Carol’s Summary:
There has been a lot of focus on educational policy recently due to the Race to the Top program rewarding states that support charter schools, cities like L.A. ranking 6,000 teachers in the Times, and the box office success of “Waiting for ‘Superman.'”
Even though there are a variety of sources debating educational policy, it’s agreed across the board that improving the effectiveness of teachers is where reform begins. This article argues that there is no “war on teachersâ€. The focus for educational reform should start with replacing the bottom 5-10% of poorly performing teachers with average teachers. This small improvement in the quality of teachers could have the power to boost U.S. standing closer to the top. In order for there to be reform, teacher unions must stop protecting the low-performing teachers. There isn’t a war on teachers, but rather a war on teachers unions. Unions should exist to represent effective teachers not help ineffective teachers keep their positions that may harm a student’s future.
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Article: There Is No ‘War on Teachers’
No longer is education reform an issue of liberals vs. conservatives. In Washington, the Obama administration’s Race to the Top program rewarded states for making significant policy changes such as supporting charter schools. In Los Angeles, the Times published the effectiveness rankings—and names—of 6,000 teachers. And nationwide, the documentary “Waiting for ‘Superman,'” which strongly criticizes the public education system, continues to succeed at the box office.
Read the full article at: wsj.com
