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November 10, 2005

'Do I look like Arnold?'

Catherine Seipp relates how bad CA teachers are breathing a sigh of relief with the defeat of Prop 74

Posted by Darleen at November 10, 2005 09:19 PM

Comments

Yeah. I was very conflicted on this issue. I hate that we are stuck with insane lame teachers.

Posted by: Mieke at November 11, 2005 07:26 AM

Mieke

If you can, put your kids in private school when they are young. I am thankful I was able to do that for my girls, where I was able to really check out the school, the curriculum and the teachers before handing over my children.

They all went to public jr/sr high school, but their base was set (I also made sure to know these schools, and I went toe-to-toe a few times with the high school on academic issues).

Posted by: Darleen at November 11, 2005 07:48 AM

It really does depend on where you live doesn't it. Jonas is in private preschool now and Gabo will start this coming spring. I would love to send them to public schools, but in this town, unless I live in the Palisades, it's just NOT going to happen.

I grew up in Westchester County, NY where the public schools are FANTASTIC.The teacher nurturing and smart (but that's also becuase they are some of the highest paid teachers so they have a much better talent pool from which to choose). I am 37 and still in contact with a lot of my old teachers from elementary school and high school. It's pretty amazing. I wish the boys could have that same experience in public school. Maybe they will, but then we'd have to move. And we just might.

Posted by: Mieke at November 11, 2005 06:26 PM

Mieke

I honestly don't think it has a thing to do with pay. LAUSD teachers get a nice salary..nothing spectacular, but nice..and that's for 9 months of work, private pension (pay nothing to SocSec) and tons of benefits.

'Course they pay the highest UNION dues in the state just behind the teamsters ($78/mo PLUS unvoted special assessment to crush evil Republicans)

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley until age 13 and had great elementary and jr high teachers. I went to high school in Orange County. My parents were educated in LA public schools ..Dorsey High and Los Angeles High.

The key to why they were great then and pretty effed up now?

LOCAL CONTROL. Just not there. Plus union/tenure issues.

As a government/public employee union worker who sees how slackers and incompetents, once past the 90 day probation period, are RARELY booted, let me tell you how frustrating and morale-debilitating it is to be doing your best and it not meaning A THING. Most good teachers quit early due to "burn out" because they are not supported by the system that treats them the same as the bad teachers.

Posted by: Darleen at November 12, 2005 07:28 AM

I think you are absolutely right about local control. My town had 8,000 people and there was tremendous parental involvement.

The other issue is that, remember that I am 37, the women who taught me in the 70s and 80s went into teaching when there were only two or three choices open to them as professional women. Soon The women who would have become the next generation of teachers, a nurses, or an executive assistants went on to become lawyers, managers, doctors, sales people, etc... When I was in high school there was a pretty much a 50-50 division of male and female teachers. Many men had supported their families (with stay at home wives) on one salary. Can't do that anymore in almost any profession and definitely not in LA on a teacher's salary. I should find out what starting salaries are in my hometown now, but I can't imagine with housing prices being what they are that it could be done.


I don't know what the answer is. Teaching is certainly thought of a sacrifice, an honorable proffesion but not one a single of my friends wanted to do.

Posted by: Mieke at November 12, 2005 04:23 PM