After reading about Tom Luna's education reform proposal I had to learn more about it. I have spent time reading about the bill and writing my various representatives including Mr. Luna. I told Mr. Luna that I did not want computers taking the place of living human beings...and he responded and told me that wasn't the case.
But that IS the case. The education department estimates as many as 1000 teachers could lose their jobs to pay for these flashy new computers put in the sweaty hands of ninth graders across the state. Loss of teachers aside, do I want my ninth graders to have free access to the web unsupervised? Uh...no. Does our district or any district have the funds to make repairs and updates to these laptops as well as maintaining a system at each school that can handle the traffic? At the meeting one parent pointed out that they don't even have high speed internet, they have dial-up. What about students in even more rural Idaho that don't have access...and yes, there are many students in that situation. The success rate for student's taking on-line courses at this age is not positive. Yet, Mr. Luna proposes that when my son goes into ninth grade he be handed a personal laptop that he can take home and that will be his after completing four years of high school (ever heard of outdated technology Mr. Luna?).
Mr. Luna also uses some downright deceptive math to show that the average class size will only go up to somewhere around 19 students per teacher. Huh? That is funny...some of my children already have 23-24 students in their classes. Some of the high school AP classes already have upwards of 32 students per teacher. Does he have any idea how long that it already takes those high school English teachers to grade papers? Mr. Luna counted all certified educators which would include PE teachers and speech therapists for examplel and then divided that by the number of students to get that number. He didn't count just the teachers...he also counted people that don't even teach the students to get that number low.
Mr. Luna says that my children be required to take six on-line courses to graduate from high school. I have taken on-line courses at the college level and found them very dry. I am all for options...all students learn differently. But do not try to pretend that a laptop shares any of the passion that teachers feel about their subjects with students. Students need to have the ability to engage in discussion about history and current events. Humans learn from each other...from debate and the introduction of new viewpoints.
These bills will introduce instability within districts as they minimize the ability of professionals...TEACHERS to make a living. I don't know why people expect teachers to change the world yet don't want to pay them. It is ridiculous that he is making it impossible for teachers that teach lower achieving students bonuses or wage increases. Does anyone really believe that the only reason some of these children are struggling is because of their teacher? There is so much more involved in a student's success then their teacher and punishing teachers for teaching children that have poor home lives, learning disabilities or working parents is insane. What other profession can you go to college...get a degree and then have people turn around and call you selfish for wanting to make more then $30,000 a year? My children have had great teacher's in Moscow...and as another woman pointed out we are fortunate to live in this district. Other districts have already closed their schools. Yes, you read that right. CLOSED their schools. Mr. Luna wants to do away with tenure...okay so lets see...increase class size to well over 30 and throw a new teacher in the mix. Because as someone pointed out...Wyoming pays their teachers on average $20,000 more a year...Idaho will become a revolving door for new teachers. I guess they actually think education is worth something there. In 2007 Idaho already ranked at 49th in the amount of money spent on education per pupil. Mr. Luna wants to cut that even more and buy new lap tops in the meantime? Insanity! What could have prompted this desire for new gadgets?
Money.
What I find most infuriating about his proposal is that he received campaign funding from K12 based in Virginia. Advertising from J.A. Albertson has been placed in papers around the state supporting Mr. Luna's reform... Thomas Wilson is chief executive officer and a director of the Kathryn Albertson Foundation and sits on the board of K12...a private corporation that is primed to make a killing if this reform is passed.(http://www.k12.com/about_k12/board_of_directors/) The Albertson name carries some weight around here...the UI business school is named the J.A. Albertson Building. Do people realize that those supporting this reform stand to profit directly from the introduction of on-line courses as graduation requirements?
So in Mr. Luna's viewpoint it would be better to pay teachers less...force out experienced teachers, take away any stability (and you know how many cars and homes sell when you don't know if you will have a job in two years) and send our public education funds out to Virginia instead of paying teachers in our own community.
Keep it local Luna...as a conservative you should get that. This is nothing but an attack on public education by those that think we should all home school our children or send them to charter schools. (both options that should be available)
If you are a parent/educator in Idaho please contact your senator, representatives, and Mr. Luna himself. He actually responded directly to me...but never responded again after I asked him why I should trust him when he clearly is in the pocket of the K12 Corp.
