves one more item which is expectations. Not all of the kids who graduate high school are even suited for University studies. We need to track children into the trades, into clerical, and given the preponderance of computing, into the technical aspects of business. Let JCs and other non-traditional higher levels of education remain in place. They are a bridge for those who may have erred in a life choice and wish to change mid stream.

There is a problem in this article I did not address. Who can believe further involvement of the Federal Government in the lives of schools and the children there in is even the right way to go. Because of Federal interference, we get standardized testing, which some say is culturally biased, while others tell us dumbs down the student population. We get "No Child Left Behind" type programs that do little but exascerbate the situation. The difference in what is needed varies from one city and state to the next. If the 3 Rs have been covered, the rest needs to reflect local desires and abilities, not some preconceived Federal mandate.

You make accurate statements - I've been in public ed. for 30+ years - you nailed it.

t-rex...

Remember "Custer's Last Stand" ?????

Like our current president...George Armstrong Custer was "trying his best" too !!!

Yes I can not only give you one I can name over 100 of them if you'd like me too. I'll start with a few and if you want more I'll add to the list:

Fire Departments, Police Departments, Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation, Public Libraries, Post Office (I know some will argue this one but if you live where I do UPS and FEDEX will not deliver here so the US Post office has great value), US Military, NASA, and the list goes on

Obviously you don't live in NYC..... where when the Fire Department and Emergency response departments asked for more money to update... not upgrade equipment Bloomberg's answer was to shout down Fire houses and EMT stations.... Now it takes most fire Companies approximately 4 minutes longer to get to the farthest destination on their coverage map.... Sorry... but 4 MINUTES is HUGE when someone's having a heart attack, or a fire is raging through a multi-unit apartment....

Actually, a longer school day can be helpful. There is a school in Chicago where all the members of the senior class were accepted into college. One of the differences in this school curriculum was that the school day was longer, 8-430 (something like that).

AND there does need to be a performance system for teachers. They grade their students based on a perfomance system, why cant they be graded in the same fashion? Further more, every other job in life is graded on some type of performance metric as well.

Norman, are you a parent? If so, having you more involved in education, with your poor spelling and grammar, would not provide much of an improvement.

Really - poor spelling is not the issue with parenting! It is caring about the kids and taking the time to get involved. Let's worry about what matters and not the difference between "there" and "their". Working on the school systems to change things such that poor teachers are not allowed to stay on due to tenure is one thing. Another major issue is parental involvement. Without it, no matter how good the school...no matter how good the teachers... children are likely to fail. Can we get strategic and look at how to reach out to parents to help them parent?

Yes I am a parent two Daughters both school teachers and very good ones, I supplied my daughters the education my parents could not give me. Don`t worry about my spelling and check and see what your kids are doing.

I agree! This topic deserved MORE than 30 minutes and the discussion really only lasted about 15 minutes.

Another education critic.

Is he the "Chuck" Norris?

Matt was just asking the questions he was told to ask.

Matt's interview was on the State of Education in Our Country, that might explain Why questions weren't asked on: The 40 or 44 % poverty stats in the U.S., millions of illegals that are taking jobs and adding to the poverty for americans, and what irks you.

Half of the people that live in poverty choose that life style. Drinking, drugs, teen drop out parents. Living on welfare and medicaid. McDonald's, Burger King, Walmart all pay at least min. wage and are hiring every day. Single parents need to put their child 1st, get involved in what they are doing in and out of school. As a single parent myself I didn't date until my childern finished college. I was at every school meeting, function, every ball game etc. When I chose to have children I chose to give my life to them. They are what is important. As a single parent I never received any gov. help. I worked making just over min. wage in an office and did not parents myself to fall back on since they had both died before I was 22. PUT YOUR CHILDREN 1ST!!!

As a single parent you must have dated at least once before your child finished college. Immaculate conception has already been taken!

Pluto, please be aware that at least some human beings are capable of learning from their mistakes. I agree that a single mom has no need to be dating before her youngest child is 18, if only for THIS reason: mom's boyfriends are automatically the first suspect in every case of child molestation. Some pedophile creeps prey on single moms to get at their kids, and unfortunately, they look just like everybody else. I'm not saying all single parents must take a vow of celibacy, but they should be aware of the risk, because it is real.

Another one.

