Hernando Today
Public Education Disasters
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Published: May 16, 2008
Last week, it was reported in the local papers in Baltimore, Md., that there were more than 100 reported attacks on teachers by students in the public schools since last August.
One of the responses by politicians is that the teachers and principals must look for the "causes of this behavior such as mental illness, poverty, abuse and other struggles" that prompt students to misbehave.
I beg to differ.
Bill O'Reilly showed a video on his TV show on Monday night showing a school dance in Memphis, Tenn. where the students went wild depicting all sorts of sexual actions on the dance floor. The terrible fact was that teachers were there and they did nothing to stop it. O'Reilly had the superintendent of schools on his program and that man was a blubbering idiot. I had difficulty trying to understand what this man was trying to explain. Mr. O'Reilly also was taken aback and asked if he was possibly condoning this behavior. The school district will be conducting an investigation.
Last week in California there was a huge riot in a school and numerous police in riot gear were required to quell it. The major common thread in all of these schools is that the government in effect runs them. In the case of the Baltimore school, the superintendent is planning for additional "alternative schools" for troubled kids.
The sad truth is that far too many of the schools in our inner cities are disasters, and the only solution offered by educators is more money. Why is it that some schools with the same amount of money perform well and others are disasters?
Humans respond to stimuli alike. There are exceptions, but generally if a certain behavior is punished, the majority avoids that behavior and if a certain behavior is rewarded, the majority is encouraged. If there is doubt about whether the behavior will be punished or rewarded, then personal desires take precedence.
What is encouraged or punished in schools depends on the teachers and principals. When the students believe that these effects are not consistent, then difficulties arise. Why should we be surprised when that happens? The same occurs in all walks of life.
Take the military. The rules are the same and yet there are some units that are superior to like units for one reason — leadership. The troops know that standards will be enforced and encouraged, and as a result they follow them. The same is true in corporations when there is no doubt about what is expected. Why would schools be any different?
Show me a school that is doing well and I will show you a school with a principal who is a leader. The opposite is also true. If this is so true then why do we not hire leaders?
Unfortunately, educators are interviewed for principal positions and not necessarily leaders. When school systems begin to hire leaders we will finally see progress in how our children are learning. How much more proof do we need that the current system is not working?
Donald J. Myers, a retired colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps., is a regular columnist for Hernando Today. He lives in Spring Hill and can be contacted at DMyersUSMC@aol.com.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( SpringHillConcernedCitizen ) on May 16, 2008 at 6:15 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is one of the few articles that is actually right on the money. Kudos to you Donald J. Myers
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