Save Our Summer!

[otterinbham 0]

I don't do this often at all. But if you're like me, you're tired of school starting in early August, essentially to fulfill the bizarre bureaucratic requirements of the State Board of Education. Early starts are really unnecessary, especially when you consider that the month of May is almost totally wasted. So why not put an end to this madness and make the school year last from Labor Day to Memorial Day?

If you agree, here's the skinny on who to e-mail with your support:

=================

Dear Save Alabama Summers Supporters:

The time has come! The House and Senate Education Committees are scheduled to hear testimony relating to our school calendar bill next Wednesday. The Senate Committee meets at 8:30 am in Room 727 and the House Committee meets at 1:30 pm in Room 602. The first round of emails sent really turned up the heat and got everyone talking about our issue. Now is the time to send another email, again stressing how important these bills are to you and your family.

The legislation sets a school start date of the second or third week in August and a mandated end date of the Friday before the Monday in which Memorial Day is observed. I know many wanted a later school start date, but the proposed language allows enough days for the first semester to be finished before the winter break,a very popular concept.

This legislation gives our children an 11 week summer, stops the ever earlier school start date and provides the flexibility wanted by school administrators.

Please email or call each committee member today and let him/her know that your family supports HB 179 and SB 241 and you would like his/her support.

If you can be in Montgomery next Wednesday and would like to testify, please let me know.

This is our last shot at this legislation this year. Please email today, if you can not email, please feel free to call the legislators directly. email addresses and telephone numbers are listed below. One email to the entire joint committee is fine. Your email may be as short as, "I support HB 179 and SB 241 and hope you will support this family friendly legislation as well." Of course, any personalization you can provide would be great!

Let me know if you need any help or hear back from anyone.

Tina Bruno

Save Alabama Summers

Email Addresses

staterep@co.escambia.al.us ; staterep@co.escambia.al.us ; bboyd@calhouncounty.org ; macmccutcheon@knology.net ; house3@alhouse.org ; tommysherer@yahoo.com ; harryshiver@aol.com ; bsketa@aol.com ; camjulward@aol.com ; priscilla.dunn@alhouse.org ; lea.fite@alhouse.org ; john.robinson@alhouse.org ; yvonne.kennedy@alhouse.org ; terry.spicer@alhouse.org ; kbenefield@acs-isp.com ; bobby@bobbydenton.com ; senatorerwin@aol.com ; info@parkergriffith.com ; trip.pittman@alsenate.gov ; myronpenn28@hotmail.com ; qtross2002@hotmail.com ; wmitchell@faulkner.edu ; zeb@zeblittlelawfirm.com ; jabo.waggoner@alsenate.gov ; tbruno2@satx.rr.com

HOUSE EDUCATION POLICY COMMITTEE

Chairwoman, KENNEDY, Yvonne, yvonne.kennedy@alhouse.org, 334-242-7737

Vice Chairman SPICER, Terry, terry.spicer@alhouse.org, 334-242-7773

Rep. BALL, Mike, mikeball@knology.net, 334-242-7683

Rep. BAKER, Alan, staterep@co.escambia.al.us, 334-242-7720

Rep. BOYD, Barbara B., bboyd@calhouncounty.org 334-242-7692

Rep. DUNN, Priscilla, priscilla.dunn@alhouse.org , 334-242-7702

Rep. FITE, Lea, lea.fite@alhouse.org , 334-242-7681

Rep. McCUTCHEON, Mac, macmccutcheon@knology.net, 334-242-7705

Rep. MITCHELL, Joseph C., house3@alhouse.org 334-242-7735

Rep. ROBINSON, John, john.robinson@alhouse.org , 334-242-7728

Rep. SHERER, Tommy, tommysherer@yahoo.com, 334-242-7694

Rep. SHIVER, Harry, harryshiver@aol.com, 334-242-7745

Rep. TREADAWAY, Allen, bsketa@aol.com, 334-242-7685

Rep. WARD, Cam, camjulward@aol.com, 334-242-7750

Rep. WHITE, Henry, henrywhite@pclnet.net, 334-242-7712

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Chairperson, FIGURES, Vivian Davis, vivian.figures@al-legislature, 334-242-7871