Charlie; get ur head out of your "A55", if you have worked in education, you would understand what he is saying. There are teachers out there, that have been there for years that don't do the jobs they are paid for, and are protected by the unions. It is time to step up to the plate and get rid of these people. Keep your negative comments to yourself, and stick to the subject. "You Idiot"

With 24 million people unemployed, tax revenues are way down and without the tax revenue you can't fix anything. On top of that you have to pay out 100's of Billions in unemployment benefits If you just focused on jobs you would have put a big dent in a lot of problem, healthcare, unemployment, deficits, forclosures, etc.

It's the ECONOMY you stupid crackhead President.

Stimulus that does not stimulate La La La, Spending our way out of debt La La La, HealthCare reform that is not reform La La La, Gays in the military La La La, Financial Reform that it not Reforn La La La, Cap and Trade La La La. One G D job Killing bill after another. New unemployment claims at 478 thousand per week La La La, we created 78,000 jobs this month but lost a million La La La. We save GM so they can build a new plant in Mexico La La La. We shut down Saturn Automotive a 100% USA made and the most fuel efficient line of cars in the made is USA La La La. Forclosures La La La.

Pelosi, Reid and Obama have been running the show in Washington DC for almost 4 years. You have lost 12 million jobs, to 10%, 33% in the black communites, doubled the proverty rate to 1 in 6 and 1 in 4 amoungest blacks.

If I did not know anything about the President and some told me the President of the U.S. was a secret KKK member I would look at the numbers and have to agree, no President could have more perfectl distoried the Black communities. You get and A for that.

Mr. President Barak Hussien Obama you are the worst President ever.

I thought this President was going to workout. Jesus Christ, what GD mess. I am so sorry America.

I had a lazy and pathetic teacher in 5th grade. However, my parents realized this early in the year and began to watch my work and scores even more closely to make sure I was still learning and advancing. I made it through that year, and all the other years, with good grades and was more than ready for high school and college when I got to them. My parents helped me every night and made sure I was reading books and talking about current events with them daily. My point is one bad teacher won't ruin your education if your parents are on top of things. Not that we shouldn't get rid of horrible teachers - we should. But if parents do their jobs, kids should still be college-ready. Also I wonder whether comparing us to Japan is really valid, because many of their students don't go on to study a college-bound track. Many go to trade-schools, etc., before high school. Are these included in the stats about math/science knowledge? Just wondering. After all, 25% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

You have part of the problem. The real problem started when they quit failing students. We need to get back to the basics A, B, C, D and F. If the student can not do the work he or she should be held back and to same grade over until they can get it right. If this is done then the student will get it done right the first time.

The parent is the key.

Right - so what's the plan?

"The parent is the key."

Or two.

Paul--exactly right. If they don't get it the first time, they will get it the second time or they will be in school forever. Eventually, they'll get tired of the same grade and decide to pass it!

And I'm sure your are a stay at home Mom/Dad who goes to school each day to volunteer. This is a country where the MAJORITY of familys require a 2 person income just to make ends meet. I would love to be able to take off work and go to my kids school and volunteer to help out but my vacation time/time off is taken when my kids are OUT OF SCHOOL so that I can be with them and save on child care which I'm sure a lot of other parents do too. We encourage our kids to do their homework, we help out with school projects and read to them every night.

The problem with the school systems today is there is no structure to the education. The school systems are so worried about kids reading but don't care if they can spell. math is taught for like 20-30 minutes a day as is science and social studies. People that can home school their children are blessed. And my kids go to a "good" school.

Yes, parenting is key, however, kids are being passed in the lower grades whether they pass or not. This in turn creates the picture they can pass on to the next grade no matter what; they then hit high school. Would you like to know why students are dropping out? The kids are dropping out because when they hit high school after being passed without the required knowledge, they are pressured to pass high school testing and after being failed and frustrated they give up entirely.

Current patterns set the stage for failure:

The principal here as well as the majority of teachers think are they above any parental input. Parent's aren't the key here, As a parent I have contacted the school multiple times; the principal intercepted and denied my attempts to help my child by contacting the teachers and asking simply for assignments updates to aid my student.

Seemingly making the grade no longer matters when children are passed even though they failed every subject.

