After 40 years as an educator—26 in the California public school system and the last 14 in my own designed school—I will observe that until the teachers’ unions implode, nothing will change. Nothing.
After 40 years as an educator—26 in the California public school system and the last 14 in my own designed school—I will observe that until the teachers’ unions implode, nothing will change. Nothing.
My BIL (a CPA and investor) was just talking with my about the massive opportunity to retool schooling as individual entrepreneurs. It sounds like you're way ahead of that and good on you!
I applaud you for designing your own school. I think there is a great need, and I would think market, for that now. It should be done in all neighborhoods too.
Coleman Hughes has a podcast with Roland Fryer on the data behind Charter vs Public. He says that your average charter school isn’t better than your average public school but there are certain concrete things that ANY school can implement in order to achieve student success.
But this topic is irrelevant in light of Cole’s story because he was unschooled. It’s not a model we can just replicate. It’s the values he and his parents held that are the main story and tell us something amazing about what is possible in America.
Your point is well taken: Cole was a prodigy, no question. His "unschooling" was a departure from traditional modes of educating our young. Surely, few families have the time to try this experiment.
But I think Bari's motive in posting his story is to continue the discussion about curricula, parent input and control of just WHAT is supposedly being taught in the United States in its public school system, and what grass roots changes can unfold, if any. In both the charter and public school systems, parents must step in and take back some of the rank and file decision-making power.
At the crux of this debate lies the union.
By the way, the nature of my response is inductive; that is, the thesis is the last sentence in the essay.
Ignoramoose here. I can never keep inductive and deductive straight in my head. Most things I do better with. All that to say...
I think it was this morning i read about the Teacher's Unions getting sued for not providing the amounts they spent on political donations on the proper forms. Five or more laters, I think after a FOIA, it came out to either $50 or $100 million. Can't recall. Don't recall if Randi Weingartner (I thin') makes $300 or $500K. MOst probably $500K.
That's what the unions are about, in a nutshell. Pay and Power. First, last and always.
Another lawsuit, I think by same guy, that Teachers were paying union dues for political causes they did *not* support. They won.
My recollection was that it was a pyrrhic victory. That the union just had to specify that's what they were doing to people entering the union and then it was okay. Don't quote me on that.
The pandemic showed it plain and clear. The unions did what it does best to keep the kids outta school. Exercised political power. You think they care what damage they caused to the kids? I had actually thought that they had at least *some* concern for the kids. Up until seeing it was otherwise. IMO.
The second lawsuit you reference was about agency fee in California and I was part of that lawsuit. With agency fee, you must pay for collective bargaining even if you are not a member of the union but the fee is now reduced to account for CTA's political spending.
My school began as an after-school college prep academy where students came to learn what they were not begin taught in public school--mainly writing, critical thinking, and literary analysis. I couldn't keep up with enrollment alone and began hiring people to teach who had that spark, gift, and intelligence to actually TEACH.
To answer your question, it was not a charter school although I support the charter school movement which has always been in the lion's den with the union. I was invited to a seminar in 1999 or early 2000 held in Milwaukee on the growing charter school movement. There around the table were the following charter school advocates: a contingency of African Americans from Atlanta, a Hispanic group from Denver, and an assortment of evangelical Christians--all believing that their kids were not being well served in the public school system. I was blown away.
Congratulations on Your much-needed work. That conference must-a been something *else.*
The charter schools in with the union? Ignoramoose. Only one I know much about is Success Acadamies in NYC. I'm pretty sure they were non-union, on account-a they detested the unions. BUt others? Dunno.
Did *You* have to deal with unions in Your hiring? (if You have time.)
After 40 years as an educator—26 in the California public school system and the last 14 in my own designed school—I will observe that until the teachers’ unions implode, nothing will change. Nothing.
My BIL (a CPA and investor) was just talking with my about the massive opportunity to retool schooling as individual entrepreneurs. It sounds like you're way ahead of that and good on you!
Bingo.
I applaud you for designing your own school. I think there is a great need, and I would think market, for that now. It should be done in all neighborhoods too.
Yeah, I know. Sure there are others here, too.
That's one reason we need to end the monopoly the current system holds. School choice. Charter schools.
Is Your school a charter school, if I may ask?
Coleman Hughes has a podcast with Roland Fryer on the data behind Charter vs Public. He says that your average charter school isn’t better than your average public school but there are certain concrete things that ANY school can implement in order to achieve student success.
But this topic is irrelevant in light of Cole’s story because he was unschooled. It’s not a model we can just replicate. It’s the values he and his parents held that are the main story and tell us something amazing about what is possible in America.
Hi Ramesh,
Your point is well taken: Cole was a prodigy, no question. His "unschooling" was a departure from traditional modes of educating our young. Surely, few families have the time to try this experiment.
But I think Bari's motive in posting his story is to continue the discussion about curricula, parent input and control of just WHAT is supposedly being taught in the United States in its public school system, and what grass roots changes can unfold, if any. In both the charter and public school systems, parents must step in and take back some of the rank and file decision-making power.
At the crux of this debate lies the union.
By the way, the nature of my response is inductive; that is, the thesis is the last sentence in the essay.
Ignoramoose here. I can never keep inductive and deductive straight in my head. Most things I do better with. All that to say...
I think it was this morning i read about the Teacher's Unions getting sued for not providing the amounts they spent on political donations on the proper forms. Five or more laters, I think after a FOIA, it came out to either $50 or $100 million. Can't recall. Don't recall if Randi Weingartner (I thin') makes $300 or $500K. MOst probably $500K.
That's what the unions are about, in a nutshell. Pay and Power. First, last and always.
Another lawsuit, I think by same guy, that Teachers were paying union dues for political causes they did *not* support. They won.
My recollection was that it was a pyrrhic victory. That the union just had to specify that's what they were doing to people entering the union and then it was okay. Don't quote me on that.
The pandemic showed it plain and clear. The unions did what it does best to keep the kids outta school. Exercised political power. You think they care what damage they caused to the kids? I had actually thought that they had at least *some* concern for the kids. Up until seeing it was otherwise. IMO.
The second lawsuit you reference was about agency fee in California and I was part of that lawsuit. With agency fee, you must pay for collective bargaining even if you are not a member of the union but the fee is now reduced to account for CTA's political spending.
Well, I was sure wrong about that. Ah well...
My school began as an after-school college prep academy where students came to learn what they were not begin taught in public school--mainly writing, critical thinking, and literary analysis. I couldn't keep up with enrollment alone and began hiring people to teach who had that spark, gift, and intelligence to actually TEACH.
To answer your question, it was not a charter school although I support the charter school movement which has always been in the lion's den with the union. I was invited to a seminar in 1999 or early 2000 held in Milwaukee on the growing charter school movement. There around the table were the following charter school advocates: a contingency of African Americans from Atlanta, a Hispanic group from Denver, and an assortment of evangelical Christians--all believing that their kids were not being well served in the public school system. I was blown away.
Congratulations on Your much-needed work. That conference must-a been something *else.*
The charter schools in with the union? Ignoramoose. Only one I know much about is Success Acadamies in NYC. I'm pretty sure they were non-union, on account-a they detested the unions. BUt others? Dunno.
Did *You* have to deal with unions in Your hiring? (if You have time.)