Entries from June 2009

June 25, 2009

Inquirer editorial insults teachers and oversimplifies education reform

 
 
Using clichés and sarcasm, the Inquirer endorses the district’s recycled ideas.      
 
by Christopher Paslay
 
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that students struggling academically need more, not less, time in the classroom.”
 
This is a quote from a recent Inquirer editorial headlined, “A new deal for schools”.  It wasn’t the condescending tone of the [...]

June 23, 2009

Private managers will get paid regardless of services provided

 
While principals and teachers get publicly reprimanded, the SRC continues to pay firms for failure.
 
by Christopher Paslay
 
How many education management organizations does it take to screw in a light bulb? 
 
Answer: Five. 
 
At least that’s how many private firms currently run schools in Philadelphia.  The troubling part is not that numerous studies have shown that [...]

June 18, 2009

Philadelphia School District graduation rate betters America’s college graduation rate

by Christopher Paslay
 
In a recent Inquirer article headlined “School proposal targets dropout problem,” writer Kristen A. Graham describes the Philadelphia School District’s graduation rate as “among the worst in the country—about 50 percent.” 
 
I find her choice of words quite interesting.  For starters, the district’s graduation rate isn’t among the worst in the country.  According [...]

June 7, 2009

Financial guru Suze Orman joins teacher-bashing bandwagon

by Christopher Paslay
 
Insulting teachers is no way to empower them.  Educators need support and resources to succeed.    
 
Have you trashed a school teacher today?  Go ahead, you can admit it.  It’s one-hundred percent politically correct and always in fashion.  I’d hold my tongue when it comes to discussing race, gender and sexual preference (I’d even [...]

June 4, 2009

Witch-hunt mentality is hurting morale of principals and teachers

 
by Christopher Paslay
 
In a recent Inquirer article, Dr. Ackerman spoke about a wounded spirit in the city, a sadness that she described as “ever-present”.  
 
Although she was referring to the community’s frustration over its troubled public school system, her words could have just as easily applied to the district’s principals and teachers. 
 
While attending several [...]