Monalpn: My wife works part-time [as she has since the children were born] and I split my day between the office and home-office. My wife is one only a handful of parents [in the entire school] who regulary volunteers. Bottom line, when the children were born [twins] we were determined that we would not put them in daycare. The initial sacrifices we made 10 years ago [and continue to make] have resulted in [what we consider] to be an enviable life. Sure my house may not be as big as yours or my cars as new - but they are all paid for and my children excel.

Elizabeth - interesting point...

Elizabeth you've had a great disservice done to you by that principal. Parents have the right to request meetings with teachers, to be informed of student progress and to get assignments. Instead of contacting the principal, look at the school directory, which oftentimes can be found online or in the phone book, and call the appropriate teacher department. Departments usually have a department head who is in charge of all teachers in that subject area. Teachers appreciate it when parents reach out and want to be involved.

A part of me agees with Monalpn....back when moms stayed home and fathers made enough money to support the family, kids did much better in school, cause they actually came home to someone there, had help from mom with there homework and had mom to help out at school when needed. Now parents com home after 10 hr day and they are busy with dinner and other household things and have very little time to help there children excell! Sad !

@ Rod

@ the school my daughter goes to, the parents have to volunteer @ least 20 hours per school year or the student cant attend. They have recorded higher enrollment numbers this year, so I guess parents are willing to figure it out. And they have ways to supplement actual hours too. For example, they have a trashbag fundraiser going on. Those parents who kids sell the most in each class will get 2 hours. Then the top sellers for each grade level will get another 2 hours....etc...

I agree with another point too that the curriculum teaches to the lowest standard. In 1972, the supreme court decided that education is NOT a fundemental right guranteed by the constitution, so the states are only required to do the minimum. I am a firm believer that if you raise the expectations in the beginning, the kids will meet it.

Neish - Glad you are able to work out volunteering 20 hours per year. Not everyone can. Many parents with low paying hourly jobs, whether there is one or two parents in the home, find themselves working so many hours, sometimes more than one job, just to make ends meet, that it is impossible to put in that many hours. Parents of multiple preschool age children who would need to pay babysitters might have problems, also. Our local charter school uses such a requirement, and many low income people around here feel they use it to weed out low income children. Of course they also refuse all students who are special education and who have an ELL label (english language learner). Incidently, the ELL label follows them even if they no longer need help, in case they ever do need extra help again, so that leaves out a huge number of our local hispanics.

Incidently, before jumping on me about volunteering, I want to say I spent hours throughout the years going on field trips, sewing costumes, playing piano for concerts, reading to classes, baking for fundraisers, etc. It didn't stop when they got to their teens either, I was beginning to feel like I would spend the rest of my life in the Band Boosters. But I also know that there are people who cannot.

Ya know. The Russians had it all wrong. They tried to hide everything except what they wanted the "people" to see.

Here we have an open library system, public education, the internet, and instant information on just about any topic in the world and beyond and hardly anyone looks at it. Make something easy to get and no one wants it. Make something hard to get and everyone wants it.

Get rid of the public school systems. If people want an education make it very hard to get. THE BEST WILL GET IT and the rest won't. Problems solved.

This is a country where the MAJORITY of familys require a 2 person income just to make ends meet

I doubt it. If you live in an expensive part of the country, you can do what I did: do your research and MOVE! Or you can even have a two career family but still homeschool by working opposite shifts, for instance. (My husband went to allied health school so we could do this; he prefers working nights anyway.) The price of living in a free society is that you get the lifestyle you demand. If most people have their kids in daycare, it must be because most people are lazy, don't really like being around their kids all day, and WANT to have them in daycare. Being home with your kids is thankless, whereas most bosses (not all) don't whine quite as much as your three year old.

@EAE, I have no choice. Thats it, thats all.

Hell, if parents spent 20 hours a week helping their kids do their homework, we probably wouldnt even have to be having this conversation. People make time to do all sorts of things.

The need for my child to succeed sometimes supercedes my want to eat, or sleep. I will loose some sleep and miss a couple meals so she is where she needs to be. Its not optional for me.

That's what good parents do!!!

It's not. It's temporary knowledge that the students cram in and then will forget rather quickly.

@ Duck, no.

Children need to be taught HOW to take a test. Not just the materials for a particular test. That material needs to be incorporated in the curriculum. Then when the test comes, there is no need for cramming.....

