August 13, 2004
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Warning ~ long rant post ahead
Okay…remember yesterday when I said that I didn’t have time to talk about my feelings on what’s wrong with our educational system? Well…I’m making time because it’s something that just bothers me to the point of no return!! And I’m not referring to the school supplies that I ranted about…that’s just a small portion of how things are not being prioritized properly with our school systems!
I’ve spoken with quite a few teachers across this country and have gotten input on many different situations in school environments, but one thing seems to be the same. Our teacher’s are getting burned out because they are unable to teach!!
I had some wonderful teachers as a child…and all the way through high school…well, until I moved to Texas, but I was lucky I suppose. However, I thought the schools that I attended in Michigan were incredible and I went from a small dairy farm town to a big city environment. The contrast between schools was vast but the education that I received was pretty comparable. The teachers at those schools worked with me when I needed help and yes, we had state testing in certain grades, but we weren’t taught by the guidelines of the testing, we were taught the skills that we needed to have in order to go on to college and make it in the real world.
The schools in Texas were very different however. The faculty at the three schools I attended there weren’t concerned about education, they were more concerned about fashion. You read that correctly…fashion. Now mind you, this was in Garland, TX a city just Northeast of Dallas. Garland is a nice city, however…things are very different in Texas and any Texan would agree. I’m a Northern girl, I didn’t grow up embracing southern culture but then again…neither has most Texans because most of them consider themselves seperate from the rest of the South and other states. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that “Texas wants to be their own country”…well, for some Texans that’s very true.
Anyway, back to my story. I grew up listening to rock-n-roll…not country music. In fact, at that time in my life I didn’t particularly care for that genre at all…let alone the style of dress for the folks that did like that genre. I’m not talking about the styles of today…this was the late 80′s early 90′s. BIG difference in western style for girls/women. Anyway, I just didn’t care much for it…my choice right?
Well, I soon found out that in this particular high school that those who didn’t dress the country style didn’t exactly go far in the school. In fact, it states in the student handbook that concert t-shirts are NOT allowed in the school…unless it is of the country genre. I kid you NOT folks!! So I tested this rule…because in my old high school in Michigan we were allowed to wear concert shirts as long as they weren’t explicit and didn’t portray profanity.
So I wore a Queensryche t-shirt to school one day that had the band logo, the same as on this hat and it had some tour dates listed on the back. No profanity…no name on the shirt…just the logo on the front. I had a jacket on and you couldn’t even see the back. No one said a word to me…until I took the jacket off. Then I was promptly informed that I had to turn my shirt inside out for the remainder of the day or I’d be sent home and suspended for 3 days.
Okay…well, those who know me I’m sure can guess what my reaction to that was. I questioned the motives for this and was sent to one of the principal’s (there were SEVEN) office. This principal told me once again that I wasn’t allowed to wear any concert shirts that were not of the country genre to school and if I did it again I would be suspended. He said that if I turned my shirt inside out for the remainder of the day that he would just put me in detention for the remainder of the day and call it even this time.
I of course protested this because I just didn’t see the reasoning for punishment of wearing a shirt that had a non threatening logo on it with dates listed on the back…it just wasn’t logical.
Needless to say, I was suspended for 3 days and my mother was called in to pick me up. She wasn’t upset with me because she knew how I felt about this whole ridiculous situation…but just told me that “things are different here”. No kidding…ya think??? Other than the fashion issue, there was also the small matter of lack of knowledge on the teachers part in this particular school. Mind you, I was a straight A student, in the Honor Society and had been placed in the top 10% of the nation for Math & Science. English/Literature was one of my favorite subjects however, especially when discussing Shakespear’s works. As a child I used to read Shakespear for fun. I didn’t have many friends okay.
Anyway, the English teacher at this school knew very little about the subject of which she was supposedly teaching…let alone defining the works of Shakespear to her students. Yes, I got myself into major trouble on that one. In fact, she failed me for that class. I’d never failed any subject prior to or after that. I had to attend summer school to make up that class and passed with 104%. The summer school teacher was delightful and very knowledgable of the subject and was quite taken with me. She was shocked that I would be forced to go through summer schooling for this subject or any other subject for that matter.
