'In What Other Profession ... ' by David Reber
I ran across this letter in an online blog about education and thought it was worth sharing. It’s relevant because the Illinois legislature is still dealing with the pension problems they caused, and everyone in Springfield seems focused against teachers, and for some reason, all kinds of people feel that they are the experts in education. So even though this piece is a couple of years old and came from another state, it’s relevant now. The author of the blog gave me permission to print this.
In what other profession... by David Reber
August 27, 2010
I’m going to step out of my usual third-person writing voice for a moment. As a parent I received a letter last week from the Kansas State Board of Education, informing me that my children’s school district had been placed on “improvement” status for failing to meet “adequate yearly progress” under the No Child Left Behind law.
I thought it ironic that our schools were judged inadequate by people who haven’t set foot in them, so I wrote a letter to my local newspaper. Predictably, my letter elicited a deluge of comments in the paper’s online forum. Many remarks came from armchair educators and anti-teacher, anti-public school evangelists quick to discredit anything I had to say under the rationale of “he’s a teacher.” What could a teacher possibly know about education?
Countless arguments used to denigrate public school teachers begin with the phrase “in what other profession….” and conclude with practically anything the anti-teacher pundits find offensive about public education. Due process and collective bargaining are favorite targets, as are the erroneous but tightly held beliefs that teachers are under-worked, over-paid (earning million-dollar pensions), and not accountable for anything.
In what other profession, indeed.
In what other profession are the licensed professionals considered the LEAST knowledgeable about the job? You seldom if ever hear “that guy couldn’t possibly know a thing about law enforcement – he’s a police officer,” or “she can’t be trusted talking about fire safety – she’s a firefighter.”
In what other profession is experience viewed as a liability rather than an asset? You won’t find a contractor advertising “choose me – I’ve never done this before,” and your doctor won’t recommend a surgeon on the basis of her “having very little experience with the procedure.”
In what other profession is the desire for competitive salary viewed as proof of callous indifference towards the job? You won’t hear many say “that lawyer charges a lot of money, she obviously doesn’t care about her clients,” or “that coach earns millions – clearly he doesn’t care about the team.”
But look around. You’ll find droves of armchair educators who summarily dismiss any statement about education when it comes from a teacher. Likewise, it’s easy to find politicians, pundits, and profiteers who refer to our veteran teachers as ineffective, overpriced dead wood. Only the rookies could possibly be any good, or worth the food-stamp-eligible starting salaries we pay them.
And if teachers dare ask for a raise, this is taken by many as clear evidence that teachers don’t give a porcupine’s posterior about kids. In fact, some say if teachers really cared about their students they would insist on earning LESS money.
If that entire attitude weren’t bad enough, what other profession is legally held to PERFECTION by 2014? Are police required to eliminate all crime? Are firefighters required to eliminate all fires? Are doctors required to cure all patients? Are lawyers required to win all cases? Are coaches required to win all games? Of course, they aren’t.
For no other profession do so many outsiders refuse to accept the realities of an imperfect world. Crime happens. Fire happens. Illness happens. As for lawyers and coaches, where there’s a winner there must also be a loser. People accept all these realities, until they apply to public education.
If a poverty-stricken, drug-addled meth-cooker burn downs his house, suffers third degree burns and then goes to jail, we don’t blame the police, fire department, doctors, and defense attorneys for his predicament. But if that kid doesn’t graduate high school, it’s clearly the teacher’s fault.
And if someone – anyone - tries to tell you otherwise, don’t listen. He must be a teacher.
Michael
8:57 am on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Fantastic article! Pretty much says it all.
charles
11:35 am on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
I concur! Couldn't say it any better myself!!
Paul Lark
12:29 pm on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
"what other profession is legally held to PERFECTION by 2014?"
In a round about way, it would be the Teaching profession who helped draft the laws the politicans passed.
Perhaps the laws need to be changed with a more realistic viewpoint no one perfect.