Amen, Wendy! Once the testing is complete, my kids are in school for about 3 weeks. The kids tell me that all they do in that period of time is watch movies, have "field day" and carnivals etc. It's a collosal waste of time. Meanwhile, the buses are still running daily, burning fuel, the meals are being prepared, the electricity is on with air conditioning runninig hell-bent for election! What is the point of sending them to school only to goof off????

What is the point of sending them to school only to goof off????

its cheaper than day care... but yeah, they should be learning...

My son, in 3rd grade, brings home an hour of homework every night. As a single parent I have my work cut out for me in the evening... and that includes more and more homework every night. Yet, my child is out of school at 2:30 every day. Why am I helping him do an hour of work that could/should be done at school? I never got out of school that early and I never had that much homework in elemetry school. Neither should he.

I am a single parent as well and had to spend many hours every night with my children doing homework. It kills me that people put down the parents. It's not always our fault. My husband was violant. He practically beat me until I left him. After I left, he taught my son how to be bad. I've always struggled with him b/c of that. He has a learning disability and after working all day, I still had to feed these kids, myself, help with homework, dishes, read to them, bath time. It was a tremendous responsibility. I tried to discipline and he would just jump out of his bedroom window and leave. I tried everything and now I have 2 high school drop outs, no child support of any kind.

In elementary and middle school, I would ask for homework assignments b/c it was like being a detective trying to figure out what was due. The teachers would never send it home or they would tell you that you had to call a homework hotline. I'm hoping that my kids will get GEDs online.

AMEN! What passes as "education" now is little more than making sure the monkey pushes the right lever in order to get the food pellet.

It's all about the mighty test score. The test prep companies must be rolling in the dough by now.

My son, in 3rd grade, brings home an hour of homework every night. As a single parent I have my work cut out for me in the evening.

What's happenening to your son is child abuse. At that age, an hour of quality homeschooling per day would be plenty. You are actually making life harder for yourself. If you could arrange childcare, your life would be EASIER, and I promise you your kid would learn more, if you took him out of school. There are tons of single moms who homeschool. It can be done.

My younger son was reading Dickens on his own by the time he was old enough to be in "3rd grade". My older son is dyslexic, so it took him longer, but as a college student, he now reads the great philosophers like Nietzche for "fun", even apart from his assignments. I am absolutely convinced they would both be average students, at best, if I had forced them into public school.

Oom, not all mothers have the luxury to "be stay at home Moms". Most have to work.

apparently, you didn't read my entire post. I addressed exactly that point. I know many single moms who homeschool while working, and even more married ones. I have worked full time out of the home while homeschooling. You and your spouse can work in shifts, for starters. You do NOT have to do homeschool between the hours of 8 and 2, if you work those hours, as long as there is someone to watch your kids when they're small and you can't be around. You enlist grandma, etc. Is this really so different from what parents of schooled kids do? I'm a tax accountant and I've been able to homeschool.

BTW, my husband is respiratory therapist who makes only a little more than $40 grand a year. I didn't have the sense to marry a corporate officer. I still stayed at home when my kids needed me, and every mom can figure out a way to do the same, unless her husband is a jackass. For starters, she can move from a more expensive city to a cheaper one, as I did.

Oh, BTW, on that subject of "hsuband as jackass." My mother-in-law once told me that one of her sons had told his wife (the mother of two boys) you HAVE to work. Well, that bimbette should have left, but instead she becae the only thing she COULD be, a high school English teacher. I might have been upset, but then I noticed something. One person's absence was obvious, my husbands. He NEVER had anything to do with his parents, always lying that he (magically) always had to work when they visited. That's the reward of obnoxious people (I'm not saying ALL career moms are obnoxious, but this one sure it.) People want nothing to do with you.

Let's say, even for the sake of argument, that you approved your son forcing the mother of his tiny little kids to work. Would you STILL want that fact broadcast worldwide, or even to all of your remote relatives/in-laws? Wouldn't you want all of your maritial quarrels to remain, well, private? If a third party like your mom or mil found out, you would want it to stop with her. But this "career woman", this doctor, has zero class.

I completely agree. Problem is the teachers union and the system... Idiots run the show. My daughter is in accelerated classes and comes home with less than 10 minutes of homework a day and also is told who her friends are by the teachers. Also, I am sick and tired of Martin Luther King and Obama being rammed down my kid's throat at school. Want to talk about that then have holidays and media printed for other leaders as well. African American this and that ... How about a Japanese holiday or history month? Russian? French? German? Never hear about any others, just the blacks. The school system is racist in and of itself. They should just stay out of that all together...

