Get Back to TRUE Public Education

Education reform is a topic that has been in the news lately, especially in Connecticut.  The governor of Connecticut, Daneel Malloy, stated that, during the second year of his term, he would put education reform on the agenda and make sure it got through.  The bill he proposed, Senate Bill 24, drew the fire of teacher unions and, after backroom negotiations between legislators on the Education Committee and Union Reps, a very watered down version of the bill that protected teacher tenure got presented to the state legislature for a vote.  It passed, of course (who wants to be known as voting AGAINST education?), and the governor signed it into law.  It was a nice gesture and first step, but it did nothing to really solve the real problem of education in Connecticut - the system itself is old and, to use the words of Sir Ken Robinson, it doesn't need to be "reformed, but TRANSFORMED" into something new.

This year was also my first (and likely ONLY) year as a public school educator.  After ten years as a private school teacher, I forayed into the realm of public school teaching.  A few things told me that it really wasn't for me.  First, there was a culture of passing those standardized tests to show that the students had learned the information necessary during the year.  This is the OPPOSITE of what we need to be instilling in our kids (and educators).  Education should be interesting.  Too much of school is dreary and boring, with nothing to look forward to day after day.  We need to be exciting both the students and the teachers, making every day worthwhile and interesting.  I DREADED professional development days.  Tasks that were about this new law or that new initiative that our politicians decided was necessary to waste time with before moving to the next new trend.  I used to look forward to going to conferences on math and science education, workshops on new ways to teach math and science, classes on new technologies that I could incorporate into my classes.  I was able to finagle my way into ONE science conference during the year - and my principal asked for me to go to only one day so they didn't have to spend money on a substitute.

The second problem was my contract.  I was coming into the district as a versatile teacher with eleven years of experience.  Yet, the union only allowed the district (or so I was told) to pay me a first year teacher's salary!  Whether it was the district or the union that made that decision, it did NOT promote me staying there.  Secondly, since I was not a certified teacher (I had to complete two more education classes according to state law), I had to teach on a Shortage Area Permit.  However, these permits are only annual permits and must be renewed each year.  The district decided that, despite my popularity as a teacher and the accolades I received from parents and students alike, that they did not want to spend the time or money renewing it.  So, after the last day of school, I was informed that I did not have a contract for next year.  Luckily, I had already been interviewing and was ready to accept a position at another private school which, despite the TRADITIONALLY lower salaries paid to private school teachers, was able to offer me $16000 more per year since they looked at ALL of my teaching experience, not just PUBLIC school experience.  Lastly, the district laid off all their non-tenured teachers in MARCH!  This was allowable by state law and, since it was, they were allowed to look for teachers that were state certified who would save them money.

People tell me that education needs to be reformed.  I tell them the system is BROKEN and needs to be FIXED.  Transform the system into something that supports the children in our society and is not encumbered by either the political system or the union bosses that currently hold it back.  Until it can get out from under the thumb of our corrupt politicians, the corporations and unions they are beholden to, and be brought back to supporting our society and enabling our children to survive in the future GLOBAL society and economy, it can NEVER be transformed or reformed.  One way to do this is through "Crowdsourcing."  This is defined as a way of solving problems by allowing the public to be involved in the solution and allowing EVERYONE to decide on the best solution.  My idea is to start a school where the families of the students in the school are the "crowd" who educate the students.  Only in this school can we REALLY get TRUE public education.  It really WOULD be "taking a village to raise a child!"  And we would not have the minority (politicians or corporations or unions) deciding the future of our children!