John Tips
12:10 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012
Mr Lark,
In response to your comment "Perfection by 2014" I would like to add an observation we hold. There are many "Profession" which are required to legally adhere to set guidelines. Some are our many commercial Drivers License Holders (CDL) who must remain diligent in their abilities to perform and if not, loose their license. Nursing homes too are well over regulated by enforced exacting standards! One such example is that of a nursing home facility, in which patients cannot be restrained! I am not talking about physical leather arm, or leg restraints either, bed rails up is considered a restraint there! A patient has the right to FALL out of bed or out of a wheelchair - but if they do the facility gets blamed! These homes are held to "perfection" and if underperformed are fined, or even closed!
Most professions in which people, or their facilities are licensed are held to a high standards, teachers are only one of these. Failure is not an option and must never be disregarded or excused! In the teaching profession if a teacher, or school fails to muster up - the blame should be set with their supervisory chain, and school board for not overseeing and checking their progress, in essence not doing their jobs!
Haiku
12:29 pm on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
This article just
described half the people who
post on Plainfield Patch...
Jim W
11:06 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012
Too many people
think teachers, unworthy of
a livable wage...
Loreta J.
1:16 pm on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Great article!! Well said. Just like we have to take responsibility to make sure to the best of our ability that our house does not catch fire and can't blame the fire department if it does, we must also, as parents, take responsibility for our kid's experience and learning in the classroom as well. My son could easily get poor grades and I guess I could blame the teachers, BUT if I never check his work, or be involved and aware of what he's doing in school, I have only myself to blame. There are many times when I look at something he's written for homework and said "maybe you should be more descriptive," or "is there something more you can add to this"? I'm helping him with the skills the teachers are teaching. If he's an Honor Roll student, (which he is) I owe a lot of that to the teachers, but also to myself and my son for the dedication and focus that is required. I believe teachers teach because they love kids and love what they do, but they also are just like the rest of us and need to pay their bills and want to get ahead in the world. There are so many great teachers who motivate, others not so much. But ultimately, if a child fails a class, or doesn't graduate high school, I find it hard to blame the teachers, the school, or the district for that matter. I blame myself that I didn't do more to help my child succeed.
charles
2:42 pm on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
I concur on your statement as well, Loreta J. Well said! And congrats on the successes of your son!
Donna KPG
9:51 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012
Loreta, you are right on the money! As parents, we are our children's first teachers! I blogged just last night about the new principal at Bolingbrook High School & how he has had to address behavior issues the first 10 days of school before being able to address educational ones. That is not fair to him OR the classroom teachers. I hold myself responsible for my sons' behavior and have told my children from the get-go that if they were to get in trouble at school for misbehaving that "I" would be embarrassed because that would reflect poorly upon ME. If I got a call from the principal because my son was sent to him for wearing his pants down around his knees or being disrespectful to someone or being tardy or cutting classes (or any of the plethora of ridiculous behavior teachers are forced to deal with), I would be MORTIFIED! I cannot imagine blaming teachers & administrators for my child's poor behavior because, obviously, I haven't done something right at home. My son has Asperger's Syndrome and struggles in social situations and has terrible test anxiety. However, I have made it a point to stay on top of things, communicate with his teachers and let them know that, while I make "some" accommodations for him, he is expected to behave & do his very best. I am the one who takes responsibility for his success (or failure) & I don't leave it up to the school to "raise" my child. Good for you for being such a great mom!
Loreta J.
10:11 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012
@Donna..Thank you! And a big shout out to you too for being a parent with the same type of heart, dedication and responsibility to your child! Too many conversations lately about teachers pensions and unions and the reasons our kids or schools are supposedly failing.. They will NOT fail if parents like you, and I, and I know many others are truly involved and make our kids accountable for their behavior and their responsibilities for their own future. Glad to see more of this sentiment than just placing blame!
