Comments for ReTired Tucson Teacher

Comment on When Are We Going To Stop Failing Children? by Marc Severson

Marc Severson — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:10:00 +0000

Sorry Wes, I have to ask, ‘stop who?’ Stop children, stop public schools, stop charters, stop legislatures? You’re going to have to identify what part of the discussion you’re commenting on.

Comment on When Are We Going To Stop Failing Children? by WesFly

WesFly — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 08:48:00 +0000

Why do we want to stop them? If we let them keep trying maybe they won’t fail.

Comment on When Are We Going To Stop Failing Children? by rr02

rr02 — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 01:46:00 +0000

I agree that teachers should make the same as the head of their lobbying arm….as long as they are paid from the same pot of money.
further down is a posting about how underfunded districts are excelling. Where does that excellence come from. how is the parochial system able to graduate a better student on less money?

Comment on When Are We Going To Stop Failing Children? by rr02

rr02 — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 01:41:00 +0000

Really?! I guess the census numbers showing a steady decline in population growth since 1970 might not be an indication. Oh, and the same census shows a racial shift toward a majority of Hispanics vs whites as residents. And has anyone noticed the uptick in Spanish language commercials on the three main TV channels? Maybe I’m unduly influenced by tangible information while missing out on the urban myths.

Comment on When Are We Going To Stop Failing Children? by Fraser007

Fraser007 — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 22:36:00 +0000

It’s simple. SB1070 has driven out numerous illegals from Tucson. Hence the downturn in TUSD kids. People are moving to Vail etc rather than go to TUSD Schools. Fewer people are moving to Tucson due to the economic downturn as well as Tucson being rated as the 6th poorest city in the USA. People are voting with their feet. The answer to ‘spending more money” does not fly anymore.

Comment on When Are We Going To Stop Failing Children? by Jeffrey Hunt

Jeffrey Hunt — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 22:30:00 +0000

Throwing more public money at the problem is not the answer, The DC school district get the most money per student in the country. They also lead the nation in every negative statistic. Florida has a low amount per student but gets good results. If a school district doesnt have enough students they should close schools. Every parent should have to pay $100 per student to attend school. When you pay directly for something you want to get value for your money. The state should every year your school district is under a desegregation order they cut 10% of their budget. The district is over 85% minorities and growing. Once they are out from the order break into at least 3 parts maybe more. We should lease the empty schools to charter schools. We arent getting a good return on our money now. Its poring water in bucket with a hole it. You want to fix the hole instead keep adding more and more water.

Comment on When Are We Going To Stop Failing Children? by Marc Severson

Marc Severson — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 21:55:00 +0000

No need to apologize, I put this out there for the specific purpose of eliciting responses. My congratulatory remark to you was, of course, directed solely at your response to Frazier. On entirely another level I disagree with you totally in your assessment of my cited sources. In fact I wish teachers would be compensated at a commensurate rate to that of Mr. Van Roekel
and as far as theory goes, anarchic or otherwise, most good teachers teach based upon their best theories.

For me, accountability is being in that classroom everyday prepared to teach or ready to learn; it intrinsically includes being answerable for your actions and decisions.

Not to put too fine a point on it but many of the families who were involved in the closure you cite were seriously concerned about the reasons for the closure being purely monetary. For my own part I recognized that the closure was a ‘fait accompli’ but fought against it to the bitter end nonetheless.

As to the current closures that are occurring in the next year I fully agree that TUSD had little choice given the demographics and the funding that has been offered by our legislature. My argument is that while we cannot determine where people choose to live, we are short-changing our future by this continued underfunding.

Finally you and I do find a germ of agreement in the statement repeated here: “These children also need to see and be supported as this downsizing occurs.”

Comment on When Are We Going To Stop Failing Children? by rr02

rr02 — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 20:48:00 +0000

Pardon me for what may seem an about face but you SHOULD have said it better than me. In writing this article you included references to other articles and other issues. The closure of schools in Chicago is not at all the same as the closure of schools in Tucson. At what level of enrollment must we decide to open or close a school? If you look at the census you will see a trend toward an overall negative growth rate with a large portion being adult retirees with no children.
As for the individuals you referenced I have to take exception to the head of a teachers lobbying organization who draws down over $300,000/yr as having the student’s best interests at heart.
Likewise I have to cast a cautious eye toward an avowed anarchist who is more a theorist than a teacher.
You ask “how can a child fail at something?”. You’re right that learning involves failure but at a certain age, around puberty a child needs to begin making fewer mistakes and being held accountable for his or her actions.
These children also need to see and be supported as this downsizing occurs.
Here’s an example that has been overlooked, the TUSD decision to leave closed the elementary school on Davis~Monthan AFB. Right there is an example of a fiscally responsible decision though the impact was on a segment of our society not always given serious consideration, the military child. These families don’t storm district meetings or publicly revile school officials, they do what they have always done, salute smartly and press on.

Comment on When Are We Going To Stop Failing Children? by Marc Severson

Marc Severson — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:08:00 +0000

Thank you rr02 I couldn’t have said it any better.

Comment on When Are We Going To Stop Failing Children? by rr02

rr02 — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:40:00 +0000

The reason there is no discussion about “who” goes to these schools is because it has nothing to do with anything. Which “who” do you mean? Race? Creed? Financial ability? Aptitude?
Are the parents concerned? In my experiences, yes and more than people believe though it usually seems they are indifferent most of the time they are like the rest of us, expecting things to go properly.
Do the kids care? Have you ever looked into the face of a child who is realizing what you taught them and seen the wonderment of discovery?
I have yet to meet a child who is not eager to join in. Of course there are the discipline issues, there always will be but even the most incorrigible is still just a kid.
Which schools are better? Each school, each classroom is the sum of the adults involved, teachers and parents alike. It doesn’t matter the neighborhood the school is still a major part of that neighborhood and is only as good or bad as the people there.