Anti-intellectual extremists and their publicity organs continue to devalue teachers and education. Public schools have received so much criticism that some students and parents view education as a waste of time. This is a terrible loss for our young people, our economy, and our society with disastrous potential for our future.
Radical conservatives on the State Board of Education have fueled this perception that public schools are not worthwhile. Meanwhile, the Republican Party has fractured, and many traditional Eisenhower Republicans are embarrassed and disturbed by the emerging extremism. However, Texas no longer needs to be a national loser in the battle between radical ideologues and thinking, caring parents and educators. If rational people from across the political spectrum just pause and consider, we will all recognize that public education is an essential part of our democracy.
Most Texans would like to take a more reasonable approach to education. All fiscal conservatives and libertarians don’t always agree with the extreme religious-right and other fanatics in the Republican Party. We need to emphasize social and intellectual values that appeal to a broad range of reasonable people, and we must marginalize the hysterical, emotional fringe.
I want to welcome moderates of all persuasions into a dialogue based on reason, civility, and a desire to create the finest public education we can offer. We will begin our transformation of the schools based on data and best practices from around the nation and the world. Other industrialized nations have their children in school for more hours, and that might be a good start to improve our educational system.
We also need to consider how we use our time in general. Teachers need more planning opportunities in the school day and schools must revise scheduling practices. Studies indicate that young people, particularly teenagers, do better when they start their day an hour or two later. Perhaps a staggered class start time would help parents and teachers work around traffic and work schedules, and the whole society could allow more flex-time scheduling for work and school.
Young people and teachers need time to relax, reflect, read, exercise, interact, and enjoy education. The stress of rushing from one class to the next is not conducive to learning or efficiency for teachers or learners. Let us make our educational system both more productive and more stimulating, without the frenetic tension sometimes associated with classrooms focused on speed and testing. Let’s return to a greater respect for education and reasonable dialogue, and let’s give our teachers and students sufficient time to teach and to learn.
Anti-intellectual extremists and their publicity organs continue to devalue teachers and education. Public schools have received so much criticism that some students and parents view education as a waste of time. This is a terrible loss for our young people, our economy, and our society with disastrous potential for our future.
Radical cconservatives on the State Board of Education have fueled this perception that public schools are not worthwhile. Meanwhile, the Republican Party has fractured, and many traditional Eisenhower Republicans are embarrassed and disturbed by the emerging extremism. It doesn’t have to be this way, however. However, Texas no longer needs to be a national loser in the battle between radical ideologues and thinking, caring parents[TLD1] and educators. If rational people from across the political spectrum just pause and consider, they we will all realize recognize that public education is an essential part of our democracy.
Some conservativesMost Texans would like to take a more reasonable approach to education. All Ffiscal conservatives or and libertarians don’t necessarily always agree with the extreme religious-right and other fanatics in the Republican Party. We[TLD2] need to emphasize social and intellectual values that appeal to a broad range of reasonable people, and we must all marginalize the hysterical, emotional fringe.
I want to welcome moderates of all kinds persuasions into a dialogue based on reason, civility, and a desire to create the finest public education we can offer., We will begin our transformation of the schools based on data and best practices from around the nation and the world. Other industrialized nations have their children in school for more hours, and that might be a good start to improve our educational system.
We also need to consider how we use our time in general. Teachers need more planning opportunities in the school day and schools must revise scheduling practices. Studies indicate that young people, particularly teenagers, do better when they start their day an hour or two later. Perhaps a staggered class start time would help parents and teachers work around traffic and work schedules, and the whole society could allow more flex-time scheduling for work and school[TLD3] .
Young people and teachers need time to relax, reflect, read, exercise, interact, and enjoy education,. The stress of rushing from one class to the next is not conducive to learning or efficiency for teachers or learners. Let[TLD4] us make our educational system both more productive and more stimulating, without the frenetic tension sometimes associated with classrooms focused on speed and testing. Let’s return to a greater respect for education and reasonable dialogue, and let’s give our teachers and students sufficient time to teach and to learn.
[TLD1]Or maybe “citizens”?
[TLD2]Aside (wryly): In fact, you may have noticed that the Democrats have had something of a problem with some of their more extreme members lately…
[TLD3]This could be my ego talking, but I still like the idea of society and families setting the example for this attitude. I don’t know how you could work it in here (in this much improved version), but I like to see, especially in political speech, linkage between the issue and ethos and pathos reiterated.
[TLD4]Ibid