Mark
8:14 am on Sunday, September 9, 2012
Its interesting that people keep saying it is a pension problem. When it fact its a legislator problem. They kept "borrowing" from a fund as if it was free money, not keeping their obligations and not paying it back. Its a funding problem. People do not work for free. Teachers in Illinois pay over 9% toward their retirement. They don't receive Social Security. Those that do pay approximately 3 times less into social security. Its a business problem. Follow the money trail and you will find that by cutting the pensions of your firemen, police, judges, college professors and yes teachers (they are all part of the same scheme), business has much to gain in the form of tax breaks and politicians in the form of contributions from those businesses. There is a lot more there that is ignored and it is easy to loose sight as to why Illinois is "broke".
Think of it this way, what is happening is is akin to changing the rules of a baseball game in the 9th inning because you have less points than the other team. Should we start doing that? The pension rules are not only being changed because one side is down, but because their cheating (borrowing and not paying all along) did not put them ahead.
Stop believing what everyone says (including me) and do some research. Get the facts.
Tim
1:33 pm on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
This could only come out of Kansas. It is full of straw-man arguments, arguments from authority, and blatant cherry-picking. Posting it under your name does no service to your reputation.
Of course nobody blames the fire department if their house catches on fire. However, I imagine people WOULD blame the fire department if they came out, and then said they will not put your house out until you pay their pensions for them(what 64% of school districts in Illinois are doing for teachers).
Not a single thing in this article addresses the fiscal problems that are being faced(other than to blame someone else). Instead, a lengthy diatribe filled with 'my job is hard' platitudes is what is presented. Good, your job is hard... IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE!
You think the job is hard now? How about this;
Fire every single teacher, nullify the contracts that define a teacher pays $0.00 into their own pension out of salary, and hire new teachers to fill the positions. There are PLENTY of out of work teachers that would be glad to take your 'hard job', and for less than you earn now.
charles
2:54 pm on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
First, the article wasn't supposed to be about the pension problem in Illinois. It was addressing how people outside the field of education have unrealistic expectations for teachers based upon their total lack of knowledge about how school districts operate and the rules educators have to play by. I don't know any teachers who have refused to educate a single child because "someone" wouldn't pay my pension, which shows you must not be drawing a paycheck from a school district anywhere or you would see that mandatory TRS deduction on your checkstub. You are absolutely correct in that new teachers will work for less money; they have no choice. We don't negotiate our own salaries; we get paid whatever the local District chooses to pay us. As a public educator for the past 30 years, I can honestly say I love my hard job because of the kids; what makes my job hard, is the parents and adults who feel they are entitled to an opinion just because they want to be heard even though they have zero knowledge about what my job entails. I am pretty sure from your statement, you are a 20something working a less than ideal job right now because you can't find a job in your chosen profession and you think bashing educators is therapy. Feel better now?
Mom of 2
10:11 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Teacher, firefighter and police bashing. That's all we ever hear from you. Have you ever asked yourself, "How do I make a difference?" "How can I make a difference?" If you start focusing on how you can answer those questions, the hatred in your heart might lessen. I'm not kidding Tim. Start making a difference. You're life will turn around.
charles
2:56 pm on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Ron Jidzny:
You sound just like someone who has no idea what it takes to be a teacher nor the dedication and determination to stay a teacher.
Edward Andrysiak
10:28 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
In a few words to make my point. The problem is not the high percentage of good performing and dedicated teachers. The problem is that the few rotten ones are protected by their unions and we can't get rid of them! The second problem is that the unions negotiated pensions and payins that are unresonable and unsustainable...we can't afford to honor them. Remember the phrase..."its the economy stupid"...well the new one ought to be "it's the union stupid".
Jane Enviere
2:03 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012
The third problem is that there are far too many parents who had children that they have no interest in managing and instead just dump them off at school and expect them to deal with them. Then they complain that their kids are being marked down for not doing homework, only to offer up the excuse that their kid is busy in sports. Um, priorities? Heard of them?
