Teachers! Teachers! Teachers!

Article of Subject: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/05/education/05teachers.html?ref=education


It was only 2-3 years ago that Teachers' Unions were throwing millions of dollars towards Barack Obamas Campaign. And now? They are practically revolting against the man who promised change for our country. They are currently angry at him because his reform to push more money into schools and eliminate protection against ineffective teachers has made unions angry. He's putting in more reform to the teacher and teachers are now feeling as if Obama and Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, is putting the blame for failed schools on them. So, were Obama and Duncan wrong for spurring a reform in teacher evaluation, preparation, and elimination? HECK NO!

I love teachers and I love what they do! We were angry when No Child Left Behind neglected to take notice of our teachers and focused on only standardized testing for funding, but now we have a president and adminstration making a move and we need to support them. We have to keep our teachers accountable. We have to put more accountability into our teachers and education leadership rather than just standardized tests. I want teachers to have a say in how they would like to teach schools, but let's face it...we have protected ineffective teachers for way too long because of unions and tenure and blah blah blah.

Now, it's too earlier for me to fully support charter schools because I'm a public school junkie, but I fully believe taking on education reform in a new angle will provide some successful results. Teachers aren't always the problem, but they are the GREATEST solution if we work with them in the right and effective way for students, especially those in the urban school.

-Nicole