Public vs Charter and Private Schools

I went to public and private schools. Two of my kids went to public and charter schools.

My parents took me out of public school for fighting and mostly, they thought I wasn't getting a proper education. In private school, I was shocked to see that they were about 2 years ahead. I had alot of catching up to do. For me, there were no difference between the students. I still got into fights but I learned alot more.

My kids are Dumbass millinials . Lazy as crap. They couldn't handle public school. They wanted to go to a charter school and work at their own pace. They graduated, I'll give them that. But I don't think they learned anything useful there.

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

I've talked with student teachers from our local university who made a decision on the spot to change their majors when they've been placed into a classroom for the very first time. Their image of polite kids with their hands folded with smiles on their faces didn't exactly fit in with the reality of today's classroom. Not only do teachers have to deal with a students poor behavior everyday, they have to deal with them constantly using their cell phones in the classroom. In the school I taught at, we were forbidden to take a student's cell phone away during the class period. We had to notify the assistant principal to come down to take the student's cell phone away! Today's teacher's hands are tied.

I can well believe it! Students can, as I stated, be a real problem. The system seems geared to protect bad behavior. Still, there are bad teachers. In a private or charter school, they'd be fired. In public, they end up protected. Talking to teachers I know, I hear the same thing from them. The good ones end up fighting the system, while the bad skate through. Public schools have a LOT of issues. They should, ideally, be state-run, as opposed to federal. Local control would mean problems could be more easily addressed.

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

You'll always have bad workers in any profession. However, it's much worse for teachers because they deal with children and young minds on a daily basis.

Very true. When a bad person is teaching, their behavior becomes magnified, and they are able to do a lot more harm!

Talk about bad teachers!! My homeroom teacher "murdered" a beautiful young girl who was a senior back in '76. Strangled and raped her! What's outrageous, is he left another school district under questionable circumstances and was than hired by our school district! Talk about not vetting teachers before hiring them!

Oh, wow......I have read of some bad cases, but that's beyond even those!! I've read of pedo teachers being moved, just like that, and allowed to continue their behavior, instead of being reported and jailed. Murder, though......wow......

Now teachers and anyone working with young people in my state have to go through criminal background checks every 5 years. There are some very bad teachers out there and parents should call that to the attention of the school principal. Kids openly talk with their friends. If they say we don't do anything in Mr. L's class, or he lets us do anything etc..., that should be a red flag. There are some good reasons for unions, but other times unions protect workers who are not performing well. That could be an issue for another thread.

That's a start!! Of course, if there is no criminal report made, there won't be records, so some wills till slip through. Listening to, and paying attention to, the kids is a key factor, I agree!! That, and eliminating that sort from society, permanently. I personally would support the death penalty for child predators.

What I found outrageous when I was teaching, teachers who didn't teach and didn't complain never gathered much attention by the school administration because kids never complained, they liked a blow-off teacher! Teachers who taught and wanted their students to behave and learn the material would always get the occasional student complaining that the teacher was picking on them or complain about their method of teaching.

Very true!! The bad ones will only be reported if they do something overt, and are recorded doing so. The lazy ones, most students won't say a thing. I did see one video of a student telling a teacher her methods were lazy, because she'd just hand them papers to do, apparently, and never explain anything.

I had a couple of problem teachers, in elementary school. First grade, the woman was so bad that parents worried about their kids getting her. Yet, she wasn't fired! She was flat out evil. I was a very quiet kid in school, did my work, didn't act up. One day in the cafeteria, she heard kids talking (not against the rules, but against HER rules), decided I was one of them, and made me stand against a column for the whole lunch period. I didn't even get to eat. My mother was FURIOUS! Didn't happen again, but she was there for years after.

The other was fourth grade. My sister had her before me. Now, my sister was a serious student - always behaved, excellent grades, the type to become upset f she had an A, instead of an A+. This teacher had a "pet", a girl who was a brat, and got away with everything, while the teacher treated the rest of the class like criminals. Nearly every day, she'd hold the class, except for her pet, after school. I was always hanging out in the hallway, waiting for her, so we could walk home. This teacher would give her bad grades on report cards, when ALL of her papers that came home ere excellent. Her last report card that year, she didn't even get till the next year! Our mom was at the school regularly, trying to get something done about her, and the grade issues. That report card, she got from the office the next year! Well, I got the same teacher. By then, she knew our mom so well, she was on eggshells around me!! I didn't misbehave, but could have, because Mom scared her, lol! She didn't get fired, either! Constant complaints, for both of them, from parents, over years, and the school system didn't seem to care.

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

To be fair, that environment could be a contributing factor to the bad teacher issue, as well, as good ones won't stay in schools with problem students, leaving them with poorer teachers.