You see the situation clearly. But the UNION backs these teachers and demonizes anyone who disagrees. Afterall , who wouldn't want to help a child? That's how they push all this socialist crap through by saying that it is for "Good of the Children", and you must hate children if you don't want to do this. I have found more socialist crap in my texts for college than I would have believed. They even glorify Karl Marx! Stop the propaganda!!!!

Akio - Japanese, Russian, and French cultures did not have anywhere near the impact on America that African Americans have. Germans have had more but like the Russians and the French they were permitted to assimilate and blend in whereas blacks were not. Black history IS American history and yet the contributions of blacks have been denied and distorted. It is not racist to recognize that now and try to teach a more truthful history to the children. No one is saying that blacks are better than anyone else. If black history was woven into the history of this country like it should be, there would be no need for black history month.

African American this and that ... How about a Japanese holiday or history month? Russian? French? German? Never hear about any others, just the blacks. The school system is racist in and of itself. They should just stay out of that all together...

We had a cultures of the world class in high school. Focused on a different continent every month. Its an elective though. The requiresd courses that taught these things were social studies and world geography. The best class to teach about all people is Anthropology, but very rarely have I seen that taught in HS. On the college level it is though.

What you don't understand is that..the teachers are bound by the TESTS and it's a state law that certain things have to be taught..when and how. That teacher is just as miserable as you are. I taught for a while and was bound and gagged to TEACH THE TEST. Our jobs depended on it because when the scores came out, the administration would look unfavaorably on a teacher who didn't. The core subjects weren't even emphasized....like Reading, Writing, Mathmatics, Science or Social Studies. Sarah Palin is a perfect example of this half-assed education. She graduated from college, yet thought Africa was a country! Watch "jay-walking" on The Tonight Show Sometime. It's so shocking that you'll think it's a setup....but it's not. Believe me, I've given tests over basic ideas that high school seniors should know and they've never heard of them.

The sun rises where? Sets where? Why do we have seasons? I couldn't read anything they wrote and they have absolutely no idea what a sentence is; none.

Ask one to read aloud for you, sometime. Amazing!

?!!

chuck in milwaukee, Barry would make Accardo proud!!!! Joe Batters would of loved to have been running the country!!! He basically was his whole life!!!! The "Genuine" Godfather!!!!

No, do NOT have IQ as dependent! There are MULTIPLE levels of intelligence, and a general IQ is a joke.

Money will NOT solve these problems, nor will the length of the school year. IT's what is taught, not how long. Yes, teachers need to be graded, but it must be done fairly. Teachers must know their subject. Some don't. They really don't.

I taught with some who skipped over certain chapters or units because they ran counter to that person's religious convictions. The DAR came into one school and tore pages from World history books because it they had a unit on the Russian Revolution. Some parents don't want their kids to study the Renaissance because they consider it "godless". I could go on and on and on and on....Parents protested at my last school because they didn't want their high school students to read OF MICE AND MEN.

Add to all of this the fact that Administrators are not as "sharp" as they should be, but somehow have a Doctorate of Education. That degree is as meaningless as giving my dog a doctorate of potty training. Visit a school sometime, unannounced.

bonnie - I disagree with you on:

Children need to feel comfortable and cared about before they are likely to worry about learning something. No child feels comfortable in a room with 40 or 50 or even 30 other children.

Encouraging a warm and fuzzy feeling before learning is something that the parents should have done before the students entered school, and preparing the students that they will meet fellow students who will most likely have been brought up differently from them should also have been taught at the same time.

In my mind protecting a student from the growing realities of life will not create a "thinker".

Mastery of the fundamentals (reading, writing and arithmetic) in the early years is a precursor to the ability to "think", as in learning from others thoughts, words and deeds.

I grew up in the fifties and sixties with an average class size of 32. The fundamentals always came first. I never had a teacher who was afraid to discipline anyone for being disruptive and I never had a teacher who was to busy to answer a legitimate question from me as well.

Home schooling is great for some kids. Some really excel in that environment and can move faster than they would in the regular classroom. Some with special problems can get the extra help they need also. But, if it doesn't work, it is a disaster. I have found with Sunday School students who are homeschooled, they are either really excelling and ahead OR they are far behind where they should be.

