Reminds me of that SNL skit where the guy wishes for two lesbians and gets two that look like this teacher.
Plenty of viewpoints, but the future of public ed is likely somewhere in between. Here's a take: There are reasons (which you allude to) why some of us don't teach in LPS. Want to a abolish public schools? Fine. Your private schools won't hire me at my current salary, but with as much beurocracy as we have to deal with, you won't hire anybody on the cheap, either. I advise kids coming out of college these days to avoid the profession because public schools don't pay well until you've invested 30-50K into a masters/doctorate, and private schools pay less. Eventually, you won't have teachers. My son graduates next year, so I will care even less. And, I can retire any year I'd like from here on out. Only a 60% pension, but its an invitation to explore other opprtunities. Teachers were considered front line heroes during big bad terrible COVID, but now we're dogshit again. Welp, glad to be getting out soon. And the test scores for my class compare better to the rest of the state, so I feel a sense of abject success every day that I walk into my classroom.
Well put, not exactly sure when teachers became the “bad guy” but definitely get that generalized feeling from the public at times. I had good teachers growing up and wanted to coach so became one out of default instead of passion. Just like in most things, you only hear the bad news and very rarely all the positive things happening in public education. Absolutely grateful for my young kids teachers as my kids love school, my 6 year old is able to read me her books at night and is excited for each new day. Like you, I also look forward to being able to chase opportunities in retirement, a ways off yet, but having committed myself and a decent chunk of money to a masters degree, finally at the point where the salary is worth sticking to it until retirement.
I can tell you exactly when us teachers became "the bad guys"
When Covid hit and kids had to learn from home...us teachers were "heroes", there were videos posted all over showing students and parents driving by their teachers house just to wave at them, to honk their horn and thank them for all they did. There were drive by and walk by graduations, just so teachers could once again see their students.
There were thank you videos to teachers and cards sent, all to those "heroes"
That was in March and until May, a few short months of those students learning from home.
Then August his and in American there were still well over 1000 people dying per day and almost all jobs that COULD switch did switch to Work From Home.
But now, those same parents that called us heroes had been stuck at home with their kids, 24/7 since the end of March and they were NOT about to do that again.
When the first group of teachers mentioned that they might be a bit worried about returning to the classroom with students, well, the shit hit the fan.
Those parents realized they hated being at home all day with their kids, not because they don't love their kids but because it is ****ing annoying to be with them 24/7.
So what did they do? They attacked teachers. Now teachers were just being "lazy" because they did not want to have kids in person. Teachers were making it "political" because they did not want to have kids in person. Teachers were attacked for "only working 9 months a year" it was crazy but parents did not care, they just did not want to have their kids home from 730 to 330 5 days a week.
So when it started? It started that August.
Private schools don't have to report test scores. Or can report certain test scores and not others. Hell, they don't have to test everybody either. Screw around in a private school and they can just kick you out (to a public school).
The deal teachers made to the state (to pay even more into the pension fund while the state paid less) 10 years ago was barely 10 years ago. Now I notice that the new governor is trying to cut the state's 2% match.
Bottom line: Private schools do a good job. But the job they are doing is totally different than what public schools are tasked with doing. I do not know of any Christian schools that even have a SPED department. Public schools teach everyone.
Every private school has a "resource" department that I know of and they work with all the kids that have IEPs and some that don't but clearly need help.
Being "OK" with it and "Encouraging" it are two different things. Are you saying that your two family members are actively telling/teaching youngs boys and girls that growing older and becoming woman or a man is the cool thing to do? That is what it sounds like to me the context you are outing them.
My guess is they are supportive of whatever the children in their class are feeling. They are basically okay with a boy feeling like he wants to play jump rope with the girls instead of throwing the football with the boys and vice versa. That doesn't mean they "Encourage" it
Look I am 100% against trans men playing womans sports, and quite honestly I'd be lying if I said I wasn't uncomfortable around a man in a dress. However it is also not a public school teachers job to tell the kid to follow Christian morals. Which your two family member are also not "encouraging", but are "ok" with. That is what private schools are for and if that is what you want you pay for it.