Well, things settled down the following year for me. I promised my mother that I wouldn’t “start anything” or challenge any of the school faculty in regards to their rules or regulations, well…that is until I got pregnant…but that’s a whole other story. I was captain of the debate team that year and the head soloist in the choir and in concert/marching band. However, I still struggled with the lack of knowledge displayed in the classrooms. Not saying that the teachers didn’t have the knowledge, but the students weren’t being taught enough.
I see similar things happening in the schools that my children attend. Too much emphasis on having them pass these state tests…and not enough on education itself. I understand that the state testing is designed so that education can be monitored, however…when all education revolves around these tests, I don’t feel that’s good enough for our children.
When my daughter comes to me while in the 4th grade and is just beginning to learn her times tables…that’s not good enough.
When they haven’t begun learning fractions until the 6th grade…that’s not good enough.
When my daughter comes to me while going into 6th grade and doesn’t know the months of the year…that’s not good enough.
After dealing with my oldest daughter, who has ADD…and addressing issues with her teachers that responded with, “well, you need to work with her on these things at home”. I started doing just that because it obviously isn’t going to be taught to her at school! Not here anyway. So, since that time I’ve been prying into what she does and doesn’t know so that I may work with her on those areas that she’s needs improvement.
Jason and I both are aware of what we are now having to do with our children due to the lack of education they receive in the school systems. However, many families do not have parents that are able to make up for that at home. It’s those children that wind up graduating or not graduating high school barely equipped with a 7th grade education but were forced through the system.
Prime example…I wanted to hold my oldest daughter back this year because I don’t feel she is prepared for 7th grade. She doesn’t possess the skills that she should for advancing into 7th grade (she failed all of her core classes) and I was told by the school counselor that (and I quote) “we don’t feel that it would be in her best interest socially to be held back a grade…she is too physically developed and therefore it could affect her in a negative manner emotionally”. OOOHHHH yes, they said they wouldn’t hold her back a grade due to her being “physically developed“!!
So basically, it’s OK that she isn’t mentally or academically prepared to go on to 7th grade and that it will hurt her in the long…but as long run as she’s socially acceptable by her peers…then it’s OK. Umm…I’m sorry, but what a load of BULLSHIT!!
However, I decided that since I’m obviously not going to receive the addtional support that one would expect from the school systems, that I would take matters into my own hands and I will make sure that she throroughly understands her subjects from here on out so that she IS mentally & academically prepared to advance at the end of this school year and every year following.
Now I’m NOT attempting in any way here to put down teachers…that’s not my intent. Hell, my husband is studying to become a teacher so I wouldn’t do that. However, I am stating my opinions regarding the problems with the educational system…and that’s what this post is all about.
One thing is for certain…the educational system in this country may be failing my child…but I sure as hell won’t!
Comments (17)
I hear you. Loud and clear. In my son’s school, the teachers have always been WONDERFUL, really watching out for him, willing to team with me as much as possible. All that came to a screeching HALT when I asked for an IEP in order to get resource specialist services and get him into a social skills group.
I’m afraid when school starts on Monday. I don’t know what kind of a teacher they have assigned to him this year. Will they work with me or not? Even if they WANT to, will the administration hold them back?
I know that I am my son’s best advocate. I feel just like you do. No matter if the rest of the world fails him, I will not.
YOU keep up your excellent work, Mom!! Without you, where would your child be?
Oh my goodness, that is the longest rant ive ever seen
Just kiddin’, sometimes i think teachers have got a screw lose, no offense to ure husband, but i had a smiliar situation when i was in school, not w/a rock tshirt but remember when the skorts were popular? well everyone was wearing them so i thought i would wear mine one day….well i guess you either had to be a popular kid or at least have ure nose shoved up a teachers butt, but i got sent to the principle’s office b/c i had one on and so did every other girl. Just not fair!! As for ure daughter, you have her best interest at heart and thats ures and ure husbands decision, not some flakey teacher. so yeah i understand where ure coming from. Take care…~*Keri*~
I share your frustration with the social promotion issue. We haven’t been able to hold some kids back because they are “too tall.” It would be damaging to their self esteem to be retained. Hello? Isn’t it more damaging to one’s self esteem to be academically or developmentally unprepared to handle the work everyone else in your class can do?
Your kids are so lucky to have you. I wish we had more parents like you because sometimes a teacher’s efforts are stifled by administration, whereas a motivated parent can often get them to listen. For example, I have an air conditioner in my classroom that breaks with every heatwave. They repeatedly come to “fix” it, only to have it break again as soon as they leave. After two weeks and a Back to School Night in a more than 90 degree classroom, I asked a parent to call to complain and got it fixed that same day.
