I applaud the passion and articulation of Mr. Mali’s rant, but I also feel it is a little simplistic. I’m assuming it comes in response to all the attention given to the 60 minute piece on The Equity Project charter school in NYC, and the $125,000 starting teacher pay they are giving. Speaking as a teacher myself, I am troubled by Mr. Mali’s implied assumption that all teachers are as amazingly focused and motivated by nothing more than meeting the needs of the children they serve. Would that it were so. Of course teachers are wonderful public servants who care about their charges. I mean that statement, it is not sarcasm. But let’s be honest, many teachers are pretty comfortable in the incredible safety of tenure and a bulldog union that apparently cares nothing about fiscal responsibility in hard times. Few other jobs I know of give so many “in service days”, two weeks off at Christmas (oops, I can’t call it that, sorry), or a Spring Break. Let alone summer. OK, I know lots of teachers have to (choose to) work during summer, but at least you can call your own shots. I applaud the charter school’s efforts to pay a great wage to great teachers, and the sacrifices they are making to try and pull it off. I also applaud the standards of excellence required of those teachers. It is not for everyone, but I’m happy for the children who can go to that school. My humble opinon.
Glen McCune says
Ronald Richard Duquette says