This post is the second in a series examining the failure of the California public education system, the largest in the nation. After 18 years in public school classrooms, it is my conviction that the California K-12 public school system does more harm than good to our state, our communities, and our children. Unfortunately for all Americans,
I agree with most of what you have reported. I have been a public school teacher in California for 26 years. I see the problem of lack of accountability especially with school administrators. It is their jobs to hold teachers accountable. Instead they harass whistleblowers and retaliate and don’t even do the most most most part of their jobs, school safety. No wonder school shootings happen so often. And if a major earthquake hits… Lord help us in our district. Parents should Not trust our school district to keep their children safe, much less educate them.
Thanks for letting parents know. I understand why teachers don't leave. It's a lot of money, a lot of pension, and California's REALLY expensive. When you can also be terrible at your job or phone it in whenever you feel like it -- with encouragement from admin who would like nothing more than for everyone to get As all the time -- there's zero incentive to work hard and hold students accountable. This place is going to be like Mexico City in under 10 years. If you're incredibly wealthy, you'll live like a King. If not... godspeed.
Student loans can come from the federal government, from private sources such as a bank or financial institution, or from other organizations, but very few traditional banks offer student loans.
Colleges profit much much more from student loans than banks.
What exactly can parents do to change this? I homeschool, but that puts me in a minority of parents. I have a friend, who knows I homeschool, has been impressed with what my kids are learning, yet when it came to their daughter, they put her in the local public school!!!!
The reason why? The bus stops right in front of their house. My jaw dropped when I heard that come out of the mouth of the mother. I offered to homeschool their daughter as she usually plays with my kids but they declined. I offered to teach whatever curriculum they choose for her while I use my own for my kids, FOR FREE. They said they'd think about it. (Shakes head)
I assume there are many parents such as my friend in the public schools. They don't seem to care as much as they say they do and are just on autopilot with regards to sending their kids out to school.
I know another family who claim to be Christian followers, yet send their 10 year old girls into the lion's den that is Portland Public Schools System. When the mother asked me what school my kids go to, she was utterly thrown off when I said I would never send my kids to be brainwashed by pedophiles. She asked me how to do homeschool, so I showed her and her response? "Oh, that's a lot of work! I'm too tired to do that!" And yet, she soon stopped being a SAHM and moved into the workforce so she wouldn't have the pressure to do better. Now she *has* to send the kids to school because she works.
Unfortunately, I don't see any of these schools improving unless and until the parents stop being lazy. Until parents stop being willfully BLIND to the realities of the failure of public school education, I do not see the system changing and that is incredibly pathetic.
1) They mostly wen through public school themselves, so they have ZERO confidence that they can do a good job. If THEIR professional teachers couldn't, how can they?
2) The two-income family trap makes it REALLY hard. If you want to fit in in your community, the outlays of money must continue.
3) It's just easier to not have to deal with kids for 8 hours a day. The screens will take care of the rest of those hours. (Have you read Ray Bradbury's story, "The Veldt"? It's a great one for a mom's book club, or for moms who are worried about what's going on at schools since schools primarily employ screens now.)
I agree they are trapped and it is frustrating to try to free them from the trap!
1) I went through public school, though my parents made the effort to choose the best possible public programs: IB/IS, good district, etc. In 3rd grade I was correcting my teacher in various subjects, at this early age I learned my teachers weren't as perfect as they claim. Maybe that helped me break free of the mentality of only professional teachers being able to teach? But I can definitely see how this mindset is cultivated by the teachers unions in order to keep them in power over parents.
2) This is another big one. Almost every single homeschooling family I've met has been super careful to budget their needs and wants in order to keep the homeschool going. It is a bit freeing to not care to keep up with all the latest toys, but it does take discipline to stick to the budget or find low cost replacements. We utilize our library heavily for that reason, especially now that many libraries let you borrow things like sewing machines! It is a great time to be a library patron.
3) This is what I have personally seen in my church, all the kids on screens. It is especially jarring when I see the divide between parents who pay attention to their kids and parents who just can't wait to drop off the kids with a babysitter. The lines of kids sitting at tables staring at screens disgusts me. My children see that and ask why those kids don't want to go play? I tell my kids to ask them if they'd like to play, chances are that these kids DO want to play, but are so used to being given a screen to look at because they CAN'T play at home like they want: loud and messy, as children tend to be.
No, I haven't, thank you for the recommendation, I will see if my library has it available 😉 😊
What parents can do to change the system is to run for the school board. Out democracy is played out in our public schools and in our courts. Take power, it’s the only way. Or home school your children.
While I agree in theory, the problem is that the Teachers Unions can flood the zone with money and reclaim the seats. I've seen this happen all too often, especially when the Board members are generally kind people and the Superintendant slowly inducts them into the club using the silky smooth (mostly true) phrasing of, "We all have the same goal: to help kids." Board members let down their guard, they work with the District, then the union swoops in and the Board member, by working with the Supe/District has lost her most ardent supporters. A significant chunk of the community needs to be laser focused for such a change to work because the union (in populous states, at least) has way more resources at their disposal. They can LITERALLY buy signatures for recalls.