Edit: I'll leave this here, but just realized this post was from 2023
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So as a teacher, I pretty much just "agree" with the stuff my students say when it comes to topics that are sensitive.
Just like if I had a student and his parents were going through a divorce and he was like "I hate my Mom", I would just agree with him and be like "yeah, she probably sucks, your Dad never should have got married"
See...totally neutral.
@WHCSC I know from many of conversations you are a pretty conservative guy. Since you are laughing at my comment I have a question for you. First, do you think it is appropriate for a teacher to say to a elementary student "No, you can't go play jump rope. Are your parents supporting homosexuality? You need to play football with the boys like normal boys do." The problem is in a public school it is important to be nuetral on such topics. So hey Mr. WHCSC can I go play jumo rope with the girls. What do you say to that kid without overstepping? Remember you are not this kids parents.
My point is, it is a public school teachers job to teach Math, Science, English etc... if you want a specific faith taught you send them to a private school of your liking.
My kid goes to a Catholic School, because I want my morals that I teach at home to be extended by the school. Public schools are meant to be nuetral.
My point is, it is a public school teachers job to teach Math, Science, English etc... if you want a specific faith taught you send them to a private school of your liking.
My kid goes to a Catholic School, because I want my morals that I teach at home to be extended by the school. Public schools are meant to be nuetral.
The difference between public school kids and private school kids is really just that private school kids are much better at hiding the shit they are doing.
I went to private school and me and my friends did all the same stuff my public school friends did, drank, smoked, chewed, weed, sex (or trying to have sex in my case), cheating on tests, copying homework, lying to our parents.
We were just better at it because our private school structure really taught us how to behave around adults. None of us were all that bad, just like most of the public school kids we hung out with were not that bad. We just were better at impressing adults with how we acted in front of them.
As far as the morals, yeah, I suppose you will see that more at private schools because it is usually something that is talked about in classes.
I went to private school and the biggest partying and got around a lot was the principles daughter. She had one of the biggest parties at her house our freshman year when her folks were out of town. Of course her mom the Principle thought she was an angel and did no wrong. Little did she know her daughter made a lot of guys feel very welcomed right on school grounds
Clearly kids are kids, that is different than the quality of education those kids receive. There may be some slower learners in private school, but not to the extent that there is in the public sector. The amount of time wasted on explaining the directions or the assignments 5 and 6 times at public schools, in and by itself, is insane.
Not disagreeing, some of the craziest kids I hung out with were from Creighton Prep
It would be the opinion of Most that a public school teacher shouldn't be in any way perpetuating the farce of 'being able to change sexes'. A 'trans woman' is NOT a woman, it's a man dressing up like and acting like a woman, but that's all that it'll ever be. There's a HUGE difference between 'being neutral' when it comes to homosexuality (AGREE), vs. feeding something that has absolutely zero basis in science. There's nothing 'neutral' when it comes to transgenderism, because (in the absence of a genetic disorder) there's LITERALLY NO SUCH THING! Yet all too many educators jump to embrace it. I'm sure it has A LOT to do with the particular leanings of said educator, their propensity to elevate the ramblings of a confused kid to something more nefarious, but yeah. This happens @ LPS, for sure. Have heard it come directly out of their mouths...
One of MANY good reasons to axe the federal dept of education, FWIW. Should've never been a thing...
This is so funny!
Also, like in your post, private school kids tend to have parents that DO go out of town a lot and of course leave their "perfect kids" home alone for the weekend, which of course means parties.
Hell yeah!
Prep kids party and their parents tend to be "okay" with it. "Lake house weekend, sure we will just pretend you and your friends are not sneaky booze"
"We are going away for the weekend, so you will be home alone, we can trust you, right?"
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