And comparing today's schooling with the 60s, well, we can't do that either. Once upon a time teachers were happy if the kids could read and answer the questions at then end of the story. Now they have intensive comprehension lessons and have to make diagrams, etc. We learned basic math facts and skills in elementary school, now they are introducing geometry and algebra concepts. It's in the standards, so it has to be taught whether the kids are ready for it or not.

EAE...Amen. You are so right! Young students have two/three hours of homework at night and therefore their parents do most of it. I know that first-hand because parents will tell you that they do.

Also, when discipline was removed from public schools, it started the great fall into the abyss. Students will stand up in a teacher's face and call him or her a MF and dare them to do anything about it. If their parents are called in, they act far worse than the kids. Now, does anyone have any ideas how to get the educational system back on track?

I have found with Sunday School students who are homeschooled, they are either really excelling and ahead OR they are far behind where they should be.

First, who decides where they "should" be? One of my kids couldn't read at 7, but at 8 or 9 he was reading Mark Twain. He worked through all the kids books in the house (and we have all the classics), got bored, and moved instantly to the adults. Virtually all homeschoolers I know tell similar stories.

One of the worst problems of schoolish thinking is that we assume we know where everybody "should" be, at every particular moment in time.

Another amusing american belief that parents are even home to parent. They are either working or looking for jobs. I work from home thankfully but still, how can parents, parent if they are both forced to work in a failing economy. I quit a job that had me staying late every day because I was supposed to accomplish the jobs of the 5 people I replaced. How was I supposed to parent? I am a minimalist before anyone pipes up about that, no credit cards, old car, homeowner, not tons of stuff.

The economy was screwed when women's lib took over and staying home to raise the children birthed went out the door. Latchkey kids are raising themselves now. So if you want to teach these video game/cell phone babysat children to properly raise themselves you might actually get somewhere. Parents get excited at the sight of a new baby but they don't have to raise anymore. They just have to make enough money to pay for cable TV, video game platforms, computers and cell phones to soften their guilt.

Parents aren't parents they are future tax paying producers. YAY America where the only thing still made here is a future tax payers.

Your statement is right on point. I teach 5th graders and there is a clear performance gap between the students who receive consistent academic and behavioral support at home and those students who do not. The children who are not held to a basic level of social responsibility at home do not have the incentive to perform academically or behaviorally in school. My greatest mission on a day to day basis is to open the lines of communication with the parents and stress the importance of a two front strategy for bettering their child's standing in society...home and school.

As for the pay issue...this will not be done without substantial restructuring of the teacher pay scale. For all of those who are ready to make the argument that teachers are paid for a full years work with summers off, you are ignorant in your assessment. I am a male who began teaching in my 40s six years ago and had plenty of work experience at the time. This is by far the most taxing of all jobs I've ever done. The most satisfying to be sure...but the most physically and emotionally taxing.

So... what's one possible answer to changing poor parenting?

Lisa...IMO...moms need to have the ability to be home at least when there kids are out of school..although try finding a part time job that will work around a school schedule...impossible!

I teach. I used to give private music lessons as well to make ends meet. When my kids were young, they sat at the kitchen table while I cooked dinner and I multitasked, helped with homework while cooking. No TV until homework was done. Older siblings helped younger ones. We made regular trips to the library. I took them to museums. Listened to classical music recordings. They were involved in sports, scouts and dance lessons, too.

The answer is not for one parent to be home all the time. That would be nice, but it isn't the answer and for most of us not practical. The answer is to be an involved parent. Granted there are parents out there who are truly stretched so thin that they can barely manage to keep the kids fed and clothed, and we should be careful about judging them. But for most of us, it is a matter of priorities. How many parents pick up the kids from the babysitter, turn on the TV, and don't want the kids bothering them during dinner? Then after dinner is made, eaten, and cleaned up, they say "it is so late, the school shouldn't send homework home." How many kids watch TV until mom or dad turn it to the parents' programs and say, "go to bed," rather than taking the time to read bedtime stories and then tuck them in?

This is easiest if there are two involved parents, but my husband did shift work and was never available for the evening routines, and I've known a number of single parents who somehow managed to make their kids a priority, also. I've also seen families where one parents was home fulltime that used the TV as a fulltime babysitter.

