The Slow Drip and the Supreme Court

 As is often the case in almost an enterprise that is significant in scope the move to enact something often is slow, tedious and may very well seem imperceptible to the public given these very qualities.   Added to those traits is the fact that often Americans don't follow many of the actions of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Well, there is a drip, drip taking place with regard to the public and private funding of education in the United States.    In recent times much has been made of funding of private education through vouchers, semi vouchers, tax credits and the like.    There is more and more talk now of using tax dollars which have financed public education to divert some of those funds to private schools.

Last month, Dec. 8th, the U. S. Supreme Court heard a case, Carson v Makin, that may very well shape the funding of both public and private schools in the years ahead.    The court will render a decision on this case in June of 2022.   

So the drip, drip of funding private schools will soon have a more definitive look to it.   Over the next few days I will talk about the case, the background to it and the implications likely to follow.

Just to be clear, I am covering this as best as I can.    My bias is in favor of public education though I believe that people have a right to a private education.  There are great private education opportunities and I certainly understand why people make this choice for their children.   I simply think that tax dollars should go toward public education.

Dick

Strains on Public Education

 The strains today on public education come from many sides.   We're all sadly too familar with the issues caused by the pandemic, grumbling from some quarters of the public, and the seemingly endless stream of reformers.

But there's far more to the hit that public education has taken over a period of time that many other delivery systems of education are less likely to have to deal with.    In fact, on some issues they don't have to deal with them particularly when it comes to various state mandates (I'm not by the way suggesting all the mandates are helpful).

I'd be interested to know how many charter schools, private and selective ones take on the load of Education Services students compared to the neighborhood public school.   And if they enroll Education Services students do they provide top flight services?   Do those schools, as a group, have to live up to the expectations of the neighborhood schools when it comes to disclosing finances and their manner of operation.

And then (perhaps an elephant in the room) do some of the selective and private for-profit schools entertain enrolling those from poverty striken backgrounds or those who have 'low' test scores?

My point is this...the traditional neighborhood public school and their respective staffs have plenty thrown at them that other education delivery systems can and do avoid.   So, let's not be quite so quick to be critical of our neighborhood schools.   We might just want to be a bit more supportive!

Thanks and have a good weekend,

Dick

A Perspective on CPS

For those of you who follow my blog/facebook posts, yesterday I mentioned some of the many positive programs in the Chicago Public Schools system.   Terry Meyers, one of the many excellent colleagues I taught with at Hinsdale Central, after reading my post, had this to say about her experience as a substitute teacher.   It gets to the core of point that many wonderful things are taking place in the classroom.   This is Terry's own words...

 Terry Meyers

After I retired I subbed in CPS for 11 years, working in over a dozen schools. I was blown away by the consistent quality of instruction, the dedication of the teachers and administrators, and the wonderful kids. Stereotypes of poor schools are misleading at best.

Before You Criticize

 There are plenty of naysayers and critics of the Chicago Public Schools.    Some of it may be warranted but a good deal of the criticism is ill placed and not true.   At the very least the general public should better understand what is taking place.

For starters it ought to be noted that many children in some of the various neighborhoods come from poverty.    That sadly is a fact and it is not a reflection of the child.   Poverty anywhere puts people behind on so many fronts and that's true in urban and rural areas.

More to my point about understanding what takes place in the various public school buildings in the city.  Many of the schools, certainly a majority, have great programs beyond the traditional curriculum.    These include Headstart, Dual Language, STEM, after school activities, various Arts programs, STEAM and more.

I'd venture to say that most people would have no idea that the various CPS schools offered such  extensive and rich programs.   In most instances the reason these programs exist is because of the building principals, assistant principals and teachers.    And isn't that often the case...the building personnel make the school all the better.

Thanks, Dick

Numbers and Learning

 To those of you curious enough to read today's blog I have a question for you.    If you recall going to school, at any level, do you suppose that testing - whatever the results - really indicated the extent of your learning?    And when I use the term 'results' I'm referring to a percentage or letter grade.

And of course there's that word 'learning.'   Is learning the ability to recall some fact, date, event or number?   Of course learning is much, much more than recitation.   Learning encompasses ones ability to adapt.   It necessarily involves research and that also calls upon one to be curious (since I alluded to that in the above paragraph).   Learning also asks us to 'stick with it' if we somehow don't get it 'the first time around.    

And, yes, learning involves picking up facts, ideas, events and the like.   But that, in and of itself, doesn't means that one has a full understanding of the meaning of those facts, ideas, events and the like.

My point is pretty simple.    'Judging' what one has learned is not something as simple as giving it a number.    And I do believe we have moved to far to the extreme of believing that numbers are proof that something is learned or not.