Sen. BENEFIELD, Kim, kbenefield@acs-isp.com, 334-242-7874

Sen. DENTON, Bobby, bobby@bobbydenton.com, 334-242-7888

Sen. ERWIN, Henry E. "Hank”, senatorerwin@aol.com, 334-242-7873

Sen. GLOVER, Rusty, (No Email Listed - Call 251-649-7380), 334-242-7886

Sen. GRIFFITH, Parker, info@parkergriffith.com, 334-242-7846

Sen. PITTMAN, Trip, trip.pittman@alsenate.gov, 334-242-7897

Sen. PENN, Myron, myronpenn28@hotmail.com, 334-242-7868

Sen. ROSS, Quinton T., Jr., qtross2002@hotmail.com, 334-242-7880

Sen. SANDERS, Hank, (No Email Listed – Call 334-875-1395), 334-242-7860

Sen. MITCHELL, Wendell, wmitchell@faulkner.edu, 334-242-7883

Sen. LITTLE, Zeb (BILL SPONSOR - PLEASE THANK!), zeb@zeblittlelawfirm.com, 334-242-7855

Sen. WAGGONER, J. T. "Jabo", jabo.waggoner@alsenate.gov, 334-242-7892

[CCTAU 3,490]

It's like this everywhere. Government education has so many administrators wasting so much money that they figure their excuse for a lousy education is that they just don;t have enough time with the kids. Which is bull**** considering many private schools do a much better job with less. We have too much administration and not enough of letting teachers teach. Too much of making sure every child gets it before we move on that we are holding the majority back. We have dumbed down public education to the point where we are below average among the world's civilized nation. And the only solution they can come up with is more time in the classroom. Not to mention, the buses in early August are a little warm. Also the cost to run A/C in August is through the roof. With budget crunches like this, you'd think that the state would be a little smarter.

[pensacola tiger 0]

In Florida the reason the districts were setting the start date earlier and earlier each year was to give the teachers more time with the kids before THE TEST.

I'm not exactly sure how it works in Alabama but in Florida there is a mandated number of days that the children attend school. In Florida it's 180. We were starting earlier and earlier as it seems is happening in Alabama. THen the businesses got together and lobbied the legislature about the early start dates. THeir contention was that 1) it took away so many workers from the service industries that Florida depends on and 2) it took away money from families spending their vacations in state late in the summer. THe legislature mandated that no school district could begin school earlier than 2 weeks before Labor Day. Now the parents, high school teachers and high school kids are complaining because this doesn't allow for 1st semester to end and exams to be given before the Christmas break. The other thing you have to consider is that your summer break isn't really being lengthened because the kids will just go to school longer in the spring. The only ways to lengthen the summer break is to do away with holidays during the year or decrease the number of days kids are required to go to school.

CCTAU.....private schools do a better job because they can choose their clients. If a child doesn't pass the entry exam he is not allowed in. If a child doesn't make the grade he is asked to leave. If a child misbehaves he is asked to leave. And parents are paying through the nose to have the kid attend the private school So there is a great deal of parental interest in what little Johnny or Judy is and is not doing in school. ALl of this makes one heck of a difference. Blast away.

[mowegl 4]

global cooling?

[otterinbham 0]

In Florida the reason the districts were setting the start date earlier and earlier each year was to give the teachers more time with the kids before THE TEST.

I'm not exactly sure how it works in Alabama but in Florida there is a mandated number of days that the children attend school. In Florida it's 180. We were starting earlier and earlier as it seems is happening in Alabama. THen the businesses got together and lobbied the legislature about the early start dates. THeir contention was that 1) it took away so many workers from the service industries that Florida depends on and 2) it took away money from families spending their vacations in state late in the summer. THe legislature mandated that no school district could begin school earlier than 2 weeks before Labor Day. Now the parents, high school teachers and high school kids are complaining because this doesn't allow for 1st semester to end and exams to be given before the Christmas break. The other thing you have to consider is that your summer break isn't really being lengthened because the kids will just go to school longer in the spring. The only ways to lengthen the summer break is to do away with holidays during the year or decrease the number of days kids are required to go to school.

