Quote:
Originally Posted by GGG
Umm... this seems very similar to what is going on at every oil company right now outside of number 4. I get that some teachers think they get a raw deal but those in the private sector put up with much of the same crap.
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Number 4 is a huge issue - why should any taxpayer have to subsidize the system beyond their proportionate fair share? This is an unfair redistribution of wealth (albeit one that many teachers accept as "part of the job").
I don't disagree that many of the points I brought up are being experienced in the private sector, and I think running a school board like a public company would be an excellent step; unions would never agree to that, which is unfortunate. There is a great documentary "Waiting for Superman" that I would recommend people watch - it deals with issues faced by teachers in the U.S., but I think there are several parallels to the teaching profession in general that apply..
Another point I haven't mentioned is burnout among teachers. Often, it affects teachers in their first 5 years (and usually the highest achievers). This results in a system in which those teachers that are content to do the bare minimum are the survivors.
As a taxpayer, who do you want teaching your children? A teacher who is content doing the bare minimum and providing a mediocre education, or one who goes above and beyond altruistically? Keep in mind, to do the latter, you have to work 10-14 hour days, subsidize the system, sacrifice your personal life, and deal with your profession getting dragged through the mud every three years.
The system is broken.