Thanks, Dick

A Call to Arms

Shortages in the workforce abound.   The nation is seeking retail worker of all sorts, truck and bus drivers as well as teachers.    And we are just talking regular full time classroom instructors.   One of the biggest voids which exists right now is in the area of substitute teachers.

Some states are going to extraordinary lengths.   Last week the Washington Post ran a piece on who states are turning to with regard to finding subs.   New Mexico is asking for volunteers from state employees and the National Guard.   Yes, the National Guard!!!   In Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker made 250 National Guard personnel available to drive school buses.

That's not all.    Some schools are using principals, parents and school board members to fill shortages in the classroom, lunch line along with performing janitorial duties.

There may ultimately be an upside to all of this.    Down the line maybe the personnel shortages in all aspects of education will prove beneficial.   Perhaps, and just perhaps, others will witness the dedication and background needed to be a great educator and do something about inspiring others to become teachers.

Thanks, Dick

Don't let the Schoolhouse Wolves Win!

 Over the past couple of weeks I have tried to lay out the attempt by the 'wolves,' better known in their inner circles as reformers, to disassemble public education.   The wolves are numerous; think tanks, politicians, administration officials, and some in the public.   

Their agenda is multi-pronged.   To some they want more money spent on private and charter schools.  Others still want simply to strip power from unions.  Some wolves think the money spent on public education is wasteful.  A good number of the naysayers claim that public education isn't working and there are better ways to deliver on this front.   Still others want to find ways to game the system.

Let me leave you with this.    The damage done by the 'wolves' is real.   To a certain degree there is an erosion of confidence in public education.   There is sharp criticism of teachers by a fair number of 'wolves' and the trust - fundamental to making any enterprise function - in those who are the frontline workers is taking a real hit.  

Yes, we have to call off the 'wolves.'   That means making sure teachers are treated as professionals just as we treat dentists, doctors and others as professionals.   It means that 'We the People' have to tell various officials who aren't in the classroom to listen to their frontline workers and to lay off with putting more on the backs of teachers.    We each have to find a way to help make public education all it has been, is and can be going forward.

Thanks, Dick

Willing to Bet

 While still teaching in 2003 I decided I wanted to hear from students.    It was a wide ranging survery where I contacted 1,052 students at a variety of grade levels in 7 states.   Student and teacher names were withheld and I had a high degree of certainty that I was getting some valuable feedback.  I found the results instructive and I wish I could give the same survery to the very same students today.

I hit them on a number of topics and issues.   I asked them how they best learned, their overall concerns, their interests, and what courses most liked and disliked.   The survey asked them to rate the value of teachers, projects, styles of teaching and the importance of computers.

By far, when it came to rating of how students best learned and the value of the various resources/tools, students overwhelmingly said that a good teacher was the most important element in their learning.    Some 72% of students said that the teacher was most vital to their learning.

You know what?    I'd be willing to venture that the results would hold true for the most part in 2022!!

Thanks, Dick

Teacher Crisis - Wake Up!!

Yes, there is a teacher shortage nationwide.   And yes the shortage harms the students.   And yes, as the supply of competent teachers continues to diminish, the courses offered will be cut by school administration.   That's just a portion of the crisis.

Now, too often we can complain about a problem.    Well, I'm not about to leave it at that.    Here's what needs to take place and I mean NOW.    High schools need to implement a type of course called 'Invitation to Teach.'    There are a few of these nationwide and they ARE successful in terms of providing a pathway to get a degree in education followed by finding a job in teaching.

 In the words of a person I long respected [who only swore once in all the time I knew her] "people need to get off their asses."   Yes, high school boards of education and building administration need to make this a part of the curriculum if students decide to pursue such a career.

So, to anyone who follows my blogs, posts or tweets feel free to get this out to others.   BTW, feel free to use my name.   I'd love to have some dialogue with 'the powers that be.'

Thanks, Dick

Celebrating 15 Years!!!

 The journey of Schools Count Corp started in July of 2007 and has continued to this very day!!    Our donors and volunteers have provided well over $2,000,000 worth of school supplies, food, medicines, copy machines, athletic gear, art supplies, winter coats and so much more.   We have worked in nine states, serving over 100 schools, and three Caribbean countries during this fifteen year period of time.

On behalf of the Schools Count Corp. Board of Directors it is my pleasure to invite you to our 'Celebration of 15 Years' Dinner on Tuesday, April 12, 2022.    This wonderful event will be held at Hinsdale Central High School in the student cafe.    The doors will open at 5:45 pm with dinner at 6:15 to be followed by a program featuring a keynote address by NBC Anchor Rob Stafford.

Simply email Dick Flesher at rich219@comcast.net with the names of those attending.    Why note bring family members or friends?!   The night will surely be one you won't want to miss!!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Thank you, Dick Flesher

The Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door - ALEC

 There are plenty of wolves at the nation's schoolhouse doors.   I've mentioned a few names of individuals.  One organization, ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) is but another wolf in my view.  And that wolf is powerful in many elements and aspects of American society including education.

