Discourses on Education

Real Education Reform Starts with Teachers

By T.L. HEADLEY, MBA, MAT, MA, BA

Commentary

I have read a lot about school levies, library levies, and other claims and pleas for increased taxes to support education at both the state and national levels. All of this, they claim, is “for the children.” I have yet to see a tax that somehow wasn’t supposed to benefit “the children,” or “seniors” or “the poor.”

Meanwhile, our education system is failing. Our Social Security system is failing. Our welfare and Medicaid systems are failing. And, of course, Obamacare is the setting a new bar for abject failure.

Has it not become clear, finally, that throwing money at problems is not the answer?

As much as I’d like to, I don’t have the time to write, nor you the patience to read, a 1,000 page book on all these problems, so I am going to focus on one of these issues – education.

First, let’s start with a point on which I think most people can agree – our education system is failing. It is failing at multiple levels. Our dropout rates are rising. We have far too few children who are prepared for college or, for that matter, life. We are seeing an erosion of our children’s basic skills.

Have you looked at your child’s handwriting lately? My fifteen year old simply can’t write in cursive writing. They aren’t teaching it anymore. Apparently teachers don’t consider it important to be able to take notes any more, but I digress.

A few days ago, Kanawha County voted down what was portrayed as a “library levy.” Yes, it started out that way, but by the time it was written and voted on, layered onto the “library levy” was additional millions for the school system – the same school system that abandoned the county library system earlier in the year.

The tax would have generated around $24 million the first year it was set to take effect, in 2014, and more each year over the five-year course of the levy. However, only 5 percent of that money would have benefited the county’s libraries, with the rest going toward the school system. The taxpayers of Kanawha County recognized the scam that was being pushed through and voted it down resoundingly. With all 165 precincts reporting, the vote was 76.18 percent against the proposed excess levy, and 23.82 in favor. In all, 17,590 votes were cast against the levy, and just 5,501 in support of it. Now, the school system is whining that it will have to “make up a $2 million shortfall” for next year.

In Lincoln County, meanwhile, the school levy passed fairly easily, despite the system’s selling of Harts Creek students “up the creek” to Chapmanville and the readily apparent long-term failure of the county’s school system to provide quality education to its students.

Now, before anyone thinks I am casting stones at individuals or even individual school systems, I am not. The issues in Kanawha and Lincoln are not confined to those counties and are, indeed, symptomatic of the problems faced by our state and our national education systems. This is a national issue and a national travesty and the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of the nation’s teachers unions.

The teachers unions – the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association, along with their state affiliates, have created this disaster. And make no mistake about it, this is a disaster on a scale worse than even Obamacare because it has impacted and put at risk generations of American children and has led directly to the erosion of our economy and our society.

Every year, these unions come to the state legislatures, hat in hand, begging for “pay equity” with other states. This is a shell game – chasing a chimera. Not all states have the same economic capacity. Not all states have the same cost of living, so to compare the pay scale of teachers in New York to those in West Virginia is a false comparison – as is a comparison of Virginia and West Virginia pay scales. The cost of living in New York and Virginia is far higher than it is in West Virginia and their economic capacity far overshadows our state’s capacity.

This is evident when you look at a real comparison that takes into account those factors – the amount paid in each state on education as a percentage of the that’s state’s average annual income. When you look at that number, West Virginia is not 50th in the nation. In fact, on that basis, West Virginia spends more than 45 of the other states in this nation. That’s right, we are 5th in the nation in terms of education spending per capita per average annual income.

Can we afford more? The short answer is no!

Despite this, our school system is failing. Our county school systems are failing. And yet the NEA and AFT stand in the well of the Legislature year after year, begging for pay raises and increased dollars to spend on education “for the children.”

Now, let’s look at teacher pay in West Virginia. Yes, there is a bit of difference depending on the county, but overall, a new teacher fresh out of college can expect to make about $32-35,000 a year. For most, they can expect about $40,000 a year.

A teacher with 10 years of experience and a master’s degree (which should be a requirement), can expect to make between $40-45,000 a year. Many make about $50,000. They also have the opportunity to supplement those pay scales with an additional $3,500 if they achieve National Certification (which should also be a requirement within a specific time period).

Now, let’s compare that to the average annual income in West Virginia, which is approximately $38,500. So, while beginning teachers are slightly below the state’s average annual income, by the time they have a bit of experience they are making approximately 25 percent more. Added to that, school teachers have one of the best healthcare programs and retirement programs available in the state.

Now, some teachers will complain that they “don’t leave their jobs at the school and routinely bring their work home with them.” Well guess what Myrtle…. so does every other professional person in this country.

According to recent surveys, approximately 80 percent of Americans spend a minimum of an additional 8 hours a week working – either actually on the job site or at home. Many work much more.

Teachers also routinely complain about “workplace politics,” “favoritism,” “discrimination” and a general “lack of appreciation” on the part of the public for the work they do.

Again… guess what Myrtle … welcome to the real world.

Yes, these things happen. Is it right? Of course not, but does your being a teacher make you immune from such factors? Sorry… uh… no.

So what do we do to fix the failing school system?

