The Latest

You know, something pretty interesting just happened in the last couple of weeks since my last post. I have been watching The West Wing and paying attention to some of the things the "candidates" were saying on the campaign trail. Many of the issues brought up by Jimmy Smits' character on the show are those which I feel should definitely be addressed in truth. The idea of tenure just due to seniority is ludicrous in my mind, BUT the idea that merit pay be only based upon easily measurable test scores is just as bad, so, how do we find a way around this?

Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio, I like this guy's ideas more and more each time I hear one, except for his strange stance regarding Charter, or, in Ohio's terminology, Community, Schools. He has an idea that would do away with the Ohio State Board of Education as we know it. The elected officials would be replaced by people whom might actually know a thing or two about the educational process. I have often wondered how the voters in the state could readily pick ANYONE to sit on that board. I have been voting for twenty five years and have NEVER known an candidate for the State Board of Education. That coupled with the fact that I have been an educator for nearly 20 years makes a person wonder, "Why???"

Anyway, I believe that his premise is great as long as it ensures that the board actually works toward the betterment of education rather than become yet another burden. The betterment of education, as I am writing, has to do with my previously mentioned thoughts that we are in need of an absolute and unequivocal overhaul of the entire system. I am not only speaking of the asinine testing, but of the complete and ridiculously outmoded mindset most people have with regard TO education. I heard something on The West Wing that, although I understood it and have heard people say it myself, was horrible to accept. A man stated, when he was talking to the Jimmy Smits' character, something on the lines that he got a decent enough education, so why should the delivery or quantity of time in school change for his kids. That is the EXACT type of thing that has caused us to lag behind schools in the top performing nations. In fact, our days in school are way behind the countries that are doing well.