How did mine turn out? Two are in college and one in grad school.

If your husband did shift work, how is it that there couldn't have been a parent at home nearly all the time? My husband currently works evening shift and he's lucky to have a job at all, but the ideal situation was when he was working graveyard. I'm a tax accountant and only work seasonally, but I was able to do this and still homeschool easily. I just assigned schoolwork before I left in the morning and went over it with my kids at night. If it comes right down to it, there's no law that education must take place between the hours of 8:30 and 2:30, anyway.

I don't understand this "help with homework" stuff. I went to public school in a "good" district and NEVER needed help with my homework. If the teacher has done her job and the student paid attention, he or she knows what to do.

Logic should dictate that they stop these tests because they only PROVE that the teachers suck. In Kentucky the kids can't even pass them. What does that show? It shows tax dollars are wasted on babysitters that are paid too much to create more rocks with lips.

Can I get an Amen!

I challenge you to spend one day shadowing a teacher. See if you could do it for a week and then see if you still think our teachers are babysitters. BTW - babysitters are paid MUCH more than our highly educated teachers.

90K is rather high. If it's accurate.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080604103256AAVonQN

Many teachers are against standardized testing. They aren't the ones who request it and too many feel that they can't teach more effectively and better material because they have to prepare students to take the tests. Teaching is not an easy profession. All the people who constantly moan like FuppedDuck and add useless comments have obviously never taught.

factor9dad, we ALL went to school so we already spent 13 years "shadowing a teacher" or two. We know what they do. We listened to their inane and often factually incorrect comments which few students dared point out (those of us who did found it was useless since no teacher would ever admit she was wrong about anything, and if you tried to show her in the dictionary she'd threaten to send you to the office. It's well known that education majors have the LOWEST SAT scores. The Praxis exam if laughable. Teacher education itself is a joke that few self-respecting people would be willing to sit through. Furthermore, there are 2 million people educating their own kids at home and doing a better job for the most part. Most homeschoolers want our kids to be autodidacts (for those of you who went to public school, that was nothing to do with cars!)

Where on earth did you get the idea that the teachers are highly compensated? Average salary for a high school teacher is around $43,000. A letter carrier makes more.

There are plenty of people wanting to be teachers while knowing exactly what the pay is. If teachers in India, Korea and Japan can do the job with less money then why can't the US. Know why, because in those countries wheere students excel, parents take an interest in what the hel*l their kids are doing and take an interest in their kids education.

Union is not the problem! The administration in most cases are the problem! Crap travels down!!! Hold the Superintendent and the school board accountable and cut their pay for the childrens sake!!! The pay and benefits they receive is robbing our children and teachers who deserve more!!!

"The only way to improve the shools..."

No schit.

43,000 to start!!! for 180 days of work. best free benefits in the world and once they work for about ten years their salary goes up substantially. o and buy the way im pretty sure the majority of the teachers could not do that letter carriers job but because they chose to become a teacher their entitled to look down upon the many other professions that dont require a part time college degree or night school education. many of the things being taught to our k-6 classes barely require a college education. ive seen MANY SCHOOL AIDS/ PARENTS do a fine job in assisting our teachers without all the major perks and benefits our teachers are receiving today.i'm not trying to undermine the teachers or say their job is "easy" but please, look around you and be grateful for what you have.

In the state I live in the avg. salary is closer too 50k but the health care which is the most expensive and the retirement fund (which neither do they contribute too.) puts them on avg. over 90K. Superintendents are just as bad.

1 state board with 1 teaching curriculum (meat and potato's, no salad and the parents have to pay for dessert.), No bilingual, no union and a merit system for teachers and maybe we can start to fix the problem.

In over 30 states, beginning saleries are at or under $35,000. Many places are still in the mid-$20,000s. See teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state

Teachers in my area have lousy insurance (limited PPO list and very high deductibles) and have to pay about $500 dollars a month to cover any other family members. As for retirement costs, current teachers are paying into the retirement fund. Retired teachers draw out according to what they paid in. How is that tax-payer funded?

Where I live, the average is more like $70,000 a year, and I live in a large but relatively inexpensive city. Furthermore, teachers have the summer off. You cannot discount the number of HOURS worked per year when discussing compensation. (And please, no whining about how they have to go to school to maintain their credentials--ALL professionals and even paraprofessionals do, usually at our own expense.)