In his guest column, printed Nov. 9, Terrence Magee suggests that, when reformers insist the education system is broken, it is “… too simplistic to blame the teachers.” It is too simplistic to blame only teachers – and unnecessary. There is more than enough blame to go around. Yes, the educational system is broken — […]
Richard Sabine
Posted inOp-Eds
Richard Sabine: Weed out ineffective teachers
The failure of public education includes teachers among the usual suspects. Yet, we love and admire our teachers; when we were young, they nurtured and loved us. The teachers we love and have loved are like snowflakes — individually beautiful, but calamitous in great numbers. Their labor organization zealously protects all teachers, even and, perhaps […]
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Posted inLetters
R. Sabine: Competence examination for students
High school graduation and its diploma should require passing a competence examination. That should motivate students and teachers and produce graduates who are literate, numerate and employable. That would be challenging for students and educators, but why would we want less for our children? Unfortunately, it is the nature of public education that a competence […]
Posted inLetters
R. Sabine: Teach the children to read
Today’s schoolchildren can’t read. Most people would prefer not to know that, but like unpleasant engine noises, it shouldn’t be ignored. Less than half the high school juniors are proficient in critical reading and half of high school graduates who enter community college need remedial courses. A generation or more ago, that wasn’t a problem, […]