New and Improved

OK...let's see if I can tone it down a bit and be a little less offensive or combative, and still get across the frustration not only I, but others, are feeling but are afraid to express. We CONTINUE to be dictated to by entities who have NO clue what it means to be in the classroom every day and what our difficulties are, and TOLD how to think their pre-thought thoughts based on the simple fact they have been elected by an uneducated and clueless populace.

Oops...I've done it again, haven't I...only, this time, I won't apologize and take it back. I am neither old nor bitter, just extraordinarily experienced, talented AND educated beyond years based on the years in the trenches. And, I am growing increasingly tired of our hard working teachers taking-it-on-the-chin and 'cowboying-up' in what is increasingly a losing battle...at least, in Utah.

Recently, our Superintendent in our 'new-and-improved' district has announced a plan to 'enhance' high school graduation diplomas to encourage...um...'rigor'. This is by a hired Superintendent, by elected Bored-of-Education members, who have NEVER been in the classroom...and neither has he...yet, suddenly, through some never-turn-back-flash-of-insight, the answers have been revealed to them and theirs, and the rest of us are, well, ignorant, I suppose.

Needless to say, opposition is mounting, which the media is, interestingly, ignoring, since it is from the inside...the teachers...the good doctor's employees, themselves. And, teachers, in the 'Life Elevated' great state of Utah have been LOOOOOONG relegated to the back seat of the lowliest of state employees as witnessed by the Utah Republican-dominated legislature continued thumbing-their nose at public education needs, resulting in the LOWEST PER PUPIL FUNDING in the country...in a state that PRIDES itself in caring for it's families and children.

Enter the Utah legislature's GRAND idea to allow 'splitting' school districts, and a select few rallying around splitting the highly successful (by ANY proxy measure) Jordan School District to form the 'new-and-improved' X School District. There is enough blame to go around...Uncle Barry's selfishness in jerking all retirement benefits for looming prospective retirees (resulting in a HUGE loss of confidence vote during the 'district split' proceedings among his OWN employees...those that didn't leave for a district that takes care of their employees, that is)...the selfish voters who forgot the 'west-side' had been funding them for well over half-a-century until the demographics of the growth and development of the Salt Lake valley had now moved to the southwest...to the Utah legislature who, plain and simple, DO NOT CARE ABOUT EDUCATION AND THEIR KIDS, AND THEIR RECORD IS EVIDENCE.

So, today I am told, we are once again reinventing the wheel, and introducing 'rigor', for students who do do not need 'rigor'...they are already introducing 'rigor' every day, on their own...yet we continue to ignore our kids who are 'falling through the cracks'...when are we going to get it right?!

Maybe...just maybe, it's time for teachers who are fed up to, once again, WALK OUT...and NOT return until the legislator's wander into the classroom themselves and make a TOTAL mockery of the processes they take for granted daily...BUT, even our elected teacher representatives (JEA, now CEA and the big boys UEA) are so afraid of our legislature (or, maybe, in cahoots with?) they wouldn't DREAM of such a bold step...