If you were on the board of education...

[Emily~Anne]

So, backontrack has me pondering about the public schools alot lately. ( Hi Backontrack! ) Let's say you were on the board of education. What kind of changes would you want to work on in our public schools?

[EricH]

So, backontrack has me pondering about the public schools alot lately. ( Hi Backontrack! ) Let's say you were on the board of education. What kind of changes would you want to work on in our public schools?

That would depend on which district I was in, and the problems they face there

[Emily~Anne]

Well I was thinking along the lines of do we want prayer back in school and etc.? I see both pros and cons to bringing prayer back in school.

[the inside out]

I'm gonna be district specific, cause I know this district.

If I was on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg board, I'd invite YoungLife to every high school and middle school. That's be the first thing I'd do. I'd make the gospel available to every lukewarm Christian, wiccan, atheist, muslim, jewish, satanic teen.

I'd get rid of "homosexual education" (i don't think C-Meck has it, but whatever) and I'd make health teachers talk about abstinence. I'd have a bible elective class in every high school and I'd make sure Creative Writing teachers and courses are properly funded. I'd make sure every teacher is trained how to motivate their students beyond their potential. I'd raise money for the low-income schools. Every school needs plenty of text books, clean facilities, and up-to-date computers. There's no reason why one school has nothing but the school right down the street has EVERYTHING.

I'd make sure every student can read Dr. Suess by first grade and that every student has the opportunity to play an instrument in the fifth grade.

I'd crack down on bullying, racism, and violence. I'd research methods to make schools safer.

Then I'd make sure to communicate with homeschoolers so that parents have everything they need and so that they can participate in activities with public school kids if they so choose (such as theater, clubs, chorus, orchestra, band, etc.). That breaks barriers, educates public school kids on homeschool kids, and gives evangelical homeschoolers and opportunity to witness to their peers.

But before all of that, I'd give teachers a raise. With all the crap they deal with, they shouldn't have to get a second job.

[LossForWords]

I agree that it would depend on the district you are in...

#1 If I were on the board of education in any said district I would stop blaming the teachers for their students failures. (How many of you as children actually went to your first day of school and couldn't spell your name or recite your ABC's...that's not the teacher's fault, the blame lays elsewhere. It all starts at home...)

#2 If I were on the board, I would stop shoving stacks of assessments, revised standards, and required professional development onto teachers so they would actually have the time and courage to "teach" children what they need to know in order to advance.

#3 If I were on the board, maybe I would even look around at the district staff...stop paying them 6 figure salaries to sit around on their behinds and start using the money in a more productive manner...such as teacher salaries (why in the world are teacher's still one of the least paid individuals in the U.S.) or materials for the classroom.

#4 If I were on the board, I would make it a rule that any paid staff in the district or any person on the school board would have had to have been in educator in the last 10 years or so, because only then would they truely know what needs to be done in the classroom.

#5 I voted for good ol' GW, but one of the worst decisions he has made in office was No Child Left Behind...unfortunately so many children come to schools already behind, so how in the world do you expect one teacher, teaching 27 students to get them all to the SAME level (proficient) when the children who come to you are not all on the same level to begin with. If I were on the board, I would make it a point to get petitions signed and what not so GW and whoever else is sitting up there in the White House knows, It Won't Work!

I could go on, and on, and on...

I taught in a public school system. I do not anymore. My children will not be attending public schools.

[mathqueen]

I agree that it would depend on the district you are in...

#1 If I were on the board of education in any said district I would stop blaming the teachers for their students failures. (How many of you as children actually went to your first day of school and couldn't spell your name or recite your ABC's...that's not the teacher's fault, the blame lays elsewhere. It all starts at home...)

#2 If I were on the board, I would stop shoving stacks of assessments, revised standards, and required professional development onto teachers so they would actually have the time and courage to "teach" children what they need to know in order to advance.

#3 If I were on the board, maybe I would even look around at the district staff...stop paying them 6 figure salaries to sit around on their behinds and start using the money in a more productive manner...such as teacher salaries (why in the world are teacher's still one of the least paid individuals in the U.S.) or materials for the classroom.

