Other Difference Makers

In addition to high quality teachers, schools must think about and address more vital issues than merit pay, school type(s), standardized testing and unions.

Are schools, reformers and the general public looking at student/teacher comfort? How about the quality of meals served by the school? The length of and start of the school day is something else that deserves close scrutiny. I believe that the issue of a balanced curriculum merits great attention with regard to offering students both a challenging curriculum but also one that exposes students to a variety of courses.

Are we, when you get right down to it, really doing what is best for the children and staff? This question must be addressed by these constituents, among others, and the challenge is for these stakeholders to help address the concerns raised by the question. To do otherwise, does a disservice to the enterprise of education.

I often see too great of an imbalance in looking at various concerns that really do miss the mark when it comes to taking care of what is most important in our schools. There is simply too much weight given to one or two issues (though important) while nearly neglecting others. That has to end.

Dick