I agree with most of what you have reported. I have been a public school teacher in California for 26 years. I see the problem of lack of accountability especially with school administrators. It is their jobs to hold teachers accountable. Instead they harass whistleblowers and retaliate and don’t even do the most most most part of their jobs, school safety. No wonder school shootings happen so often. And if a major earthquake hits… Lord help us in our district. Parents should Not trust our school district to keep their children safe, much less educate them.
Thanks for letting parents know. I understand why teachers don't leave. It's a lot of money, a lot of pension, and California's REALLY expensive. When you can also be terrible at your job or phone it in whenever you feel like it -- with encouragement from admin who would like nothing more than for everyone to get As all the time -- there's zero incentive to work hard and hold students accountable. This place is going to be like Mexico City in under 10 years. If you're incredibly wealthy, you'll live like a King. If not... godspeed.
Student loans can come from the federal government, from private sources such as a bank or financial institution, or from other organizations, but very few traditional banks offer student loans.
Colleges profit much much more from student loans than banks.
What exactly can parents do to change this? I homeschool, but that puts me in a minority of parents. I have a friend, who knows I homeschool, has been impressed with what my kids are learning, yet when it came to their daughter, they put her in the local public school!!!!
The reason why? The bus stops right in front of their house. My jaw dropped when I heard that come out of the mouth of the mother. I offered to homeschool their daughter as she usually plays with my kids but they declined. I offered to teach whatever curriculum they choose for her while I use my own for my kids, FOR FREE. They said they'd think about it. (Shakes head)
I assume there are many parents such as my friend in the public schools. They don't seem to care as much as they say they do and are just on autopilot with regards to sending their kids out to school.
I know another family who claim to be Christian followers, yet send their 10 year old girls into the lion's den that is Portland Public Schools System. When the mother asked me what school my kids go to, she was utterly thrown off when I said I would never send my kids to be brainwashed by pedophiles. She asked me how to do homeschool, so I showed her and her response? "Oh, that's a lot of work! I'm too tired to do that!" And yet, she soon stopped being a SAHM and moved into the workforce so she wouldn't have the pressure to do better. Now she *has* to send the kids to school because she works.
Unfortunately, I don't see any of these schools improving unless and until the parents stop being lazy. Until parents stop being willfully BLIND to the realities of the failure of public school education, I do not see the system changing and that is incredibly pathetic.
Parents are trapped in a bind.
1) They mostly wen through public school themselves, so they have ZERO confidence that they can do a good job. If THEIR professional teachers couldn't, how can they?
2) The two-income family trap makes it REALLY hard. If you want to fit in in your community, the outlays of money must continue.
3) It's just easier to not have to deal with kids for 8 hours a day. The screens will take care of the rest of those hours. (Have you read Ray Bradbury's story, "The Veldt"? It's a great one for a mom's book club, or for moms who are worried about what's going on at schools since schools primarily employ screens now.)
I agree they are trapped and it is frustrating to try to free them from the trap!
1) I went through public school, though my parents made the effort to choose the best possible public programs: IB/IS, good district, etc. In 3rd grade I was correcting my teacher in various subjects, at this early age I learned my teachers weren't as perfect as they claim. Maybe that helped me break free of the mentality of only professional teachers being able to teach? But I can definitely see how this mindset is cultivated by the teachers unions in order to keep them in power over parents.
2) This is another big one. Almost every single homeschooling family I've met has been super careful to budget their needs and wants in order to keep the homeschool going. It is a bit freeing to not care to keep up with all the latest toys, but it does take discipline to stick to the budget or find low cost replacements. We utilize our library heavily for that reason, especially now that many libraries let you borrow things like sewing machines! It is a great time to be a library patron.
3) This is what I have personally seen in my church, all the kids on screens. It is especially jarring when I see the divide between parents who pay attention to their kids and parents who just can't wait to drop off the kids with a babysitter. The lines of kids sitting at tables staring at screens disgusts me. My children see that and ask why those kids don't want to go play? I tell my kids to ask them if they'd like to play, chances are that these kids DO want to play, but are so used to being given a screen to look at because they CAN'T play at home like they want: loud and messy, as children tend to be.
No, I haven't, thank you for the recommendation, I will see if my library has it available 😉 😊
School is free babysitting for them..
What parents can do to change the system is to run for the school board. Out democracy is played out in our public schools and in our courts. Take power, it’s the only way. Or home school your children.
While I agree in theory, the problem is that the Teachers Unions can flood the zone with money and reclaim the seats. I've seen this happen all too often, especially when the Board members are generally kind people and the Superintendant slowly inducts them into the club using the silky smooth (mostly true) phrasing of, "We all have the same goal: to help kids." Board members let down their guard, they work with the District, then the union swoops in and the Board member, by working with the Supe/District has lost her most ardent supporters. A significant chunk of the community needs to be laser focused for such a change to work because the union (in populous states, at least) has way more resources at their disposal. They can LITERALLY buy signatures for recalls.