Walking the Line

I need a little time to rant. Not many places I can do this, so I felt instead of pouring my entire dsyfunctional banter on my wife, I would place it in the vast wilderness of the internet where it can get lost among other garbage.

It all starts with my job. I am a teacher. Not through schooling, but through opportunity. I was once pretty good at something, but I can't recall what it was. Now that I think about it, it had something to do with sports television.

Anyways, I get an update in my contract, by the way, if there was ever any bullshit bigger than the teacher yearly contract. My God, what would the world be like if every job you had, they issued you a yearly contract. Based upon performance and likeability you were either kept or kicked to the curb. I guess professional athletes get contracts, but teachers every year get a new one. It's never filled with incentive clauses or bonus'. Instead it's filled with ultimatums. If you don't get 12 university credited hours in secondary education before the end of the school year, the school has grounds to not extend another contract. Another famous clause, if enrollment drops below a certain level, the school has the right to terminate without justification whomever it pleases. In laymens terms, if the number of students decrease in enrollment, you're screwed.

So, where am I going with all this. Well, a boat load of other non-public school teachers and I are now required to get education courses over the summer. How do these classes help? I can't determine that right now. One would think, it could help with certification. Others, would say they are a waste of time. Instead of complaining, I signed up for 3 classes and I am in full swing as of this week. I think if I were to compare these courses to an outpatient hysterectomy I would say the hysterectomy wins by a nose. As one of my teachers would so eloquently state, "In the great wisdom of the state of Louisiana it's in your best interest to take the classes." Let me identify one problem. The state of Louisiana has no wisdom or rationality with their educational programs. The look around at other states and say why can't we do that. Then pump a bunch of money into a program no one supports or knows how to run.

Lastly, I take great issue in the school voucher progam. I totally sympathize with those parents who can't afford to send their children to private institutions and rely on the weak and falliable public school system. Although, it sends the wrong message. The public school system has competent teachers, what they don't have most of the time is the support from the parents, school board, and administration. So instead of fixing the problem, their solution is to send the students to private schools. How do you choose which kids get vouchers? Is it the top percentage of each school? Is it the bottom percentage at each school? Why do we as taxpayers, who can't afford and mortgage and loan money to send our children to private schools, be burden with paying for those who also can't afford. The system is whacked. I got a great idea. First off, if you are a school board member and you have children. You must send them to the public school in your area. Almost like the residency restriction for cops. Let's get rid of the idiots running the school board because they have no idea what is going on in the schools and their kids aren't even in the public school system. Why do we trust the ideas of those who have no interest or stake in the game? Lastly, let's get the parents more involved with school. Most of the time it's not the teacher's fault, it's the parents. Children model after their parents. If they see a certain behavior at home, guess what it's probably spilling over into school.

Whew!!!! Thanks I needed that.