re: I’m losing faith in our public school system

quote:

---

This is the one that really grinds my gears. They're worried about their own safety from having to go back to work.

---

I don't really understand this. I'm looking forward to getting back.

eta: Let's not pretend like it wasn't in the schools unabated back in Jan through mid March.

Yeah, remember when lots of people thought they had the flu, but flu test came back negative? ...

We should have never stopped living like normal. With the exception of taking extreme precautions around those 65+

I recently left the public school system to teach/coach at a private school. What I noticed is that there are administrators who are more worried about the “school score” than actually creating a positive school environment. It was frustrating to hear administrators champion a fake school score that he/she worked the system than working hard to create a positive, flourishing culture. I am not saying that all public schools are bad, some have great teachers, administrators, etc., but much of this is overblown by how the school looks on paper. With that being said, I no longer enjoyed where I was at, left, took a job at a private school and have 2 years left until I receive my Masters in Educational Leadership. I know teachers and administrators get a bad wrap, but there are great ones who work their tail off. I wish teachers would get contracted by their performance rather than “years experience.” It’s the system, and it won’t change. But I am pursuing this degree and profession because I see the flaws and lies within the system and hope to be able to change the narrative someday.

I agree.

The school situation is a complete circus cluster frick

The school I was previously at went from a C to an A school in three years, and enrollment dropped by 125 kids over that span. You don’t become an A school and see a 25% decrease in enrollment. Our administrators thought it was the best thing, and there was roughly 6-8 teachers that left during and after the school year. I just don’t see how they did not see there was an issue.

quote:

---

The school situation is a complete circus cluster frick

---

And what amazes me is they are all acting as though their boss just tossed a file in their lap and said, "make changes on this and be ready in two weeks".

PEOPLE. We have had since March to plan on this. That's 4 months. FOUR MONTHS. You can't tell me that's not enough time to come up with more than one plan to follow - between all virtual, all face to face, and a hybrid plan.

I mean come on.

High C, don’t be ignorant. I’m glad your district is prepared, but that is not the case across the state. The call to prepare a virtual curriculum along with taxpayer paid child care options should have been planned out months ago. Here we are, 2 weeks from school starting with absolutely no plan. You know what the schools are waiting on... BESE, the governor and the president to push down a plan. Here is the crazy idea that may happen - the President pulls a wild card (in addition to funding cuts) that requires schools to reopen. I personally would be all for it.

quote:

---

No plans. No preparations

---

You've started a good thread with lots of good discussion in it, but you almost torpedoed it from the outset with these statements. The districts that I know about all have plans and many have done extensive preparation. Now, whether they are good plans or not and whether one group or another will be against the plans no matter what they entail are different questions.

That being said, thanks for starting the tread. There are indeed problems all the way through the system - from the most local levels through to the national level and all points in between.

The question I'll throw out for everyone is "How do you fix it?" Is a quality, functioning "public" education system important for a modern society? If so, what can be done? Vouchers? Charter schools? Neighborhood schools?

To me, when such a large number of families that could afford it opted for private schools all those years ago, it made, and still makes, it very difficult to really correct the public school system. I don't blame any family for opting private school. I sent my own kids to mostly to private schools as well. But with everyone who can afford to do it (and some who really can't), opting out of public schools, it lessens the impetus for improvement.

I don't know if it can be done, but if large numbers of families all opted for public schools together, got involved and stayed involved and demanded accountability, things could maybe change for the better.

quote:

---

High C, don’t be ignorant. I’m glad your district is prepared, but that is not the case across the state.

---

I’m not speaking for districts across the state. I have no specifics on any other than my own.

quote:

---

The Feds have NOTHING to do with this. This is all on the state and local school districts.

---

No. It goes all the way up. Particularly if you include the federal laws that requre things like "teaching to the lowest common denominator" and things like high stakes testing and school grades that others here have pointed out. Granted, these are not recent, but they still muck up things.

quote:

---

Many conservatives including me want the federal Department of Education eliminated as redundant. Just one more shitty thing Jimmuh Carter did as POTUS.

---

I havent really examined this, but it might be worth thinking about if all the mandates go away with it.