Comments about ‘Highlights from 2011: Education’

Dnews you are a strange dichotomy. One day you want to tout the local teachers and the next day you tell us that our education system is a disaster and totally needs to be overhauled.

Truth be told, we have a great group of teachers here in Utah. I'm very happy that you are looking for the good that is out there. There is a lot of it to be found for sure. Please continue with these positive stories and maybe just maybe we will see more young people actually want to become teachers. We might even see our legislature get on board and help our teachers instead of hindering them.

A big thank you to all of the teachers out there and the fine work you do with our children.

No child left behind means no child gets ahead. The public school system needs to be reorganized.

What? Haven't you heard the Gospel of Howard? (Stephenson, that is.)

Aren't all teachers selfish slugs and all public schools failing?

@GoGetter
Teachers were not the instigators of NCLB. If you mean that teachers, who are the education experts, should be allowed to do what they know to be best practice in helping their students learn, I could agree.

If, however, you mean that certain legislators should have their way and end public education in favor of privatization or private contract (charter) schools, then I most vehemently disagree.

Utah schools are below average when adjusted for demographics. Primary reasons?

1) Too many children/students per class
2) A failure to focus on core subjects like math, science, writing and reading
3) Too many young, inexperienced teachers. Because salaries are so poor for teachers with less than 10 years of experience, most of the better teachers bolt for administrative rolls or leave the schools altogether - just so they can make ends-meet.
4) Too many young math and science teachers - see reasons in #3 above.

Unless Utah gets serious about education, we will continue to fall behind our global counterparts.

Ah, the noble teacher. The media loves them when they do their job because of their passion for education. They do not love seeing them paid a decent wage for their work. The Deseret News is a leader in teacher bullying. Utah teachers are probably the worst-compensated education professionals in the nation, yet the vast majority of DN reporting is on trashing the teachers and praising any alternative that moves. It is a collective shame on a state that should value their children and those who endeavor to teach them. When you pay for substandard quality while demanding top quality, someone is being cheated.

Ever wonder how there can be "No Child Left Behind" if it's a "Race to the Top?"

Howard Stephenson would say the only good teachers are found in charter and private schools. Public schools are a drain on society and should be eliminated. D-news your article must be inaccurate, there is no good in the public education system. Just ask Howie!