Friday, December 13, 2024

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Retired Teacher Speaks About Dubious Reforms

By Loper

To the Editor:
We have long recognized the importance of a quality education and its role in our democratic society. Or do we? Programs are eliminated, class size has increased and education downgraded, all resulting in many dedicated teachers leaving the profession. Yet we don’t hesitate to spend billions on wars, athletes, entertainers, or just plain self-indulgence. Our schools have become one of the lightning rods of our society. The critics blame everything from high taxes to the many social ills that plague our country. Ills that our schools have little control without the involvement and participation of the home.
President Obama through his Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, has proposed a multitude of controversial reforms that are questionable at best. Our Gov. Chris Christie, has proposed many of the same dubious reforms. Merit pay, the use of test results as a basis to pay teachers, the elimination or watering down tenure, punish schools that do not test to a standard, disregard negotiated contracts, jeopardize pensions and health benefits and so on. None of these are new and have been around for years.
I worked in a school where merit pay was imposed on the teachers. It was used to punish teachers who were active in the teachers’ union or had the courage to speak out. The merit system caused so much animosity it was “thrown out” in just one year.
The most recent research shows that the use of test results to evaluate teachers does not work. There are too many variables that make test results both unreliable and unvalid, if used to reward teachers. It doesn’t take an M.I.T. graduate to understand this.
The “Race to the Top” might well be called the “Race to the Bottom.” New Jersey public schools are top ranked in the nation. Not to say there aren’t schools in our cities that desperately need help. The so-called reforms being proposed today will not help solve these problems. Even with good intentions, they will just add to the misery and difficulties teachers face every day. The question must be asked, “Why do almost 50 percent of teachers leave the profession in five years?” For those who think teaching is a piece of cake, I can only say, “What are you waiting for?” I think they would be in for a big surprise. If they want to know something that makes good sense, don’t ask a politician, ask a teacher.
GEORGE LOPER
Rio Grande
(ED. NOTE: Loper is a retired teacher and was member of the NJEA Executive Committee for seven years.)

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