Comments about ‘Letter: Not a blame game; education problem belongs to all’

If you want to win the boat race, you need all oars in the water and everyone rowing in coordination.

We once knew how to do public education. Some states seem to know. Some other countries as well.

It is not really a mystery - but it does require us to give up our political biases and look at the problems objectively.

A rigorous system cannot pass and graduate all the kids.

Not everyone gets a trophy.

There will have to be a viable vocational track for those who are not college bound (there is kind of, but we make it seem like a third rate choice).

Schools need to invite parents in. Parents need to be involved but also let the professionals do their jobs.

Kids need more individual attention. Teachers need to be more accountable. We will have to pay for that (if we make teaching a less stable career, the teachers we retain will need to be compensated for that lack of surety).

There needs to be at least some funding for arts, sports, etc. (but not too much in the case of the latter). Kids need other outlets and ways to stay involved.

Hear, Hear!

However, I would not hold the community blameless either. After all, we are the ones who keep electing these legislators. More money for education would help but it will not, by itself, change our culture.

Who elects these people into office? What is the government? It's us.

So while I agree with this letter writer that education involves many more factors than merely "parents" or "teachers" ultimately it is OUR responsibility (and we deserve the blame).

Who decides on who will represent us?
Who allows them to voucherize, trample, and otherwise destroy public education? Logically, if we don't want that to happen, shouldn't we have elected officials who didn't want to do this to our system? Yet, I haven't seen any changes to our legislature.
Who permits them to listen to the Eagles Forum without any consequences?

We are actually the ones deciding on the teachers' wages, the curriculum, class sizes, dead last per-pupil spending, etc.

If we want things to change then we will need to change the way we vote. It's too easy to "blame the legislature" without holding ourselves accountable.

Amen.

Excellent letter.

Blaming makes it nearly impossible to solve problems.

But it's a whole lot more fun than digging and working hard to solve them.

An excellent, sensible letter, followed by Twin Lights' customary insight and wisdom. Gentlemen, could we just put you two in charge of public education?

It's been years since I have stepped in a school/classroom but I think the entire education process needs to be changed.

Bureaucrats in District offices, legislators, & professors from Colleges of Education need to visit business of all sizes and types. They'd find that collaboration and technology are the MO.

Speaking only for where I work, Everybody has their specific tasks but there are enough people cross trained to compensate for all possibilities.

The topics that s/b emphasized in K12 IMO are; reading comprehension, critical thinking/reasoning, written/oral communication. time management as well as geographic literacy.

Why Geographic literacy? In a global economy, a sense of place, & its relativity is invaluable how you affect others.

Eric,

Thank you. I assume part of your good humor is due to the performance of IU on the basketball court.

I am so tired of hearing about the education system responsible for ever ill our society has, When are you people going to learn that it is not the education system/s responsibility to teach your children integrity, honesty, values, these lesson come from the home, they can be supported in the school system, but when they are not taught and observer in the home, we get chaos. there are very few families in this country, that value marriage, and raising children, that think children are a great blessing, that will make a sacrifice or something they want , because of the needs of others. children learn by example how to act and how to treat others, the breakdown of families, and the "it's not my responsibility" attitude is to blame for the break down of children. PLEASE stop blaming the teachers, they are to teach reading, math, spelling, history. They cannot do there job when parents don't care what there children are watching, and doing. NO SUCESS CAN COMPENSATE FOR FAILURE IN THE HOME !!!