we need better schools...

[Guest]

because our representatives at the state capitol are a bunch of morons. They can't do the one thing that requires cooperation, pass the budget. Congratulations party line voters you got what you voted for...a bunch of baboons who kowtow to the party line and couldn't care less about your needs.

[Guest]

All these politicians and special interest folks need to do is take a page from those who somehow are able to get hundreds of millions of dollars for a soccer stadium or any other sports venue new or improvements.

It is a very simple issue: PRIORITY!

[Guest]

All these politicians and special interest folks need to do is take a page from those who somehow are able to get hundreds of millions of dollars for a soccer stadium or any other sports venue new or improvements.

It is a very simple issue: PRIORITY!

The priority of the politicians, the parents and the public in general.

It is OK with the public as long as what ever is being proposed does not affect them personally...whether it be a new soccer stadium or a new school.

Too many people just do not care about schools, including the politicians.

[Guest]

I am a school teacher. I teach high school students with Autism. I have been teaching for 25 years and I can tell you that the general public and the politicians no longer value public schools based on their continued funding formulas and financial agendas. Students receive less and less every year. I can guarantee you my state (Wisconsin) will have a teacher shortage in the next ten years. The best and brightest college graduates will not be pursuing teaching as a career. Too much negativity from too many sides: parents,the public, the local and state politicians... The list goes on and on. I am truly sorry to see such a time honored profession at such an all time low in eyes of the people who could step up and make a difference for our youth.

[Guest]

because our representatives at the state capitol are a bunch of morons. They can't do the one thing that requires cooperation, pass the budget. Congratulations party line voters you got what you voted for...a bunch of baboons who kowtow to the party line and couldn't care less about your needs.

a new school every year and it won't matter at all if the home life doesn't promote the need and environment for education...

it's folks like you who think throwing money at something will solve the problem...it never has and never will...ignorance...yes it even promotes new schools....

[Guest]

I am a school teacher. I teach high school students with Autism. I have been teaching for 25 years and I can tell you that the general public and the politicians no longer value public schools based on their continued funding formulas and financial agendas. Students receive less and less every year. I can guarantee you my state (Wisconsin) will have a teacher shortage in the next ten years. The best and brightest college graduates will not be pursuing teaching as a career. Too much negativity from too many sides: parents,the public, the local and state politicians... The list goes on and on. I am truly sorry to see such a time honored profession at such an all time low in eyes of the people who could step up and make a difference for our youth.

Question for you. I am a product of a public school education which I think was terrific. I am old enough that sadly at the time my teachers were in college there were few professional occupations open to them other than teaching and nursing. I had teachers who were valedictorians of their schools. That's the setup. Now with all professions open to women, which is a good thing, is there a decrease in the talent pool that goes into education as a career choice? Or perhaps being book smart has very little to do with being a quality teacher?

[Guest]

I am a school teacher. I teach high school students with Autism. I have been teaching for 25 years and I can tell you that the general public and the politicians no longer value public schools based on their continued funding formulas and financial agendas. Students receive less and less every year. I can guarantee you my state (Wisconsin) will have a teacher shortage in the next ten years. The best and brightest college graduates will not be pursuing teaching as a career. Too much negativity from too many sides: parents,the public, the local and state politicians... The list goes on and on. I am truly sorry to see such a time honored profession at such an all time low in eyes of the people who could step up and make a difference for our youth.

Do you think the teachers union or superintendent pay has anything to do with it? IMO public school money sink hole. Our system broke IMO thrid world countries do ALOT more with way less money. Colleges not much better, in the end it's all liberal brainwash for money, votes, and grants.
IMO teachers in the class room are just like enlisted military. The cream of the crop don't cares about the core, just the cream at the top. I can see day when there will be few teacher in the pit or serviceman, they both get ???? on, By to be's in charge.

[Guest]

The " inconvenient truth " is that in the far majority of our City schools the average daily absentee rate is extremely high . In some cities as high as 40 to 45 % .
Very difficult to educate students who only show up when the mood strikes them .

[Guest]

Do you think the teachers union or superintendent pay has anything to do with it? IMO public school money sink hole. Our system broke IMO thrid world countries do ALOT more with way less money. Colleges not much better, in the end it's all liberal brainwash for money, votes, and grants.
IMO teachers in the class room are just like enlisted military. The cream of the crop don't cares about the core, just the cream at the top. I can see day when there will be few teacher in the pit or serviceman, they both get ???? on, By to be's in charge.
I teach children with Special needs, far from the "cream at the top" and I care very deeply about their education. There are many reasons the schools are broken, but dedicated teachers is not one of them. As with any profession, there are always a few bad apples that make a bad name for the rest of us who do the right thing day in and day out...

[Guest]

I am a school teacher. I teach high school students with Autism. I have been teaching for 25 years and I can tell you that the general public and the politicians no longer value public schools based on their continued funding formulas and financial agendas. Students receive less and less every year. I can guarantee you my state (Wisconsin) will have a teacher shortage in the next ten years. The best and brightest college graduates will not be pursuing teaching as a career. Too much negativity from too many sides: parents,the public, the local and state politicians... The list goes on and on. I am truly sorry to see such a time honored profession at such an all time low in eyes of the people who could step up and make a difference for our youth.