CCTAU.....private schools do a better job because they can choose their clients. If a child doesn't pass the entry exam he is not allowed in. If a child doesn't make the grade he is asked to leave. If a child misbehaves he is asked to leave. And parents are paying through the nose to have the kid attend the private school So there is a great deal of parental interest in what little Johnny or Judy is and is not doing in school. ALl of this makes one heck of a difference. Blast away.

Good comments, all. But I would offer this as a response. The 180 day school year is arbitrary, and not really based on anything at all except the whim of the bureaucrats. After all, I have kids in 7th, 6th, and 3rd grade, and I can say with complete certainty that next to nothing gets done the last two weeks of the year. Heck, the Mountain Brook school system took up textbooks by mid-May last year.

Also, in our school year, we have five professional development days sprinkled throughout the year. So parents have to, in the middle of October or January or March, have to arrange childcare or take a day off. Eliminate that, and we have bought back a week already. Then, of course, there are holidays such as President's Day, the four-day MLK weekend, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and an extra holiday or two sprinkled in as well. So there, I've just bought us another 4-5 days.

[pensacola tiger 0]

Well yes, the 180 days is arbitrary. But there has to be a number somewhere. I've been working in public educaton for 33 years and that's been the required number of days for that entire time. And yet the amount of information, skills, etc. that are required to be taught at each grade level has increased greatly. It is virtually impossible to get everything that is mandated in with the length of the day and the number of days we have now. Youi say that is a cop out. But think of this. In most jobs if you don't finish what you need to to in a day after working as hard as you can you can take it home and do it or wait until tomorrow. But the teachers and children are together only a certain amount of time a day and only a certain number of days per year. When that time is over the teacher can't take an additional day or week or whatever to get the children all they need. As to nothing being done the last two weeks of school, that's not the case everywhere. But where that is the case let me propose this...there is always a last two weeks. So if nothing is going to be done the last two weeks of a 36 week year then nothing would be done the last two weeks of a 34 week year or a 30 week year or whatever. I understand your concern about the planning days. We have a few of those too. But we have fewer than we used to have. Teachers have to have these planning days. In my district teachers are paid for additional work days above what the children have to attend. THat way we have planning and training (both very necessary) before and after the school year. Of course we hate that because it makes our year longer but it does help solve the problem. As I understand it from friends I have who work in Alabama , they don't have this time. So that would be a constructive idea for you to recommend to the powers that be. In respect to the holidays, I would say that they are very needed by the students and by the teachers. I realize that many working people don't get these holidays. But they are not responsible for anywhere from 20 to 30 children (or many more in middle and high school) all day long every day. But if you discount that argument, you will find that for every parent who argues against these and other holidays, there are just as many if not more arguing for them and for others as well.

[Ranger12 53]

Well, they give them a whole week off for Thanksgiving now, plus many other days like those professional development days that otter pointed out. I even know teachers that complain about the school year starting to early. The say it is hard to keep the kids attention when summer is still going pretty strong.

I am tired of it starting earlier every year also. My wife's family has a family reunion scheduled for August 9th in Myrtle Beach, but my kids can't go because they start school August 7th, the day we plan on leaving. Also, because they now have to get all-stars in baseball started sooner so that it does not run into the school year, they are having to rush the regular season, having us play 3 games a week most of the time. That is fine for the pros, but when you have a team of 9, 10, 11, or 12 year olds, not so good. I remember when we could play a whole baseball season, then play all-star tournaments and still have almost a whole month after that before school started. I know sports takes a back seat to academics, but let the kids have their summer for goodness sake. It has almost gotten to the point that they might as well have year around schooling if they are only getting 8-9 weeks off for summer anyway.

[pensacola tiger 0]

Well, they give them a whole week off for Thanksgiving now, plus many other days like those professional development days that otter pointed out. I even know teachers that complain about the school year starting to early. The say it is hard to keep the kids attention when summer is still going pretty strong.

