Spotlight On
by Clark Westfield
September 2012
“Kids these days yell at their teachers. We never did that. In fifth grade my teacher called me a moron, an idiot! And I was home-schooled.”
– Eric Tartaglione
“We had the Sisters of the Dragon. Ninja nuns. They carried nun-chucks.”
– Steve Shaffer
“Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach. Those who can’t teach, teach gym.”
– Woody Allen
What these comic quotes all have in common is that the art and skill of teaching has been distorted over time. We see teachers as bullies, or incompetent, or worse, our parents. Are the unions and the NJEA to blame for our academic shortcomings? Is it the fault of the administration and their budget-denying approach to solving our school’s woes? Are we saying the teachers themselves are to blame? Personally I point my ruler-smacked finger to the lunch ladies. Trust me, this is a conspiracy that not even Clint Eastwood has addressed yet (although at a recent parent-teacher conference at his grandson’s school, he spend a good half hour conversing with a desk). Their hairnets are a web of deceit and lies and I’m pretty sure those Swedish Meatballs made me fuzzy during 7th and 8th periods. Of course, I kid the ladies. Where would hungry children be without them? Or comedians for that matter…
As always, the hardliners stand firm on their platforms. “This is right. This is an absolute. This is infallible. We will not be moved.” You hear enough of that on both sides and you start to wonder who really belongs out there on the playground, the kids, or the grownups who are supposed to be looking out for their best interests? Couldn’t both sides have something to offer? Is the education of our children in jeopardy because as adults, we don’t play together very well? I understand that budgets have to be adhered to if we are not to raise taxes on already taxed-to-the-max residents. I get it that we need to streamline administrative and redundant positions. It’s no secret that everyone across the board these days is being asked to contribute more to their health care and pension plans, both in the public and private sector. And let’s face it folks, all teachers are not created equal. I believe they are some of most dedicated professionals in the workforce today and someday when I become president, I’m going to switch baseball player’s salaries and teacher’s salaries. Starting with A-Rod. But what of the ones who just get by, not inspiring, not reaching and not teaching the students. The idea of Tenure is a good one if it protects those who deserve to be protected; the ones who go beyond the textbooks and lectures to a place where the child feels comfortable and confident with their learning abilities. I had a few of those teachers, who made me believe in myself… Mrs. Riccio in 4th grade, Mr. Arvonio in high school and Professors Cheech and Chong in college. But the bad ones…oh I’ve had a few of those too. We all have. The Dewey Finns of the classroom, the ones who look at the clock more than a hooker with a Blackberry. The ones whose command of the English language left me yearning for an interpreter, or someone trained in Signing. Or the plain mean ones, who got off on another’s discomfort or embarrassment. My favorites were the teachers who spoke and spoke and spoke and said nothing. That combination of ignorance and arrogance has no place in the classroom.
So get it together oh great leaders of our state government and education. Give both the teachers and students a break. Govern wisely, teach patiently. Because as they say, “A mind is a terrible thing. And it must be stopped. I’m wasted.”
– Bob Nelson
More to come – CW