Teachers are only human too! There's only so much foul mouth and disrespect a teacher can take on a daily basis before teachers lose their cool. When you have to devote 20 minutes or more of your 1 hour class period addressing disruptive and apathetic behavior, the system needs to be fixed. There were times I had to walk out into the hallway just to calm my stress level.

It's bad enough that teachers get disrespected, but substitute teachers are literally verbally abused and treated like punching bags! When I retired from teaching, the first week school started I got a call from our district administration office asking if I was interested in being on the districts substitute list. I said "hell no!," I want to live a little longer to enjoy my retirement! Which the lady on the end started laughing and said "I totally understand."

I wouldn't do that job, in a public school, for any amount of money!! Thirty years ago, MAYBE, with the right age group. These days? No, thanks!! The teachers who are good have a gift. I mean, a real gift! It's not something all can do, and some get into it who aren't suited for the job. The way many kids act these days, I a amazed any teachers will work in some of the schools. That is a problem with the system, for certain!

I have managed groups of kids, in other settings. Did a smaller group, younger ones, for ladies taking a class at he church, and had no behavior problems. One kid, one day, acted up, and never again after that. They knew they couldn't get away with it. The other setting, we were doing a big church play, with a large kids' choir, and the lady leading it asked me to help keep them in line. I was, she said, "scarier" than she was, lol! Loved those kids, all of them, but they didn't misbehave!! One look, and they reined that in. The teachers aren't given authority, and the school kids know it. For the ones who aren't taught to behave at home, it is a perfect storm of circumstances.

a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

There's going to be a teacher shortage coming very soon. Many young college kids realize the amount of stress and aggravation it is to be a teacher, and state politicians are attacking teacher's salaries and pensions. I feel bad for the young teachers. Teacher's are really nation builders, and it's sad that a country like the United States, who always pride themselves on the statement, "American Know How'" is always looking to cut education funding and doesn't hold it high on their political priority list.

I've always said, if you think a teacher's job is easy, spend 1 day in an inner-city classroom. We've had substitutes walk out of school in the middle of the day, never to step foot in a school again! I really don't know how I lasted for 22 years, let alone some teachers had 35 years before they retired. There was a teacher that worked down the hall from me since I started teaching. This past year, just 3 months after he retired he died of a heart attack. He was a smoker, and had high blood pressure, but he wasn't even overweight, and he was only 57 yrs. old! You have to wonder if the stress from teaching for 30 years didn't play a part in it.

a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

That's a start!! Of course, if there is no criminal report made, there won't be records, so some wills till slip through.

That's what I said. All teacher's must go through criminal checks when they're hired. Someone may not have a prior criminal record, and nobody knows what type of criminal intent a person is harboring until they actually commit the act. If a teacher molests a child, a clean previous criminal check isn't going to prevent it. If they don't have a prior record, what good does it do? If they did have a prior record they wouldn't have been hired. Most teacher's didn't mind getting the criminal checks, but they didn't like the idea they had to pay $50.00 out of their own pay every three years. That should be the responsibility of the state, they are the employer. I believe the state instituted the criminal checks more for the reason of creating additional revenue for the state. It didn't only apply to school teachers, it applied to anyone in the state who worked with school age children. Which affected our schools student Co-Op work program, because businesses didn't want to pay for the criminal checks and they didn't want to go through the hassle completing the paper work.

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

There's going to be a teacher shortage coming very soon. Many young college kids realize the amount of stress and aggravation it is to be a teacher, and state politicians are attacking teacher's salaries and pensions. I feel bad for the young teachers. Teacher's are really nation builders, and it's sad that a country like the United States, who always pride themselves on the statement, "American Know How'" is always looking to cut education funding and doesn't hold it high on their political priority list.

I've always said, if you think a teacher's job is easy, spend 1 day in an inner-city classroom. We've had substitutes walk out of school in the middle of the day, never to step foot in a school again! I really don't know how I lasted for 22 years, let alone some teachers had 35 years before they retired. There was a teacher that worked down the hall from me since I started teaching. This past year, just 3 months after he retired he died of a heart attack. He was a smoker, and had high blood pressure, but he wasn't even overweight, and he was only 57 yrs. old! You have to wonder if the stress from teaching for 30 years didn't play a part in it.

Yet many still study education. If we can see the changes we need to see, then more of the young teachers will stay with the job, and be able to effectively teach. The problem students must be addressed, as much as the problem teachers, or we will continue to have kids going through school, and learning nothing. For some, I don't know a good solution. Some of the problems are cultural. We need a way to address those, without stomping on parental rights. That will take reaching parents, with better ways to manage things, and some serious and constructive dialogue on the many issues we face as a nation.

My sister actually taught in a poorer school district, but she taught younger kids, that you could still reach. Some of the stories they would tell her would break your heart!