I am tired of it starting earlier every year also. My wife's family has a family reunion scheduled for August 9th in Myrtle Beach, but my kids can't go because they start school August 7th, the day we plan on leaving. Also, because they now have to get all-stars in baseball started sooner so that it does not run into the school year, they are having to rush the regular season, having us play 3 games a week most of the time. That is fine for the pros, but when you have a team of 9, 10, 11, or 12 year olds, not so good. I remember when we could play a whole baseball season, then play all-star tournaments and still have almost a whole month after that before school started. I know sports takes a back seat to academics, but let the kids have their summer for goodness sake. It has almost gotten to the point that they might as well have year around schooling if they are only getting 8-9 weeks off for summer anyway.

I promise, this is the last time I'll post on this. And believe me, I want my summer too. I'm not arguing in favor of beginning school earlier and earlier each year. I'm just saying that the days have to come from somewhere. So you either begin earlier, you go later, or you cut holidays. Obviously the people posting here and a lot of others don't want to begin earlier. My guess is that ending later wouldn't be a welcome solution either since it shortens summer in the other direction. So that leaves the holidays and the professional development days. As I said earlier, for every parent who wants to eliminate some holidays there is at least one who wants the ones we have and more. The way Florida solves the professional development thing is to have some of it done when the kids come to school for a 1/2 day and the teachers work the whole day and to pay for extra days at the beginning and ending of school. As I said, these are constructive suggestions to make concerning the professional days. They are already paying the teachers for the days throughout the year. So they could transfer at least some of the days to pre- and post- school. It wouldn't cost any more and it would help on the length of summer issue.

[Ranger12 53]

I'm just saying that the days have to come from somewhere. So you either begin earlier, you go later, or you cut holidays.

That's my point...why can't the "days" go back to what they used to be? I have been in the school systems as a substitute teacher recently and I don't see anything extra being done that warrants all the days that have been added since I was in school. That is my biggest gripe. If we are still teaching the same amount of classes in which the subject matter has only changed some, then why do we need all these extra days that causes the summer to be shortened? I thought the whole reason for most schools to go to seven period days (started my freshman year over 20 years ago) and for others to do the block scheduling was so that more classes could be taken and more instructional time was received. Heck, you even have some seniors that have actually acquired the necessary credits after the first semester.

As far any wasted instructional time, maybe the answer is to cut out some of the bs/meaningless elective classes that are offered so that more of the basic and more important classes can be offered. I had athletics seventh period, but I also took an extra PE, usually sixth period, during my junior and senior years because I had nothing else to fill my schedule that I needed. I know of kids that are still doing the exact same thing in small and big schools. The system is just wasting the kid's time when they can't feel up their schedules with classes they need. They have a choice to take some bs class they are not interested in and does not count for anything towards graduation, study hall which is where students just bs with each other, or take an extra PE like I did.

Problem is not just high school. I saw a lot of wasted time when I taught at the elementary level a few times. The routine had not changed much in the last 30+ years if you ask me. Also, if you ask me, the two weeks that take to do the SAT is a load of crock also. So, until I see less time being wasted that could be used for instructional time, you will have a hard time justifying to me on why the school year's instructional days were ever increased to begin with.

[pensacola tiger 0]

OK, I lied. I am posting again. I've been teaching for 33 years and the number of days has not increased at all during that time. Perhaps they have in Alabama. I won't comment on the rest of your post since we obviously have different opinions.

[80Tiger 907]

In Florida the reason the districts were setting the start date earlier and earlier each year was to give the teachers more time with the kids before THE TEST.

I'm not exactly sure how it works in Alabama but in Florida there is a mandated number of days that the children attend school. In Florida it's 180. We were starting earlier and earlier as it seems is happening in Alabama. THen the businesses got together and lobbied the legislature about the early start dates. THeir contention was that 1) it took away so many workers from the service industries that Florida depends on and 2) it took away money from families spending their vacations in state late in the summer. THe legislature mandated that no school district could begin school earlier than 2 weeks before Labor Day. Now the parents, high school teachers and high school kids are complaining because this doesn't allow for 1st semester to end and exams to be given before the Christmas break. The other thing you have to consider is that your summer break isn't really being lengthened because the kids will just go to school longer in the spring. The only ways to lengthen the summer break is to do away with holidays during the year or decrease the number of days kids are required to go to school.