ALEC has pushed something called an "Alternative Certification Act."   In essence this idea, which has turned into legislative action in some states, says that no teaching degree is required to become a teacher.  Versions of this bill have been introduced in Michigan (home state of former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos), New Mexico, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Kansas.

Has this taken hold you might ask?   Well, yes!  For example, between 2015 and 2018, the number of licenses the Arizona Department of Education issued to untrained teachers soared by more than 400%.

What strikes me most and bothers me most is the idea being perpetuated that 'anyone can teach.'   Well, to all those who praise this mantra...have at it!!!

Dick

'UNeducating' in America 2022

Yes, I do believe the American education system is under a harmful attack.   It might not be evident to all as it seems to be a slow trickle.   And if it is a slow trickle, it is surely picking up steam in lots of ways.

Take Indiana Senate Bill 167 for example.   One portion of the legislation dictates that a group of people will determine curriculum for each school.    60% of the group MUST be comprised of community members.    The remaining 40% of the group are to be educators.   Be careful of this last one.   The various boards of education must approve those who are to come from the education group.

What does this mean?   The school board may well [likely] decide that the educators are the curriculum director, principal, assistant principal, athletic director and other building non-teaching administrators.  Roughly translated...there may be no teachers, certainly teachers deemed not worthy by the board.

Here's another way to think about this particular aspect of legislation.   Since when do airline passengers determine how to fly a plane?    Since when do patients determine how to perform a surgery?   The answer to each of these questions holds true for learning/designing curriculum and teaching.

Yes, a move is afoot to 'un'educate our students.

Dick

Education under siege!! IN Senate Bill 167

 I want to share a piece of legislation under consideration in Indiana.   It's Senate bill 167.    It makes clear that, though in one state, our system of public education IS under siege.   Here are but a few of the portions of the bill (likely to pass!!).

* parents can opt out their child from any part of the curriculum and the teacher will have to provide a different lesson plan for that child.

* that the curriculum of the district will be determined by a committee composed of 60% parents and community members and 40% educators and all members of the committee must be school board approved but no requirement that a teacher be on the committee

* bans educators from repeatedly interacting with students on social-emotional issues without prior parental consent (example, an educator would be forbidden from responding to a student who discloses they're having suicidal thoughts if the student has disclosed this before and the teacher doesn't have the parent's permission to respond)

* as was discussed during this week's hearing on the bill, bans teaching the Nazi's and similar political parties were of low moral character

These are but a few of the provisions of Indiana SB 167.   The bill is called Education Matters 184.175.130.101.

For now let me say this.    This shows a lack of respect and trust in educators and it flies in the face of providing a healthy, comprehensive and fact based public education for children, to the detriment of their growth.

Dick

Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door - Unions and Assns.

 In recent times the word union/association as it pertains to public schools has evoked, among many, a negative connotation.    Whether the naysayers think that unions/associations are simply out to make big bucks or that they are merely protecting union/association members they haven't been paying attention to events in the past three years in West Virginia, Oklahoma and Arizona.

The strikes in the above three states have proven that public school unions/associations are more concerned with other teacher and student issues beyond pay.   Yes, some of the issues do involve pay and benefits but a closer examination of these strikes is warranted.

Class size, types of teacher assignments (ie assigning a person to a subject area they aren't qualified to teach), curriculum development, tying teacher pay to test scores, and the incursion of charter schools into the areas served by the neighborhood schools are all current issues that unions/associations see as impacting them.    Guess what?   They should be concerned!!

Administrators and school boards, if they were to function without union/association input and influence, would likely move in a negative direction with regard to the issues in the previous paragraph.

As a person who has negotiated in good faith with school boards and their attorneys, cooperation to the benefit of all can be achieved.   

Dick

The Wolf is 'Still' at the Schoolhouse Door!!

 The Supreme Court's 2018 ruling in Janus v. AFSCME said that public employees do not have to pay fees to unions to cover the cost of the union undertaking collective bargaining.   And yes, this decision has led to a decline in union membership in schools.

What is the real reason for those siding with and funding the above endeavor?   Was it really going after tenured teachers?    Was it meant simply to lower the number of public employees (in this case public school teachers) who participate in unions?    The answer to these questions and others is simple...NO!    

The real reason people wanted the outcome they desired is that they wanted unions to collect less money so that the unions wouldn't be able to fund political activities...traditionally Democratic candidates.    Now, I must say this is rich given the fact that we now have a Citizens United case settled by the Supreme Court that essentially says that there is an open faucet on the money that can flow to politicans, lobby groups, PAC's and the like.

I'll have more to say on this in tomorrow's posting.

Stay well, Dick