As I've said many a time, even the most gifted teacher with the best resources at his or her fingertips can only work with the raw material in front of him or her. If you fill classrooms with children who come from challenged and disadvantaged homes, mix them in with children who don't want to do the work and don't have anyone at home who is willing to address that fact, and then top it off with kids who just aren't that bright - it's the lazy teacher who works 9 months a year with a fat pension's fault? (Note the sarcasm.) I don't think so. Communities don't want to take any responsibility at all for what they send into a classroom. It's much more de rigueur to blame teachers and unions.
As for compensation, most teachers are not priests. They do not take a vow of poverty. There is no reason for them to apologize for their paychecks just because people seem to feel that anyone who makes more than $50 or $60K is overpaid. The idea of linking student achievement to compensation makes me feel very sorry for all those who have the students described here taking up space in their classrooms.
charles
11:18 am on Thursday, September 6, 2012
I understand where your train of thought is headed, but there's some missing tracks. First, all teachers can be fired, tenured or not."We" as in an angry herd of parents can't do it, but It requires administration to do the necessary paperwork to require remediation for an ineffective teacher. Once a remediation plan is in place, if the teacher does not complete it in a satisfactory manner, that teacher can leagaly be fired. Second, the unions may be able to negotiate payins but those cannot exceed 6% from the previous year. Not all school districts give these payins; those that do typically do so to encourage the higher paid teachers to retire so they can be replaced by cheaper teachers. Teacher pensions are not negotiated by Union officials; It is set by the State and TRS and we have no choice in the matter. Again, the point of the original article had nothing to do with pensions, rather the disrespect that many teachers face that no other occupation has to deal.
Loreta J.
12:04 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012
I agree with Charles. The article is NOT about unions or pensions, or the idea that teachers are the be all, end all to our kids future, and if our kids don't succeed it must be the union's fault. How is a union responsible for my kid not doing his homework, or screwing around in class, or not paying attention to what is being taught. How is it the unions fault if I have better things to do than making sure my child is completing the work assigned to him, and not encouraging him to study, and read, and re read something if he doesn't understand..
I understand people's criticism about unions, I do, but in regards to this article, I think it's way off topic.
There are good employees and not so good employees in every profession, in every union. At some point we have to assume some responsibility for our own actions, and our future, and stop expecting everyone else to do everything for us,
If we are not involved with our kid's education on a daily basis, no teacher, no union can fix that.
Kota
11:23 am on Monday, September 10, 2012
No, not the teachers fault. It's the PARENTS fault. Take some responsibility for your children.
Tim
11:35 am on Monday, September 10, 2012
It's funny how when there are problems, its the parents fault. But when it's time to ask for a raise or increased benefits, suddenly its a job full of responsibility and we hear how teachers are 'underpaid'.
Teachers are either a babysitters, or educators. Teachers no longer get to pick which one to be on any given day, based on whatever argument is being made.
Teachers don't get it both ways, and this back and forth has been used so many times, people are not falling for it as easily anymore.
LMS
7:52 am on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
School successes depend partly on parents, kids, teachers, and administrators. If administrators aren't diligent about hiring the best teaching candidates, doing honest and informed evaluations, and documenting any concerns the whole process falls apart. If teachers and administrators are afraid of vocal parents who are in denial about their "angels" and their shortcomings the whole process falls apart. If parents don't keep an eye on what's happening at school and/or sit around complaining and hand-wringing instead of getting involved and putting concerns in writing the whole process falls apart.
Teachers have never gotten to pick whether they get to be educators or babysitters. How much of their time is spent picking up the slack for caregiver neglect depends on the family situation of each individual child. Class size and lack of administrative support for behavior issues factor in as well. None of those things involve teacher choice.
I do agree with what's in this letter, but similar letters could be written by or about administrators, parents, and/or the kids themselves. They all have their roles. When any of the adults involved start to play victim rather than actively advocating for positive change the whole system breaks down and each group lays the blame on the others.