On The Mark

This letter was published in the county newspaper but never made it into the Register/Bee (wonder why). It was sent to me by a frustrated teacher. It really says it all.

Daily I am struck by the changing nature of education. Perhaps this is too lenient a description, however.Lest I be too bold, the mutation of our educational system from Jekyll to Hyde has created a marked dissonance between administrators and teachers and - to quote Herbert George Wells - our history and now our future become "more a race between education and catastrophe."
My reflections are not intended to create a comparative and contrastive framework between the educational methodologies of yesteryear and modern instructional approaches.Rather, they are intended to provide simple truths based upon basic human interaction and the apparent lack of quality leadership within the Danville city school system.To be fair, such a bleak outlook is not applicable to all schools and administrations.Indeed, many schools are forward thinking and relatively free of the moral and mental lassitude which now slowly envelops many others.

Thus, my comments are directed at those who would stunt the natural progress of academia through soul-crushing micromanagement, needless bureaucracy, and a lack of imagination.

Simple Truth Number 1: Micromanagement creates an environment devoid of trust and enthusiasm.Pointless policies, arbitrary preconditions, inane interpretations of existing protocol, and the mandatory approval of illogical rules and regulations are the trimmings and trappings of a magic show designed to deceive and manipulate, not foster an atmosphere of mutual respect.It is chicanery at its best, and smacks of insecurity.To borrow a phrase from Ross Perot, "the giant sucking sound" heard throughout the local streets is the power of the teacher being slowly extracted from the classroom.

Simple Truth Number 2: Administrators should support teachers and listen to the voices of experience.Unable to fathom the concepts of flexibility and compromise, many so-called leaders would adopt the E.B. White "It's broccoli, dear," "I say it's spinach, and I say the hell with it" approach.Any leader worth her or his salt will surely understand that teachers enable learning and facilitate growth, and thus the most humble opinion of the teacher should account for some iota of importance.Yes, the sarcasm is palpable and intentional.Most of the changes instituted within schools, however, are one-sided and neither broccoli nor spinach. Rather, they are lacking in nutrition and fortified with high fructose corn syrup.

Simple Truth Number 3: Erratic, unreliable, and unpredictable administrators create chaos.Faced with difficult disciplinary decisions, the fickle administrator will say one thing and do another.Announcements and emails have become the new standards, as administrators raise high the preferred anonymity of the intercom and the protective screen of the computer.Far away from the maddening crowd, our fearless leaders search for loopholes within their own regulations, changing them to suit the needs of the student, parent, and themselves.Instead of resolutely meting out punishment, the procedure-obsessed pencil pushers refer the offender to the teacher yet shy away from the responsibility of supporting the corrective measures taken.Indeed, teachers are held accountable for behavioral problems, informed that poor classroom management is to blame for disruptive deeds, and ultimately bear the burden of proof.More disturbing, however, is the frequency with which administrators have adopted bullying tactics to strong-arm teachers and students into compliance with new systems of governance.Abhorrent as this may sound, it should come as no surprise that timidity, a lack of self-confidence, and a woeful absence of courage breed such contemptuous practices.Simple

Truth Number 4: Classrooms have become parental theaters.Whereas parents should be involved and provide guidance for their child, doing so at the expense of the child's education is unacceptable.Administrators all too often kowtow to parents for fear of repercussions from immediate supervisors and, at the end of the day, divest teachers of any vestiges of authority.Some parents understand that their voices often carry more (financial?) weight than the teacher, and are able to coerce and manipulate to ensure that educational advancement depends more on identity rather than ability.Imagine, if you will, a place where men and women hide behind curtains, employing smoke and mirrors to deter those children seeking courage, hearts, and brains, yet welcome the voices of the parents who demand social promotion and hurl threats and insults at teachers who are left defenseless in the wake of administrative desertion.Fascinating.

Simple Truth Number 5: Students ultimately suffer more than anyone.Timothy Leary's words are possibly more poignant now than during the 1960s and 1970s, as his chilling message seductively encourages students to "Turn on, tune in, drop out."Children are being left behind, and standardized testing has become the crutch of the inept or unwilling.Critical thinking and conceptual analysis have been replaced by memorization and intellectual apathy, and students superficially tune in and profoundly drop out, instead plugging in to a vapid electronic world.The stark truth is that students learn at different rates, and have varied intellectual capabilities.Administrators and overzealous bureaucrats understand only quotas and statistics, however, and erroneously assume that if one closely adheres to prescribed agendas, then prescribed results will materialize.In a word: failure.Such a gross underestimation of both teacher and student performance underscores the uncertainty surrounding the future of education within our community.And so the question is posed, "What happens next?"Often, simple answers are found within simple truths.My observations are certainly not applicable to everyone, but those who most vociferously deny their validity might do well to revisit his or her beliefs and leadership skills.The final analysis reveals an educational apparatus occasionally offering glimpses of hope, but ultimately beset by an over-extension of authority, a paucity of academic freedom, and mind-numbing parochialism.An atmosphere of low morale, fear, and bitterness hangs over Danville city schools, and the self-centered, egotistical, and cowardly manner in which administrators govern is deplorable.Perchance the assertion of educational philosopher Robert Maynard Hutchins is correct, that "we do not know what education could do for us, because we have never tried it."

Tom Efersun
Danville