The Year in Review for Educators

The year 2014 was a significant one for American educators. Many of the issues that came to the surface during the year are still unresolved and will continue to make headlines throughout the United States during the new year-2015. Here are some of the significant events of this year.

The Vergara V. California case highlighted the issues of teacher tenure and accountability. Nine students successfully sued the school system resulting in an historic decision that reaffirmed the fundamental, Constitutional right of every student to learn  from an effective  teacher.  (See http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/05/29/vergara-v-california-the-most-important-court-case-you-ve-never-heard-of.htmlfrom effective teachers and have an equal opportunity to succeed in school. )

Common Core State Standards Initiative is an educational mandate in the United States that details what K-12 students should know in English /language arts and mathematics at the end of each grade. The initiative is sponsored by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and seeks to establish consistent educational standards across the states as well as ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to enter credit-bearing courses at two- or four-year college programs or to enter the workforce.

Detroit Bankruptcy.  The financially ailing city of Detroit declared bankruptcy and as a result forced several of the municipal unions, including the teachers’ union, to make concessions to city. This has resulted in the mandatory reduction in pension benefits to retired teachers. No matter what state constitutions say about the sanctity of a negotiated public pension, federal bankruptcy law authorizes a city to restructure its obligations to restore financial  equilibrium . Because the U.S. Constitution says that the laws of the United States supersede other state laws," a city can be forced to reduce its pension obligations. It has done so in Detroit and other municipalities.

The November elections. The results of the recent elections will have a significant impact on education legislation going forward. Starting in January both the House of Representatives and the Senate will be under Republican control, a group that will try to reign in government spending. Additionally, a majority of the state governorships are also under Republican control.

Let us hope that the new year of 2015 will bring peace and security to our country and that the year will also be a positive one for our nation’s teaching profession.

Happy Holidays.

The December Dilemma Revisited

Dealing with What to Teach during the Holiday Season

The month of December can be a wonderful time for teachers. It provides them the opportunity to celebrate the cultural diversity of America and introduce students the joys of Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan and Kwanza. It can also be a constitutional minefield sucking unwary teachers (especially first year teachers) into confrontations with parents, school official and religious leaders about what should be taught or expressed in the classroom. Is a Christmas tree a religious object? What about a Menorah? Can we sing Christmas carols and if so which ones are not too religious?

In most school districts such policies are dictated by the local school boards. There should be some rule of thumb for a prudent classroom teacher to use so as not to violate any student’s First Amendment Rights while still retaining the joy and educational values of the holiday season.

The state of California has come up with a litmus test of sorts that you may want to keep as a reference guide.

1)      Is the planned activity or event consistent with the educational mission of the school?

2)      Will the activity or event make students your students feel uncomfortable?

3)      Can a lesson be prepared that teaches about the meaning of a holiday without proselytizing for a specific religion?

The issue of appropriate music is also the subject for discussion at this time of year. The history of all music has its beginnings in liturgical and religious music, so leaving religious music out on purely religious grounds seems a bit extreme. Again, these are issues that should be discussed with school administrators prior to planning any holiday musical productions.

We would also like to recommend a book, especially appropriate for elementary and middle school grades. The Christmas Menorahs by Janice Cohn with illustrations by Bill Farnsworth (1995) is based on a true story set in Billings, Montana. Its message, so appropriate at this time of year, is that we should all stand up for intolerance and celebrate the similarities of diverse religious beliefs. We are all Americans and live in a country where religious freedom is a paramount right.

note; this article was originally posted in Dec. 2010

Time to Reconsider Technical Education

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to tour the Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology in Naples. Since I had not visited a technical high school for at least ten years I was amazed at the programs offered as well as the state of the art equipment that was available for the students to use. This high school had a program in aircraft repair with actual planes for students to work on. The same was true of the marine engine repair program.  Lorenzo Walker also offered programs in culinary arts, cosmetology and medical and dental assistant. Local residents are encouraged to visit the dining room for lunch or make an appointment for a shampoo and haircut. Local residents can also make appointments at the dental clinic. The programs at Lorenzo Walker are not only available to high school students, who must complete their academic work before transferring, programs are also offered to adults in search of a new career.

The take away from my visit and meeting with students was that technical education was a more certain path that would lead to a job upon graduation.

They also reiterated that college, such as we academics know it, is not for everyone.

For those of you who have students who are uncertain about their future or confused about a career path, tell them to make a New Year’s resolution and consider technical education.

c.2014  J. Margolis