The bottom line is getting parents back in the schools and not just as “parent volunteers.” I mean getting parents back in position of controlling the schools their children attend. I mean setting up real PTOs with teeth – the teeth to hire and fire (with cause), to spend the money and determine policies for their children’s schools and to determine within national- or state-established guideposts, the content of their children’s education.

We need to get away from the idea of the school system as a place for social engineering and get back to the idea of the nation’s public school system providing a high quality BASIC education that prepares students for life – either in vocations or in preparation for higher education. And we need to get the schools back into the community. We need to get away from the concept of the AAA or AAAA high school with thousands of nameless, faceless students, and back to the model of small, community schools that are an integral part of that community they serve (notice I said, SERVE).

The teachers themselves are also a big part of real reform. They MUST step up and begin policing their own. They have to help the public get rid of poor quality teachers – make it easier and not harder to fire those who fail to provide quality education, those who have personality issues that make it impossible for them to provide quality education.

In short, if teachers want to be treated like professionals they must ACT like professionals and accept the responsibilities that come with being a professional – including policing their own.

We have to get back to a basic curriculum – one that recognizes that not all students want or need to go to college. If children are provided with high quality basic skills of reading, writing, math and science, and now computer science, along with basic appreciation for the finer arts of music, literature and painting, our children will be prepared for whatever life path they then choose.

It is ridiculous at its face to abandon the teaching and reinforcement of something as basic as cursive writing in favor of higher math in elementary school. If you want to talk about leaving children behind – that is a sure way to do it.

When we get back to the basics – when we get back to basic education, provided by community schools and staffed by faculty that is directly responsible to the parents of the students of that school – a professional faculty that polices its own and acts responsibly – and we have real improvement in the education our children are receiving – I will be the first in line to argue for pay raises, levies and all the support we can provide to teachers.

A quality education is one of the greatest gifts we can provide our children, but throwing money at the all too real problems that exist in our school system today in the vain hope that it will somehow improve as a result is the definition of insanity.

About the author: T.L. Headley is a journalist and public relations professional specializing in the energy industry and economic development. He holds an MBA from West Virginia University and an MA in public relations/journalism from Marshall and is working toward a Ph.D. in Education. He is 2001 graduate of the state Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership West Virginia program and will be sitting for professional certification in community and economic development next fall. He is a native of Lincoln County.

A CHILD IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND NOT YOUR PROPERTY

BY T.L. HEADLEY, MBA, MAT, MA, BA

Now I, like many others, have been reading the newspapers about the issues relating to a local political figure and allegations of child abuse. I don’t know about the beyond situation beyond what I read in the newspapers, but I DO know that I believe a parent has the right (and obligation) to discipline their children up to and including spanking (when absolutely necessary). However, the use of a leather belt, in my mind, crosses a line. Spanking so hard that you leave a bruise also crosses a line. And ANY time you discipline a child while angry you cross a line.

Proper discipline of a child begins with the parent and setting clear boundaries that the child understands. It involves first explaining the boundaries to the child, then if they are broken you tell them so and give them a warning (depending on the severity of the problem), explaining clearly that this was their first and only warning along with why observing those boundaries are important. The next step — and this is the hardest for most parents — is consistency. If you laugh about something a child does on one occasion and then get angry about it on another occasion, how do you expect a child to understand the action is wrong?

Third — and here is another big peeve – DON’T REWARD bad behavior by giving in on something. If a child is in a store and cries about “not getting a toy,” ABSOLUTELY DO NOT break down and give the child the toy just to get them to stop crying. Don’t promise them the toy IF they are good. If they cry or throw a tantrum the LAST thing you should do it give in. Doing so simply lets the child know they can get what they want by “acting out.” Also, don’t spank the child in the store. Simply leave.

Even if you think you absolutely have to stay and “get something you need” this is not the time to do it.

Take the child home, send them to their room after explaining that they DISAPPOINTED YOU BY LETTING YOU DOWN and ask them if they understand. Make sure they do. Sometimes (oftentimes) this is the best form of discipline you can give.

Most children don’t like to “disappoint.” Especially if they have been shown love by their parents. They naturally want to please but it is OUR improper behavior reinforcement that leads to discipline problems.

And THAT is the bottom line. If your child has behavior problems it is ultimately YOUR fault.

Yes, there are children who are born or who develop psychological problems, but those are truly few and far between. In most cases, the children reflect the parent.

I have two boys — one 16 and one who is 6. Both are well behaved and in my whole life as a parent, I have had to spank them (with my hand) no more than a handful of times. I have NEVER done so when angry. Most often, simply letting them know I am angry and disappointed if far more effective than any spanking would ever be.

There is NEVER any excuse for child abuse. NEVER! And any time you leave a bruise on a child, I am sorry to say it, but you are guilty.

Again, I don’t know anything about the situation that has been in the papers. I don’t know what the truth is and I make no accusations in writing this nor do I take a side in the arguments.

What I DO know is that being a parent starts and ends with LOVE.

Your children are your RESPONSIBILITY and not your PROPERTY. And ultimately when you look at your children your are looking in a mirror.

If what you see is a child with behavior problems the place to start looking for the cause begins and ends with a trip to the mirror.