Its becoming a bit like that here , in fact I was watching on the news about a Mum who had a son like yours the authories wanted to put him in a mainstream school and she wanted him to go to a speicalist school .
At least here school tables make that schools have to real be on top with maths english and science
By the way … I didn’t take your post as teacher bashing. I think you have every right to feel the way you do, and I wholeheartedly agree with you.
The educational system is not much different here..I’ve butted heads with the administration of my kids schools over varying issues. One of which I wanted to hold Nat back a year due to the fact that I did not feel she was mature enough mentally or emotionally to keep on going..they wouldn’t do it because “well she’s doing fine with her school work”..that’s WONDERFUL..but it’s not helping her with other issues to continue to push her through. They continue to have behavioural problems with her at school..BECAUSE she’s not MATURE enough to be where she is..and it doesn’t help that she looks far older than her actual age and they expect her to act the age she looks!
Tristan..this past year decided that goofing off was the way to go..he failed miserably in 4 subjects..gggrrr..not something I’m used to here in this house. I asked that they keep him back..but because his overall average was a passing grade..they told me there was NO way they would keep him back..wtf!?! Um..HELLO?!? I’m his mother..I think I KNOW what’s best for my child..so..he’s off to grade 8 next year with 4 failed subjects..the rules in this house are changing dramatically and he’s gonna hate me..but I don’t CARE..this is his future we’re talking about here.
It’s true the teachers are being run to the ground with their jobs and we as parents have to pick up the slack at home..which I don’t find fair at all..but I will do what I have to do in order to make sure my kids have the future they deserve to have!
when we moved from ny to here. we found that the school system in indiana was a joke. i was so far ahead of my class it wasn’t even funny. now that katy is in school. things have really changed. they have a great principal. who wants to do better than what the state sees as acceptable. he pushes the teachers to teach more. and i am very happy with katy’s education. i am very lucky though. some of the teachers. grrrr. lets not even go there.
thanx for visiting my site
Oh my, in trouble for wearing a Queensryche t-shirt. That’s nuts!
I agree with you totally, Maria! The main problem that we are having with the kids in the school district that I work in is the behavior. The teachers can’t even begin to teach because they are too busy handling behavior problems. Sometimes it is out of control. When I see how some of the students are acting in the regular ed. division, it makes me thankful that I am working with special ed. students!
That is totally crazy about the suspension and the Queensryche t-shirt. How do you feel about school uniforms? The school where I am employed is requiring uniforms this year and I think it is a good idea. I’m tired of seeing kids, mostly young boys, wearing their jeans around their ankles. It’s pathetic.
I feel the same as you about the people who run the education system insisting on adherance to the system regrardless of negative effects on individual children. It’s no wonder that teachers in the UK are leaving the profession in droves. Grrrr!
And I HATE them seperating disabled children from their non disabled peers, ostensibly to make it easier for the disabled kids to cope with school, but actually because they ASSUME that the disabled kids will keep the non disabled kids BACK. Grrrrrrrrrr!
They held people back plenty when I was growing up, but that was the (Rolling) Stone Age.
I think some schools want obediance more than learning.
Anymore the emphysis isn’t on the children.. it is all about numbers and money… they just dont care anymore!
Tina
some schols are like that … I just never grew up in that type of situation .. my teachers have always been great …. and I have been to school in two different states as well Cali and Washington …
Texas however … I have seen my niece do nothing but strive in school here … since kindergarten … but then again Pine Tree isn’t a huge school district in a big town either
My kids have come and gone and now my 1st grandson is in school in TX. Smart kid, but failed kindergarten. Repeated it with different teacher and made Honor Roll EVERY six weeks! Seems the problems the teachers are having is kids are NOT being disciplined at home and they have to spend too much time on that problem and not enough time on the curriculum.. Many districts in TX now wear uniforms and I think that is great! No peer pressure for $100 tennies! I DO agree that parents should be able to hold their child back if they want.. It’s YOUR child! Hang in there!
I used to be against home schooling, and still have mixed emotions about it, though the Dunk family changed my mind on it.
You and Jason are great parents and I admire you both for all you do and are doing.
You know I have many opinions about education and continue to develop more as I study it– but I will work with you to ensure that our children learn well!
