Because I attended many school systems in a variety of states while growing up in the 60′s and 70′s, I can definitely say that New Mexico has some of the most caring, committed and intelligent teachers anywhere. Yes we have some slugs, but they’re in any school system. However, our good teachers simply are not given the same work environments, resources and training as their peers in states and cities that are doing a better job, on average, producing better prepared graduates.

Iowa, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Maryland–I have friends in all those states who’s kids have smaller classrooms, more challenging academic course work and teachers who are supported by research-based training in taking a serious approach to being good teachers. My daughters teachers at Mayfield High would probably laugh in your face if you asked them if they are rewarded for being innovative and challenging of their students.

Our public schools might be struggling, but in no way should we “get rid of them” as some on the extreme right suggest. I would never want to force anyone to ONLY have the option to attend public school. But I believe strongly that our public schools are one of the last remaining institutions in our society (the military being another) that force all of us to get to know our fellow citizens up close and personal. They are literally the cradle of our democracy. So, instead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater, I vote for all of us committing to becoming more involved and engaged in the process of demanding excellence, all the way around.

Damn, when’s the next school board meeting, anyway?!

There are greater questions I have though. Like, who decides what the curriculum should be?

If we are still teaching toward preparing students for an industrial workforce we are grossly out of touch with reality as this century proves that we live in the age of knowledge and communication. No we should not abandon vo-tech teaching, we should instead enhance it.

But, public schools by definition are intended as one size fits all solutions. Part of what is broken is the effort to create a more diverse mix and the resources are not there for that purpose. I mean how many special ed classes existed before 1968 when i graduated high school? Usually one per school if that. How many today? Do the math. Teachers are put upon to meet and overcome too many obstacles and not teach. In-service days are nonsense and disruptive as all get out. Why do we have them?

Once the curriculum matches up to what the workforce will need (and there should be no argument these days that the greatest thing schools can do is prepare students for the world of work), how are teachers brought around to teach those new subjects? What are the colleges really producing in the way of teaching talent? Is it up to speed as well? Doubtful.

We live in very fluid times. Schools are the epitomy of rigid, stodgy, chose a word it fits. Anything but flexible and contemporary. And that is part of the problem too.

Then we have unions. What good are they? When is the last time you heard a union spokesperson advocate for revolutionary change in the schools to improve the well being of our children. Never. Instead, they want the status quo because it is easier to manage and by itself, by definition, punishes our children.

Lots of people say the problem with schools is the parents. Well, perhaps. However we got here, the parents have a role, for sure. I remember vividly the year round calendar debate by APS some twenty years ago. You know, let’s change the calendar so students will be smarter… right? Now, that was a big leap that didn’t fool anyone. One of the meetings I attended had a nice well intended woman, head of the PTA and in the principals pocket, face off with me in a dialogue about it. She eventually came around to saying that i simply didn’t understand, that we are no longer in an agricultural economy and three months off in the summer doesn’t make sense. I said, not only are we not in an agricultural economy, we have both parents working outside the home from 8 to 5 or longer everyday, and if that has anything to do with it, then why aren’t my kids in school while i’m working? Why aren’t they getting calisthenics for an hour of that time instead of getting home at 3:30 and becoming couch potatoes and why isn’t there on campus study time and on and on.

The idea of school is broken. When the idea matches up to what is needed and we get rid of all the peripheral bureaucratic and political nonsense, we have a chance of doing the right thing.

Until then, it will remain broken. Best thing to do is start over!