General Discussion

Smarmie Doofus

(14,498 posts)

4. It's true. The politicians... and the people who OWN them... have to get over the idea that they....

Thu May 23, 2013, 08:42 PM

May 2013

... have any useful role to play in how schools are designed and run.

The truth is they understand *nothing*.

Teachers go into teaching and not investment banking because they care about kids. Investment bankers and politicians go into investment banking and politics because they care about INVESTMENT BANKING AND POLITICS.

It's a titanically bad idea to turn education policy over to people so inclined. Schools need to be places where teachers can teach and not obsess about not meeting political benchmarks and aligning the instruction with politically-inspired "standards". And they need to be run by principals who know how to teach and can develop that ability in others.

That ain't happening anymore.

I wonder why.

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45 replies

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Highlight:

Retiring principal: ‘It is harder for us to be nice to kids’ [View all] Brickbat May 2013 OP

Much more difficult now Ron Green May 2013 #1

Yup. If someone does that today, Art_from_Ark May 2013 #6

True NewJeffCT May 2013 #20

My students give me hugs all the time. LWolf May 2013 #23

Glad to hear things are at least going well on the hug front... villager May 2013 #27

I'm hanging on. LWolf May 2013 #28

At the first parent teacher conference each year, I tell the teacher it's ok to hug my son. SunSeeker May 2013 #32

We're a school of huggers. noamnety May 2013 #35

That was the first thing that came to my mind also. Curmudgeoness May 2013 #36

'With elevated standards and increased testing, elleng May 2013 #2

More fallout from neocon mean spiritedness BeyondGeography May 2013 #3

Plenty of blame to go around, we have plenty of pearl clutchers right here on DU Exultant Democracy May 2013 #8

Exactly!!! gopiscrap May 2013 #19

It's true. The politicians... and the people who OWN them... have to get over the idea that they.... Smarmie Doofus May 2013 #4

If you talk to anyone about education, they have an opinion. And the bought and paid for world wide wally May 2013 #10

To a certain degree Spike89 May 2013 #24

Teachers have always sulphurdunn May 2013 #43

I agree with all of that Spike89 May 2013 #45

Education is no longer about kids. Its about $$. And we ALL know how well that works. MichiganVote May 2013 #5

Thank you. woo me with science May 2013 #11

+ infinity BrotherIvan May 2013 #22

Its not too late. It will never be too late. MichiganVote May 2013 #30

This brings tears to an old man's eyes. JEB May 2013 #7

Talk to any teacher who has been around for 15 or 20 years and they will all say the same thing... world wide wally May 2013 #9

I used to give all-essay Final exams. Then a new principal asked for exams that anyone could grade/ WinkyDink May 2013 #26

Just Retired Cybergata May 2013 #39

kr. yes, heart-breaking. anti-human policies for anti-human times. the fruits of neoliberal HiPointDem May 2013 #12

Huge, huge K&R woo me with science May 2013 #13

I agree with you. bbkenn92 May 2013 #42

Great, great letter n2doc May 2013 #14

Morning kick. Brickbat May 2013 #15

du rec. nt xchrom May 2013 #16

k&r for exposure. This is very important. n/t Laelth May 2013 #17

No mercy for a mistake BanzaiBonnie May 2013 #18

Starting my 28th year next year Ishoutandscream2 May 2013 #21

K&R nt CokeMachine May 2013 #25

Excellent commentary! CrispyQ May 2013 #29

Yes libodem May 2013 #31

Great article! PennsylvaniaMatt May 2013 #33

Trust is basically dead defacto7 May 2013 #34

sad kick.. . . . n/t annabanana May 2013 #37

I tried volunteering at a school last year. BlueCheese May 2013 #38

k&r'd snot May 2013 #40

k&R midnight May 2013 #41

Who is "us," really? blkmusclmachine May 2013 #44