kitchen table math, the sequel: I'm a steamroller, baby

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

I'm a steamroller, baby

I am loving this guy!

So here's the Spitzer agenda:

  • charter schools
  • support for children in private schools
  • value-added assessment

Works for me.


Posted by at

8 comments:

LynnG said...

Spitzer was an excellent attorney general. I loved working with his staff. Very professional, very knowledge, moderately immune from decision-making based on politics.

I have always thought merit-based pay was long overdue in education. If you want to be a professional, you should be treated like one. You get paid based on what you accomplish, no excuses.

I proposed a merit-based scheme to my local Board of Ed years ago. I was met with shock and awe. I was the alien in the room. Apoplectic is not too strong a word to describe the reaction. I should resurrect that idea again, I think. Maybe an letter to the editor to that effect would help.

March 7, 2007 at 6:42 PM
Catherine Johnson said...

I was met with shock and awe.

Is your board all union members?

March 7, 2007 at 8:11 PM
LynnG said...

You would think so, wouldn't you? But oddly enough, most of the Board is comprised of fairly conservative Republicans. This is a very conservative town. The chair is an elderly conservative with no kids in the schools who has been on the board for more years than the others have been alive (almost). This is his domain.

Anyway, the administrators have quite successfully steered the board to this sort of position largely through fear tactics. In Conn., the mandatory arbitration law, combined with the perception that mandatory arbit always goes badly for the towns that go through it, results in the board having no backbone or will to oppose the union.

We've had a pretty good run actually, our teacher salaries are not as high as neighboring towns, our per student expenditures are lower than the state average, so there are some encouraging things going on.

But a frontal assault on the union with something like merit pay is not likely as long as the mandatory arbitration law stands.

March 8, 2007 at 3:58 AM
SteveH said...

When I go to buy a product or service, I don't care about unions or merit pay. But, then again, I have choice. The solution is not merit pay, but choice.

The arrogance is that teachers' unions want both the monopoly and no interference in the contract process. With the monopoly and mandatory arbitration, their power is much greater. The arrogance is that when a choice needs to be made between the needs of the students and the needs of the teachers, the teachers always win. If not, then it becomes a big negotiating condition.

March 8, 2007 at 5:57 AM
Catherine Johnson said...

The chair is an elderly conservative with no kids in the schools who has been on the board for more years than the others have been alive (almost). This is his domain

whoa!

We have a similar problem, though the Board president isn't an elderly conservative.

The Board president has been on the Board for....10 years?

More?

March 8, 2007 at 6:41 AM
LynnG said...

I don't know the exact number of years, but pretty sure it is well over 20. Really.

He is also on some state education boards, an education foundation, and the officer on a state level organization. It is all volunteer, so I credit him with putting in a tremendous amount of his own time and energy to these endeavors.

However, it is the arrogance and hostility to parents that is the most troubling.

March 8, 2007 at 6:58 AM
Catherine Johnson said...

Lynn

We're having quite a few changes here.

It's striking.

As far as I can tell, the best move for you is simply to put your head down and start butting (or, rather, carry on butting).

Spaced repetition does have an effect.

March 8, 2007 at 7:02 AM
LynnG said...

I'll have to try to do a longer post at some point. Targetted repetitive head butting can have a positive effect, I am convinced as well.

I also realize that no one will ever, under any circumstances, admit to a mistake. School administrators will make changes as long as they can do it with no admission of guilt and complete amnesia regarding anything they may have said or done in the past. There can never be any I told you sos.

March 8, 2007 at 7:20 AM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)