CCTAU.....private schools do a better job because they can choose their clients. If a child doesn't pass the entry exam he is not allowed in. If a child doesn't make the grade he is asked to leave. If a child misbehaves he is asked to leave. And parents are paying through the nose to have the kid attend the private school So there is a great deal of parental interest in what little Johnny or Judy is and is not doing in school. ALl of this makes one heck of a difference. Blast away.

In this school year we are in, from the traditional Sept to May school year, there are 196 available school days. You say Florida mandates 180. I will give you off 2 days for Thksg, 10 for Christmas, 5 for spring break and 2 other sprinkled in. That gives you a total of 19 days off. From the 196 available I now am at 177. To get to your 180 mandated days, your system will need to start around Aug 27th or so. I know of no public school that starts that late in Alabama. Most are around Aug 7th or 9th. That means there are another 14 or so days scheduled off during the school year.

[CCTAU 3,490]

CCTAU.....private schools do a better job because they can choose their clients. If a child doesn't pass the entry exam he is not allowed in. If a child doesn't make the grade he is asked to leave. If a child misbehaves he is asked to leave. And parents are paying through the nose to have the kid attend the private school So there is a great deal of parental interest in what little Johnny or Judy is and is not doing in school. ALl of this makes one heck of a difference. Blast away.

And this seems to be a big problem with public schools today. They are forced to take the troublemakers and kids who just don't care. We cater to the least of the students, not the average. There will be those who don''t get it. What ever happened to FAILING those that get left behind? But instead, our education system claims to need more time. How bout teaching smarter, not harder. Not to mention, I would ot even have to pay through the nose for a good private education. For about $6,000 a year, I can send my kids to an excellent school. The city of Atlanta spends about $12,000 per student. And still has a horrible pass rate. Washington DC spends about $24000 per student. More days will not help our system. A complete overhaul of the administration, the unions, and a new outlook that says if you can't get it, take the grade again, is needed. Many successful people from our country's past have failed a grade. We absolutely just will not fail hardly any kid. It might hurt their feelings. So instead, we create a curriculum that is so slow that it becomes boring to the average student. Now I'm not saying so much homework that a kid can't sleep. But at least speed up the curriculum. Do this and you will not need extra days.

One big difference between private and public is monetary justification. There just isn't as much waste in the private sector.

[AU Mom 0]

Many teachers are especially hard-working and try to give the most they can to the students. The breakdown comes in the system. Not everyone learns the same way but are forced to participate in the same way because the magnitude of doing things differently seem insurmountable.

We do cater to the most students served, wherever that falls on the spectrum. Then the question comes, how about the exceptional?

I have two children, both exceptional — one because of learning disabilities. She didn't do well because classes must run to visual learning due to sheer time and student number constraints. I had to go over the day's work every day when she got home so she could hear the information. Yeah, that worked well. It was not a matter of hating to learn, to this day, she goes to the library on subjects she enjoys and works until she understands. She knows more geography than the AP kids my son hung around with.

Our son, on the other hand, was on the opposite end of the spectrum and had to wait until all the folks in his class finished their work, even in AP classes. I gave him extra books to read and avenues to research. Fortunately, he loved to learn as well and read constantly. He also did band and academic team as well as other club stuff.

We tried everything: public school, magnet school, private school, and homeschooling. We always looked as the school system as a tool — the responsibility to see that our children were educated was ours.

[otterinbham 0]

Many teachers are especially hard-working and try to give the most they can to the students. The breakdown comes in the system. Not everyone learns the same way but are forced to participate in the same way because the magnitude of doing things differently seem insurmountable.

We do cater to the most students served, wherever that falls on the spectrum. Then the question comes, how about the exceptional?

I have two children, both exceptional — one because of learning disabilities. She didn't do well because classes must run to visual learning due to sheer time and student number constraints. I had to go over the day's work every day when she got home so she could hear the information. Yeah, that worked well. It was not a matter of hating to learn, to this day, she goes to the library on subjects she enjoys and works until she understands. She knows more geography than the AP kids my son hung around with.

Our son, on the other hand, was on the opposite end of the spectrum and had to wait until all the folks in his class finished their work, even in AP classes. I gave him extra books to read and avenues to research. Fortunately, he loved to learn as well and read constantly. He also did band and academic team as well as other club stuff.

