How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
The teachers--or rather, the California Teachers Association--is responsible.
From "The Worst Union in America," our own Troy Senik's most recent article in City Journal, about which Troy is too modest to post:
In 1962, as tensions ran high between school districts and unions across the country, members of the National Education Association gathered in Denver for the organization’s 100th annual convention. Among the speakers was Arthur F. Corey, executive director of the California Teachers Association (CTA). “The strike as a weapon for teachers is inappropriate, unprofessional, illegal, outmoded, and ineffective,” Corey told the crowd. “You can’t go out on an illegal strike one day and expect to go back to your classroom and teach good citizenship the next.”
Five decades later?
[In] May 2011, when the CTA—now the single most powerful special interest in California—organized a “State of Emergency” week to agitate for higher taxes in one of the most overtaxed states in the nation. A CTA document suggested dozens of ways for teachers to protest, including following state legislators incessantly, attempting to close major transportation arteries, and boycotting companies, such as Microsoft, that backed education reform. The week’s centerpiece was an occupation of the state capitol by hundreds of teachers and student sympathizers from the Cal State University system, who clogged the building’s hallways and refused to leave. Police arrested nearly 100 demonstrators for trespassing, including then–CTA president David Sanchez. The protesting teachers had left their jobs behind, even though their students were undergoing important statewide tests that week.
How much worse must it get before we Californians can find our own Scott Walker?
By the way, I'd be particularly interested to hear from teachers among the Ricochetti.* Has the profession itself become--well, I'm not sure how to put it. Coarser? Or does the trouble lie entirely with the teachers' unions?
*I used to prefer "Ricochetoise," but that was before the French elected a socialist president.
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Comments:
Jan '12
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
I second the motion Ricocheteers. The site's full name should be included.
I did, however, share Southern Pessimist's imaginations, at least in a more romantic version, for I was only eight years old when the bountiful Annette added such vibrant color to my family's black-and-white TV.
For what it's worth: we sent our son to a Montesorri school, this even though--or perhaps as a result of the fact that--his mom taught in the Oakland, California, public schools.
Edited on May 23, 2012 at 3:37amApr '11
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
The King Prawn
Peter Robinson:
Ricochetti.*
*I used to prefer "Ricochetoise," but that was before the French elected a socialist president. · · 8 minutes ago
So we're going with an Italian moniker? Seems like kind of a lateral transfer to me... · 51 minutes ago
Monti's not great, but baby steps in the right direction are a heck of a lot better than large steps in the wrong direction. The analogy of Hollande to the final shot of mostly recreational heroin given to euthanasia patients to make their final moments smiley seems like a good on.
I still like Ricochetoise (ie, in Marxist terms, the capitalist revolutionaries). Ricoteer sounds more English, but "teer" is a pretty thin Anglicization of the French "aire".
Apr '11
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
The big thing that would help California get a Scott Walker is to show that Scott Walkers do well. Nothing until November even approaches the importance of the upcoming recall election, not even the Obamacare case.
Jul '10
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
Peter Robinson:
How much worse must it get before we Californians can find our own Scott Walker?
By the way, I'd be particularly interested to hear from teachers among the Ricochetti.* Has the profession itself become--well, I'm not sure how to put it. Coarser? Or does the trouble lie entirely with the teachers' unions?
Regarding your first question: good luck. I'm well aware of what Ahhnold did but you might consider aiming a tad lower, say a Rick Snyder. A couple of years ago every other conservative commentator was likening CA to Greece and I was constantly harping: No! Michigan is the U.S.A.'s Greece!
I won't bore you with my reasons, this is what matters: He isn't actively making stuff worse, and there are mild improvements at the margins. That is a big, big deal in a poorly run state.
Regarding your second question: we (Americans) have become coarser. There is plenty of blame to lay at the feet of the unions, but it isn't entirely their fault.
Educrats' ability to mold our progeny in their preferred image is dependent upon how we shape society and our kids.
May '12
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
The problem with teacher unions as with all public sector unions, is that you end up with the same people on both sides of the table. While private sector unions are no saints either, there do exist limiting factors to their power, not least of which is a management keen on making money, and the fact that its not in the unions interest to see the business fold. In the public sector, there are few limiting factors, very few.
Aug '10
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
I think all leftism has been going feral in the past few years, to a degree unseen since the early 1970s. It began with groups like Code Pink, but they were primarily anti-war and anti-Bush, but now it seems like practically everyone on the left is just surrendering to their worst impulses: down with capitalism and economic liberty, down with America and the Constitution, down with religion and the Golden Rule, down with free speech for those who disagree, down with reason and the rule of law, down with politeness and humility, we're simply right and we want our way.