But that IS the case. The education department estimates as many as 1000 teachers could lose their jobs to pay for these flashy new computers put in the sweaty hands of ninth graders across the state. Loss of teachers aside, do I want my ninth graders to have free access to the web unsupervised? Uh...no. Does our district or any district have the funds to make repairs and updates to these laptops as well as maintaining a system at each school that can handle the traffic? At the meeting one parent pointed out that they don't even have high speed internet, they have dial-up. What about students in even more rural Idaho that don't have access...and yes, there are many students in that situation. The success rate for student's taking on-line courses at this age is not positive. Yet, Mr. Luna proposes that when my son goes into ninth grade he be handed a personal laptop that he can take home and that will be his after completing four years of high school (ever heard of outdated technology Mr. Luna?).
Mr. Luna also uses some downright deceptive math to show that the average class size will only go up to somewhere around 19 students per teacher. Huh? That is funny...some of my children already have 23-24 students in their classes. Some of the high school AP classes already have upwards of 32 students per teacher. Does he have any idea how long that it already takes those high school English teachers to grade papers? Mr. Luna counted all certified educators which would include PE teachers and speech therapists for examplel and then divided that by the number of students to get that number. He didn't count just the teachers...he also counted people that don't even teach the students to get that number low.
Mr. Luna says that my children be required to take six on-line courses to graduate from high school. I have taken on-line courses at the college level and found them very dry. I am all for options...all students learn differently. But do not try to pretend that a laptop shares any of the passion that teachers feel about their subjects with students. Students need to have the ability to engage in discussion about history and current events. Humans learn from each other...from debate and the introduction of new viewpoints.
These bills will introduce instability within districts as they minimize the ability of professionals...TEACHERS to make a living. I don't know why people expect teachers to change the world yet don't want to pay them. It is ridiculous that he is making it impossible for teachers that teach lower achieving students bonuses or wage increases. Does anyone really believe that the only reason some of these children are struggling is because of their teacher? There is so much more involved in a student's success then their teacher and punishing teachers for teaching children that have poor home lives, learning disabilities or working parents is insane. What other profession can you go to college...get a degree and then have people turn around and call you selfish for wanting to make more then $30,000 a year? My children have had great teacher's in Moscow...and as another woman pointed out we are fortunate to live in this district. Other districts have already closed their schools. Yes, you read that right. CLOSED their schools. Mr. Luna wants to do away with tenure...okay so lets see...increase class size to well over 30 and throw a new teacher in the mix. Because as someone pointed out...Wyoming pays their teachers on average $20,000 more a year...Idaho will become a revolving door for new teachers. I guess they actually think education is worth something there. In 2007 Idaho already ranked at 49th in the amount of money spent on education per pupil. Mr. Luna wants to cut that even more and buy new lap tops in the meantime? Insanity! What could have prompted this desire for new gadgets?
Money.
What I find most infuriating about his proposal is that he received campaign funding from K12 based in Virginia. Advertising from J.A. Albertson has been placed in papers around the state supporting Mr. Luna's reform... Thomas Wilson is chief executive officer and a director of the Kathryn Albertson Foundation and sits on the board of K12...a private corporation that is primed to make a killing if this reform is passed.(http://www.k12.com/about_k12/board_of_directors/) The Albertson name carries some weight around here...the UI business school is named the J.A. Albertson Building. Do people realize that those supporting this reform stand to profit directly from the introduction of on-line courses as graduation requirements?
So in Mr. Luna's viewpoint it would be better to pay teachers less...force out experienced teachers, take away any stability (and you know how many cars and homes sell when you don't know if you will have a job in two years) and send our public education funds out to Virginia instead of paying teachers in our own community.
Keep it local Luna...as a conservative you should get that. This is nothing but an attack on public education by those that think we should all home school our children or send them to charter schools. (both options that should be available)
If you are a parent/educator in Idaho please contact your senator, representatives, and Mr. Luna himself. He actually responded directly to me...but never responded again after I asked him why I should trust him when he clearly is in the pocket of the K12 Corp.
2 comments:
I'm concerned too, Heather. And thank you for the information about the Albertson foundation link - I find that very interesting and something that's flying under the radar around here.
Definitely pass the information on...additionally he has received campaign contributions from U of Phoenix/Apollo Group, Apangea, etc.
All on-line educators. WTF? Idaho is such a corporate whore.
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