We tried everything: public school, magnet school, private school, and homeschooling. We always looked as the school system as a tool — the responsibility to see that our children were educated was ours.

I totally agree. But the irony of things is that education is the least imaginative entity in public life today. It's not much different than 100 years ago. That is the fault of educational theorists, school administrators, and government. Not to mention parents who don't expect more from the schools or from their own children.

[Ranger12 53]

Many teachers are especially hard-working and try to give the most they can to the students. The breakdown comes in the system. Not everyone learns the same way but are forced to participate in the same way because the magnitude of doing things differently seem insurmountable.

We do cater to the most students served, wherever that falls on the spectrum. Then the question comes, how about the exceptional?

I have two children, both exceptional — one because of learning disabilities. She didn't do well because classes must run to visual learning due to sheer time and student number constraints. I had to go over the day's work every day when she got home so she could hear the information. Yeah, that worked well. It was not a matter of hating to learn, to this day, she goes to the library on subjects she enjoys and works until she understands. She knows more geography than the AP kids my son hung around with.

Our son, on the other hand, was on the opposite end of the spectrum and had to wait until all the folks in his class finished their work, even in AP classes. I gave him extra books to read and avenues to research. Fortunately, he loved to learn as well and read constantly. He also did band and academic team as well as other club stuff.

We tried everything: public school, magnet school, private school, and homeschooling. We always looked as the school system as a tool — the responsibility to see that our children were educated was ours.

I totally agree. But the irony of things is that education is the least imaginative entity in public life today. It's not much different than 100 years ago. That is the fault of educational theorists, school administrators, and government. Not to mention parents who don't expect more from the schools or from their own children.

Agree entirely with both of you.

The fact that the are basically doing the same thing today that they did yesterday just does not justify them lengthening the school year like they have been. I would have no problem with it if I saw more necessary classes being added. Do all the schools teach physics? No. Do they all teach a foreign language besides Spanish? No. Do they all teach a second level of chemistry? No.

I could go on with other classes that could be added and help more, but instead we a lot of kids options as far as teaching classes go that are not study hall is home ec or agribusiness. There is nothing wrong with those classes if you are really interested in taking them. I went to a rural school that was in a heavy farming community, so there were a lot of kids that took ag because they were going into their family's farming business. However, for other half of the student population, why should they have to take agribusiness or home ec when they plan on being engineers, nurses, doctors, accountants, lawyers, etc?

I know we need teachers for those extra classes, but we did have a budget surplus in this state and Bob Riley, who has not disappointed me so far, needs to put as much of that money into hiring more teachers that he can. Yet, I read in the local fishwrap that some school systems are having to cut teachers! That is total bs! Is Riley or the state school board dropping the ball on this?

[otterinbham 0]

Many teachers are especially hard-working and try to give the most they can to the students. The breakdown comes in the system. Not everyone learns the same way but are forced to participate in the same way because the magnitude of doing things differently seem insurmountable.

We do cater to the most students served, wherever that falls on the spectrum. Then the question comes, how about the exceptional?

I have two children, both exceptional — one because of learning disabilities. She didn't do well because classes must run to visual learning due to sheer time and student number constraints. I had to go over the day's work every day when she got home so she could hear the information. Yeah, that worked well. It was not a matter of hating to learn, to this day, she goes to the library on subjects she enjoys and works until she understands. She knows more geography than the AP kids my son hung around with.

Our son, on the other hand, was on the opposite end of the spectrum and had to wait until all the folks in his class finished their work, even in AP classes. I gave him extra books to read and avenues to research. Fortunately, he loved to learn as well and read constantly. He also did band and academic team as well as other club stuff.

We tried everything: public school, magnet school, private school, and homeschooling. We always looked as the school system as a tool — the responsibility to see that our children were educated was ours.

I totally agree. But the irony of things is that education is the least imaginative entity in public life today. It's not much different than 100 years ago. That is the fault of educational theorists, school administrators, and government. Not to mention parents who don't expect more from the schools or from their own children.

Agree entirely with both of you.