#4 If I were on the board, I would make it a rule that any paid staff in the district or any person on the school board would have had to have been in educator in the last 10 years or so, because only then would they truely know what needs to be done in the classroom.

#5 I voted for good ol' GW, but one of the worst decisions he has made in office was No Child Left Behind...unfortunately so many children come to schools already behind, so how in the world do you expect one teacher, teaching 27 students to get them all to the SAME level (proficient) when the children who come to you are not all on the same level to begin with. If I were on the board, I would make it a point to get petitions signed and what not so GW and whoever else is sitting up there in the White House knows, It Won't Work!

[cricket]

I would like to see the adults, parents and teacher,have their job titles inforced with authority over the children. This would mean we would ask all parents to step up to their responsibility to teaching their children, the basics, the morals values and teach children to protect their reputation,because it is our most valuable asset we have, before they send them off to school. As parents, we need to help support our board of education, with responsible adults in authority. Ones that realize our education is a priveldge and to be shown with respect. Children should not be allowed to make the rules or run our school districts because adults have slacked and lost their postion of authority. If a student repeatly breaks the law and rules of the school, they would lose their right to attend with those who trying to get an education. As a member on the board of education, I would allow teachers the authority to discipline and apply correction for consequences of breaking the law or the school rules. We vote for our school board members in our town. Something I keep in mind, I was a child once, and have become wiser because of it. That is the differnce between adult and child. A child that goes to school, represents the home they come from. As a Christian, I would be for teaching the laws of God as the rules for everyone. God is in charge! God made the rules! I have not met anyone, who does not know or heard of the Ten Commandments.

[mathqueen]

#5 I voted for good ol' GW, but one of the worst decisions he has made in office was No Child Left Behind...unfortunately so many children come to schools already behind, so how in the world do you expect one teacher, teaching 27 students to get them all to the SAME level (proficient) when the children who come to you are not all on the same level to begin with.

And I try doing it with 37 kids, and that's only one of the 5 classes I teach everyday. The government wants 100% of kids at proficient or advanced, or rather, as I have seen it worded, 100% of kids ABOVE THE MEDIAN. You cannot have 100% of kids above a median, so that part in the law was badly worded. We will all be program improvement schools soon because the government is saying we must have accomplished this by 2014.

[Emily~Anne]

These all sound like very good ideas, especially LossForWords ideas!

[KeilanS]

I agree that it would depend on the district you are in...

#1 If I were on the board of education in any said district I would stop blaming the teachers for their students failures. (How many of you as children actually went to your first day of school and couldn't spell your name or recite your ABC's...that's not the teacher's fault, the blame lays elsewhere. It all starts at home...)

#2 If I were on the board, I would stop shoving stacks of assessments, revised standards, and required professional development onto teachers so they would actually have the time and courage to "teach" children what they need to know in order to advance.

#3 If I were on the board, maybe I would even look around at the district staff...stop paying them 6 figure salaries to sit around on their behinds and start using the money in a more productive manner...such as teacher salaries (why in the world are teacher's still one of the least paid individuals in the U.S.) or materials for the classroom.

#4 If I were on the board, I would make it a rule that any paid staff in the district or any person on the school board would have had to have been in educator in the last 10 years or so, because only then would they truely know what needs to be done in the classroom.

#5 I voted for good ol' GW, but one of the worst decisions he has made in office was No Child Left Behind...unfortunately so many children come to schools already behind, so how in the world do you expect one teacher, teaching 27 students to get them all to the SAME level (proficient) when the children who come to you are not all on the same level to begin with. If I were on the board, I would make it a point to get petitions signed and what not so GW and whoever else is sitting up there in the White House knows, It Won't Work!

I could go on, and on, and on...

I taught in a public school system. I do not anymore. My children will not be attending public schools.

Agreed! Especially about the part where teachers are blamed so much for students doing poorly. A teacher should be blamed for poor performance only if there is a significant drop in marks for all students in their class. If a student drops from an 85% average in grade 10 to a 60% in grade 11, it might be the teachers fault. If a student had a 60% in grade 10, it sure isn't the teachers fault if they get a 60% in grade 11.