NEA Calls for Secretary Duncan's Resignation

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17. People don't realize that in our school system there is a severe case of "office politics"

There have been several schoolteachers in my family, including my father, and I have several other friends who are as well. Before tenure was the law, they could be fired at the whim of whoever had that power, and new teachers stay as quiet as possible, never voicing a view on anything, until they can get that tenure and be free to speak their minds about what they feel would help their students. In my school, yes we had a couple of teachers who weren't so great, but we also had some great ones with whom we had dialogue that made us think, because they didn't have to worry about saying something someone higher up would think was too radical. Or, that someone higher up might get mad if their students liked them too much.

This whole thing misses the point anyway, IMO, as it seems to me it's been proven that the main problem with education is lack of funds - lack of funds at the schools, and poverty in the homes. The children in the poorer neighborhoods have more trouble because of hunger and turmoil at home due to poverty, NOT because of the teachers!