I think the most pressing need for education is to restore two parent families in which the kids are taught Judeo-Christian values. Get that fixed and the rest of it can be addressed.

Without it, game over at some point.

[Guest]

I am a school teacher. I teach high school students with Autism. I have been teaching for 25 years and I can tell you that the general public and the politicians no longer value public schools based on their continued funding formulas and financial agendas. Students receive less and less every year. I can guarantee you my state (Wisconsin) will have a teacher shortage in the next ten years. The best and brightest college graduates will not be pursuing teaching as a career. Too much negativity from too many sides: parents,the public, the local and state politicians... The list goes on and on. I am truly sorry to see such a time honored profession at such an all time low in eyes of the people who could step up and make a difference for our youth.

Thank you for your dedication and service to our youth . I grew up in a poor rural area to parents who had not completed high school .
My teachers at our public schools inspired me to always do my best . I am one of four children . We all went to college and also each of us went on to earn a graduate degree in our chosen professions .
As a result we have each enjoyed a comfortable Middle Class life . The youngest my sister is also a teacher who teaches autistic children . I don`t know how she manages to do it year after year .
It was our teachers who helped us escape rural poverty .

[Guest]

Thank you for your dedication and service to our youth . I grew up in a poor rural area to parents who had not completed high school .
My teachers at our public schools inspired me to always do my best . I am one of four children . We all went to college and also each of us went on to earn a graduate degree in our chosen professions .
As a result we have each enjoyed a comfortable Middle Class life . The youngest my sister is also a teacher who teaches autistic children . I don`t know how she manages to do it year after year .
It was our teachers who helped us escape rural poverty .

Excellent post ... and nice sentiments as well.

I too thank my teachers. Went to Catholic School ... nuns and later the (infamous) Brothers of the Sacred Heart, and then later military school. Hard asses indeed ... but looking back, I was lucky to have attended.

[Guest]

Question for you. I am a product of a public school education which I think was terrific. I am old enough that sadly at the time my teachers were in college there were few professional occupations open to them other than teaching and nursing. I had teachers who were valedictorians of their schools. That's the setup. Now with all professions open to women, which is a good thing, is there a decrease in the talent pool that goes into education as a career choice? Or perhaps being book smart has very little to do with being a quality teacher?
IMHO if you are smart or talented there are so many options available nowadays that teaching has lost its appeal. Pay and benefits can not even begin to compare to private sector jobs. Look at the talented retired professionals on this website and their opinion matches most of the public's: teachers are not valued... And most certainly not by my Governor in WI...

[Guest]

Thank you for your dedication and service to our youth . I grew up in a poor rural area to parents who had not completed high school .
My teachers at our public schools inspired me to always do my best . I am one of four children . We all went to college and also each of us went on to earn a graduate degree in our chosen professions .
As a result we have each enjoyed a comfortable Middle Class life . The youngest my sister is also a teacher who teaches autistic children . I don`t know how she manages to do it year after year .
It was our teachers who helped us escape rural poverty .
Poverty stricken children should expect the very best teachers out there so they can be inspired to achieve. I am so happy to hear you and your siblings are a success story!

[Guest]

I am pleased to share that the love of learning which began in my small rural town has continued with my children and my nieces and nephews . All are excellent students and are either finished with college or heading to college . Some are in the early years of their careers and planning on heading to Graduate School full time .
Of course my siblings and I had to move away from our home area in order to have meaningful careers so we are now well scattered.
Just think of the power of what our dedicated teachers instilled in us . It was generational.

[Guest]

Question for you. I am a product of a public school education which I think was terrific. I am old enough that sadly at the time my teachers were in college there were few professional occupations open to them other than teaching and nursing. I had teachers who were valedictorians of their schools. That's the setup. Now with all professions open to women, which is a good thing, is there a decrease in the talent pool that goes into education as a career choice? Or perhaps being book smart has very little to do with being a quality teacher?

"If a doctor, lawyer or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job." Donald D. Quinn

[Guest]

"If a doctor, lawyer or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job." Donald D. Quinn

Very good thread with good discussion and no name calling - WOW, it is possible! As a former public school educator, I had to leave what I considered to be my calling because I could not support my family. I finally ended up in a training position in business which allowed me to do what I loved for 3X the money. It is shameful that this country does not value good educators as they should. Many of us remember those great educators we had in school, and recognize that they changed our lives. Are there bad teacher - of course, just like there are bad lawyers, bad doctors, bad teachers, bad politicians............................. but good, dedicated teachers are abundant and necessary. Reduced funding for public education can lead to some necessary economizing in some districts, but overall it is a very dangerous way to save taxpayers money.

[Guest]

Name calling isn't helpful. Remember if you get into the pig pen you will get dirty even if you didn't intend to. Don't go into the pig pen!