A Rant About Education

I have 2 “hot-button” issues. One is illegal immigration and the second one is education. On both of these topics, I consider myself somewhat of an expert because I have dealt with both throughout my career which now spans 36 years of my life. I have pretty extensive knowledge of both subjects and I consider most other people to have very little knowledge, if any. Yeah, kind of a snobby attitude, but I suppose that’s why they are hot issues for me.


I started out thinking that I was going to expound of the subject of illegal immigration, but as soon as I put my pen on the paper it took off on the subject of education, so I guess that’s where we’re going today.


Education has not been on the docket in any of my groups lately, that goodness. It is in such a state of upheaval at the moment, that such a post might cause me to explode. My resentment at the continual assault on schools and curriculum, on teachers and students “these days,” by government, the business world, and other special interest groups is mammoth! To me, THEY are the sole reason that education is in so desperate a state as it is presently.


(Don’t get me wrong. I was and am a proponent of No Child Left Behind. Unusual as that might be, I have observed dramatic improvement in the quality and alignment of our local and national education system as a result of NCLB. And if you think you’ve lived with it for a long time, just think of us in Texas. It was President Bush’s baby and he birthed it and fine-tuned it while governor of Texas.)


Enough is enough! I cannot fathom why a government official or a businessperson would ever think that they have the knowledge or background to dictate what should be going on inside the classrooms in the United States. Our schools are currently in chaos and I lay that burden squarely at the feet of said people. Schools and education in general, MUST be returned to the control of educators and child development experts!!! To do anything else will leave our schools in an irreparable state ~ a condition they are approaching with breakneck speed.


I have NEVER in my 36 years in the classroom been so concerned about where we are headed and so fearful for our very survival. Our world is close to totally unraveling. Its Code Red time and we are going down for the third time!!!!


This has, by far, been the MOST stressful and confusing school year I’ve ever experienced. We in the classroom are being bombarded with so many varying “initiatives” that pull us in so many opposing and ridiculous directions, requiring mountains of detailed and repetitive paperwork for “accountability” that there is precious little time remaining to actually TEACH! Teacher retention is a joke and burn-out is prevalent at record rates. I am among legions of fellow teachers who have finally just thrown our hands up in the air this year in utter hopelessness and resignation. IT has got to STOP!


In my frustration and anger about 3 weeks ago, I personally, at long last, resolved in my mind to follow my instincts and simply instruct my students in what they NEED to know to be successful. (Picture a person covering their ears and singing, “La-la-la-la! I can’t hear you!”)

Finally, against all odds, at least at this point, in my classroom, calm reigns and there is learning going on.


Imagine that!