Bob Tate, a senior policy analyst with the National Education Association (NEA) believes that the interaction between a “trained professional educator” and our children is critical to our children’s “social, emotional and intellectual development.” Do “trained professional educators” agree? What do they have to say about their interaction with the children they teach? If the comments made by teachers at The Apple: Where Teachers Meet and Learn, is any indication, public education is in big trouble.
According to its website, The Apple was started by 2003 Jackson Elementary School (Atlanta, GA) Teacher of the Year, Jill Hare. The Apple "...brings members of the education community together to support and advance the profession. The Apple provides resources to promote careers in education, while fostering a community with exclusive benefits where information about the education community is provided to the education community by the community itself." The Apple partnered with careers website Monster.com, whose “vision is to bring people together to advance their lives.”
One of the features of The Apple is a forum for teachers, and one of the forum topics is "10 Things You'd Like to Say...as a Teacher." With contributions written by trained professional teachers from all across the United States, the following list contains the actual thoughts of educators about the children they teach, as they have written them. Be warned, this unedited and uncensored list is raw. As you read it, ask yourself if you would want these people teaching your children.
- "I am only one person students! If I don't get to you today...there's always tomorrow."
- "Well, then why don't you go home and don't come back!"
- "Shut the f*** up, please..."
- "JUST F*** OFF!”
- "WTF are you doing?"
- "Are you really that stupid?"
- "Yes, I talked to your mom, I see the apple didn't fall very far at all."
- "Why? Because I hope you can graduate and get a job rather than live off of 33% of my wages."
- "No, I don't think your girlfriend/boyfriend is hot, I think that you are 2 dogs in heat."
- "I think your parent is disgusting and you really would be better off in a program, at least they feed you there."
- "How about you not come to school high, there are more fun things to do outside when you are stoned."
- "You cannot be THAT dumb!"
- "I wish I could like your Momma should (beat you)"
- "Meet me in the parking lot at 3:30"
- "I don't know how you made it to the 7th grade."
- "I guess there really is a such thing as a STUPID QUESTION"
- "Shut the ____ up"
- "Please use birth control, I really don't to see your kids here in 12 years."
- "Stop having kids!"
- “Wow, your child is really fat and lazy.”
Presumably, the last two comments are directed at parents. Mr. Tate, Ms. Hare, and the folks at Monster.com will have to explain to me how this forum brings people together and advances lives. Are we really expected to believe that teachers who think about their students as these teachers do can adequately mask their feelings and promote healthy “social, emotional and intellectual development?”
So, are you ready to enroll your children in a public school?
My uncle was a 5th grade teacher. One of my clearest memories of him is watching him grade papers at the kitchen table. The whole time, he gave a running commentary of each kid and how stupid they all were.
ReplyDeleteThat was probably 25 years ago, but I haven't forgotten it. I was in public school myself at the time, and I wondered if my teachers talked about me that way.
Um, honestly? Every teacher gets fed up and frustrated sometimes. Actually saying these things would be totally unprofessional. Occasionally thinking 'Please just STFU and go away' and then reacting in a professional manner ... I don't see the issue.
ReplyDeleteI know a lot of moms who occasionally wish that their kids would STFU and leave them alone for just. one. second. so that they could urinate in peace, too.
@anonymous:
ReplyDeleteYes, honestly.
You're right....in one point. There are times when we all wish we could say things that we would never actually say. But that's where my agreement ends. I know many teachers (and moms) who would never think, let alone share publicly, the kind of crude, derogatory, and disrespectful sentiments displayed in the statements above.
Keep in mind that this post was written against the backdrop of Tuesday's post in which NEA spokesperson Bob Tate, expressed his concern about homeschooling with this statement:
"“The NEA believes home-schooling lacks regular interaction with caring, trained professional educators, which we believe greatly aids a child's social, emotional and intellectual development."
Are the teachers quoted in this post among those that Mr. Tate believes are better suited to aid my child's social, emotional, and academic development than I am? In answer to Arby's question above, no, I would not want these "trained professionals" teaching my children. Granted, there are many teachers in schools today who would never think or speak like this, but this post provides evidence that sending your children into the schools is a little bit like playing russian roulet. And I for one am not willing to take the chance.
BTW...your thoughts are welcome here! Please do us the courtesy of sharing them openly rather than from behind the curtain of anonymity!
@ Anonomous-I agree. There are many days I would love to go to the bathroom in peace, however it would be inappropriate to take my frustration out on them.
ReplyDeleteWe all vent at times and say things sarcastically to provide humor to a situation to make things more tolerable.
However, in a public forum of professionals, this was totally uncalled for. I understand that it was meant humorously, but that was not the place to do it.
And Arby, NO I would not want these professionals teaching my child. I know many teachers and know that they would never act or say these things, but if just one had a bad day, it could do major damage to a small child.
Take care everyone!
Don't you love how parents who send their kids to public schools always say THEIR child's school is different...THEIR school district is different...it has WONDERFUL schools.
ReplyDeleteI have never once talked to a parent who sent their child to public school who said, "Oh, their school stinks but that's the way it goes."
The problem is they have allowed themselves to be deluded...parents have no clue what is going on in their child's classroom. I plan to write a post about that in the future but meanwhile, any parent that thinks they have a CLUE about what goes on in their kid's classroom is truly deluded.