Oct '10
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
Just a passing thought, perhaps EJ can do something with an image from the film, The Rocketeer. Seems a reasonable fit.
Apr '12
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
I've seen folks promote it as exactly that... and think it's a GOOD thing.
May '10
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
Peter Robinson. *I used to prefer "Ricochetoise," but that was before the French elected a socialist president. How about, "Ricochetsia", a combining form of Ricochet and intelligentsia?(Posted from Kaanapali overlooking the ocean and swaying palms.)
Nov '11
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
I agree. It seems there are too many EdD's, each digging for something semi-original for their thesis, in a mine that played out a long time ago. There are only so many generally-applicable techniques for teaching kids the basics. More academics in the field lead to more well-reasoned, but poorly thought-out, educational fads being spawned. Often these are of the "so dumb only an intellectual could buy it" variety. Or so it seems to me.
My daughter's elementary got a new principal a couple of years ago, who has a doctorate. She ended up being OK, but I was really worried at first. We did get an idiotic ban on cupcakes in the classroom that year (mustn't upset the first lady, I guess) that came down from the school board. I'm sure the good Dr. didn't rock the boat on that.
May '10
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
Peter Robinson
Ricoteers? I like that. I like that a lot.
Thanks, S.P. · 3 hours ago
Like rocketeers. Only ricketier.
Jul '11
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
My best one is a COC violating pun.
Jul '11
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
By the way, we have no future without breaking the union.
Oct '10
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
you need a scott walker AND a GOP controlled state legislature to get the job done in Cali.
Maybe what you are thinking Peter is a Rudy Giuliani or a Chris Christie.
Jul '11
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
Big win.
Dec '11
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
I prefer ricotistas. It actually roles of the tongue in conversation.
Anyway, the only way any of us are going to be saved is if we change the conversation from how much we have to spend and how best to do it, from how much we think we need to spend. The Romney/Ryan plans are jokes only slightly less funny than the president, and leave us doomed regardless of electoral outcome.
Aug '10
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
I'm no defender of techer's unions. They should be outlawed, imho.
That said, public school teachers are so burdened by federal mandates (No Child Left Behind) and hamstrung by red tape they have little time to teach at all.
If we removed the federal government from the education process entirely, we would see an improvement in our children's education almost immediately, I believe.
That - and bring back corporal punishment....
May '10
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
This can't go on, so it won't; a generation of kids will be ruined in the meantime. My sense, based on a long-forgotten poll, is that teacher union members are about 60-40 leftist time-passers and serious, caring educators.
I was in the first victim group in Minneapolis- my senior year of high school, the union launched its first-ever strike, running a full 7 weeks during late Winter-early Spring. Because of budget sand schedule issues, the time was never made up- I started college after a 75% senior year. No one really noticed the difference.
Bill Bennett is involved with a "by any means necessary" group (classes, charter, home school, on-line, religious schools, etc.), which has similar goals to those promoted with equal fervor by left-wing civil rights activist Howard Fuller.
If we were strategically smart, instead of continuously nakedly political, we would adopt free market education and make common cause with liberal civil rights groups promoting decent K-12 education as a civil right. Embrace low income vouchers, and fund opportunity scholarships ourselves, gradually adding in all of the other methods, purely to wrest education away from the bureaucrats.
Nov '10
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
My Mother was a public school 4th grade teacher for 35 years. In the last 18 months of that career she fought breast cancer and only missed two weeks of school up to her death. She made it a point to take her kids on field trips before they became fashionable. She made it a goal to talk to the parents of everyone of her 36 pupils (yes 36) for one hour a month to update them on their child's strengths and weaknesses. The other teachers, through the Fairfax County VEA, complained that parents were expecting them to do similar activities. The principal made my Mother limit her interactions with parents and limited field trips to one a year. In many cases I think the good to great teachers are pushed to the mediocre.
Apr '11
Re: How Public Schools in California Went from Darned Good to Just Terrible
Guruforhire: I prefer ricotistas. It actually roles of the tongue in conversation.
Anyway, the only way any of us are going to be saved is if we change the conversation from how much we have to spend and how best to do it, from how much we think we need to spend. The Romney/Ryan plans are jokes only slightly less funny than the president, and leave us doomed regardless of electoral outcome. · 41 minutes ago
Do you have numbers that support your claim that the Ryan/ Romney plans are not sustainable? The CBO seems to think they are.