The fact that the are basically doing the same thing today that they did yesterday just does not justify them lengthening the school year like they have been. I would have no problem with it if I saw more necessary classes being added. Do all the schools teach physics? No. Do they all teach a foreign language besides Spanish? No. Do they all teach a second level of chemistry? No.

I could go on with other classes that could be added and help more, but instead we a lot of kids options as far as teaching classes go that are not study hall is home ec or agribusiness. There is nothing wrong with those classes if you are really interested in taking them. I went to a rural school that was in a heavy farming community, so there were a lot of kids that took ag because they were going into their family's farming business. However, for other half of the student population, why should they have to take agribusiness or home ec when they plan on being engineers, nurses, doctors, accountants, lawyers, etc?

I know we need teachers for those extra classes, but we did have a budget surplus in this state and Bob Riley, who has not disappointed me so far, needs to put as much of that money into hiring more teachers that he can. Yet, I read in the local fishwrap that some school systems are having to cut teachers! That is total bs! Is Riley or the state school board dropping the ball on this?

If a school system is dropping teachers, it's a mismanaged school system. The problem is that education is now a top-heavy organization with a lot of paper shufflers and not enough educators in actual contact with the child.

[CCTAU 3,490]

Many teachers are especially hard-working and try to give the most they can to the students. The breakdown comes in the system. Not everyone learns the same way but are forced to participate in the same way because the magnitude of doing things differently seem insurmountable.

We do cater to the most students served, wherever that falls on the spectrum. Then the question comes, how about the exceptional?

I have two children, both exceptional — one because of learning disabilities. She didn't do well because classes must run to visual learning due to sheer time and student number constraints. I had to go over the day's work every day when she got home so she could hear the information. Yeah, that worked well. It was not a matter of hating to learn, to this day, she goes to the library on subjects she enjoys and works until she understands. She knows more geography than the AP kids my son hung around with.

Our son, on the other hand, was on the opposite end of the spectrum and had to wait until all the folks in his class finished their work, even in AP classes. I gave him extra books to read and avenues to research. Fortunately, he loved to learn as well and read constantly. He also did band and academic team as well as other club stuff.

We tried everything: public school, magnet school, private school, and homeschooling. We always looked as the school system as a tool — the responsibility to see that our children were educated was ours.

I totally agree. But the irony of things is that education is the least imaginative entity in public life today. It's not much different than 100 years ago. That is the fault of educational theorists, school administrators, and government. Not to mention parents who don't expect more from the schools or from their own children.

Agree entirely with both of you.

The fact that the are basically doing the same thing today that they did yesterday just does not justify them lengthening the school year like they have been. I would have no problem with it if I saw more necessary classes being added. Do all the schools teach physics? No. Do they all teach a foreign language besides Spanish? No. Do they all teach a second level of chemistry? No.

I could go on with other classes that could be added and help more, but instead we a lot of kids options as far as teaching classes go that are not study hall is home ec or agribusiness. There is nothing wrong with those classes if you are really interested in taking them. I went to a rural school that was in a heavy farming community, so there were a lot of kids that took ag because they were going into their family's farming business. However, for other half of the student population, why should they have to take agribusiness or home ec when they plan on being engineers, nurses, doctors, accountants, lawyers, etc?

I know we need teachers for those extra classes, but we did have a budget surplus in this state and Bob Riley, who has not disappointed me so far, needs to put as much of that money into hiring more teachers that he can. Yet, I read in the local fishwrap that some school systems are having to cut teachers! That is total bs! Is Riley or the state school board dropping the ball on this?

If a school system is dropping teachers, it's a mismanaged school system. The problem is that education is now a top-heavy organization with a lot of paper shufflers and not enough educators in actual contact with the child.

Nice way of saying what I have been stating all along. We have more administration and less teaching. I don't care if you pay the superintendent five times as much as the teachers, just as long as there's not 50 people under him doing NOTHING. This is where private schools surpass public. They do more with less.

Want to educate kids better? Have them choose after grade 10...vocational or prep. Start teaching a skill to these kids who care less about school. This bull**** that every child deserves a chance to go to college is crap. Not every child wants to or can. If you can't or don't want to study, then you need to learn a trade.