Now that we know the economy can be saved by paying teachers less money everyone should feel at ease. But first, maybe a closer examination is in order. In Florida, the Governor wants every school district to get by on 10% less money (loss jobs and larger class size will do the trick) as well as have the teachers pay a higher percentage into their pension and health care plans(can you say "cut in pay"). Since the Governor wants to eliminate all collective bargaining contracts, he offered to raise the pay of all teachers who excel in having their classes do well on standardise tests. Of course the governor doesn't worry about having to pay too many bonuses, because he basically thinks most teachers are lazy, good for nothing union slackers.
Here's my question. What if -- what if all the teachers take him up on this challenge and suddenly all of Florida's school children start passing those standardize test like there's no tomorrow. Where will all the money come from to pay the promised raises? Surely not form his rich buddies who have every tax benefit imaginable. No he'll just come up with another bull shit idea. Maybe -- re-instate slavery.
And if you were king...?
ReplyDeleteYou can't leave out my favorite line!
Ever notice how Rick Scott looks a bit like Voldemort?
ReplyDeleteThen again, I was half asleep and fresh off a Harry Potter marathon... but seriously, dude is scary.
If all the students start passing, then clearly the standardized tests are too easy and we need to set a new benchmark. You know. Move the goalposts a little bit.
ReplyDeleteWhen I am King I'll make the Governor, his staff and any legislator who support this type of legislation, take the test themselves and have the results posted on the front page of every newspaper in the state. And yes Amanda, Rick Scott does looks like Voldemort. We need Harry's help.
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't necessarily believe cutting education is a good plan, something does need to be done about the school systems and the idea of raising the pay of teachers whose students excel sounds like an excellent plan to me. Along with a massive restructuring of the teachers unions because they are a huge problem in this country right now.
ReplyDeleteIt all depends on who judges success. Kiss the right ass and you're a success. Teacher unions get a bad rap because a few abuses are always highlighted by the media. Before unions, teachers were treated like shit and given starvation wages. Most of them were women. Thanks to equal opportunity laws (passed by liberals)women left the profession for higher paying jobs. This caused a brain drain in education. Union abuses can be dealt with, but you don't throw out the baby with the bath water. We need to bring back the brains to education and stop making it the escape goat.
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