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

That's a start!! Of course, if there is no criminal report made, there won't be records, so some wills till slip through.

That's what I said. All teacher's must go through criminal checks when they're hired. Someone may not have a prior criminal record, and nobody knows what type of criminal intent a person is harboring until they actually commit the act. If a teacher molests a child, a clean previous criminal check isn't going to prevent it. If they don't have a prior record, what good does it do? If they did have a prior record they wouldn't have been hired. Most teacher's didn't mind getting the criminal checks, but they didn't like the idea they had to pay $50.00 out of their own pay every three years. That should be the responsibility of the state, they are the employer. I believe the state instituted the criminal checks more for the reason of creating additional revenue for the state. It didn't only apply to school teachers, it applied to anyone in the state who worked with school age children. Which affected our schools student Co-Op work program, because businesses didn't want to pay for the criminal checks and they didn't want to go through the hassle completing the paper work.

Do you have any idea how much of that cost is actually required for the criminal background check? I can't imagine it costing that much person, and agree, that sounds more like a revenue stream than a real concern!

The question is, how can we locate the ones who don't have a record? How do we prevent a district from protecting such a person, and shuffling them off elsewhere? One thing that is needed is a good program for students, to be able to recognize, and avoid, such people. Oftentimes, there are "grooming" techniques used, and we can teach our kids to look out for those. Parental involvement there is vital, of course! Care would have to be taken to avoid being too graphic, too. Still, if the potential victims are forewarned, they will be safer. Nothing is foolproof, of course, but it would be a start. I taught mine at a young age about the dangers they could encounter, even from someone they might know. I don't know how many parents take the time for that. I know some have state they don't discuss it, because they don't want their kids to be afraid.

It seems as if your complaining about the system. Public schools are broken in many parts of America. Who fault is that? I place blame on the politicians, educators, and parents. The people that know what is suppose to work in a educational environment have corrupted the systems.
Private schools have not. Having people in charge that caused the problem in the first place is not the normal thing to do. Hire someone outside the system to fix it is what happened when Betsy was put in charge of the public school system. It sounds just like the rest of the Democrats and Liberal that if she is not part of the system she cannot do her job. My question them would be. How do you know she cannot do her job.
Another point is putting education back in the hands of the state, and parents is a good thing. IMHO. The Department of Education should be closed. Federal government should have no role in what is a local issue.

a reply to: WeRpeons

The private school classroom environment is much more conducive to learning when you have a classroom of students who come from middle to upper-class families who discipline their kids and stress the importance of education.

I agree.
The problem starts in the home not in the school.
Used to be people actually took responsibility for their children....not so much these days.

a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

I know when I attended middle school back in the early 70's, we would be shown documentaries on the dangers of drugs. I remember seeing people hallucinating, dying of overdoses and being sent to jail. That was enough to keep me and my friends away from drugs. Schools no longer show those type of documentaries to their students nor have classes that talk about the consequences of taking drugs, getting involved in gangs, or being aware of physical and sexual abuse. We need them more today considering how many young people are dying from heroin overdoses and being sexually and physically abused! There should be mandatory classes that talk about these dangers. Instead, there's more focus on passing state standardized testing rather than making sure our young people avoid getting involved in drugs and crime.

I know teaching in an inner-city school, many teachers would get a low turn-out of parents attending parent teacher conferences. I was a vocational teacher so I only had a total of 40 students. Out of those forty students. on average I would only see 10 parents! Some years I would see less. County schools would have a better turn-out because most of their students came from good homes and families who cared about their kids education.

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

I know when I attended middle school back in the early 70's, we would be shown documentaries on the dangers of drugs. I remember seeing people hallucinating, dying of overdoses and being sent to jail. That was enough to keep me and my friends away from drugs. Schools no longer show those type of documentaries to their students nor have classes that talk about the consequences of taking drugs, getting involved in gangs, or being aware of physical and sexual abuse. We need them more today considering how many young people are dying from heroin overdoses and being sexually and physically abused! There should be mandatory classes that talk about these dangers. Instead, there's more focus on passing state standardized testing rather than making sure our young people avoid getting involved in drugs and crime.

I know teaching in an inner-city school, many teachers would get a low turn-out of parents attending parent teacher conferences. I was a vocational teacher so I only had a total of 40 students. Out of those forty students. on average I would only see 10 parents! Some years I would see less. County schools would have a better turn-out because most of their students came from good homes and families who cared about their kids education.

That sort of teaching should, indeed, be in the schools, but it isn't. Also, instead of warnings about VD and pregnancy, these days, the schools just pass out free protection. It's a mess! I can't imagine not attending a parent/teacher conference. How can a parent not want to know who is teaching their kids, how well they are doing, etc?? When my eldest was in school, I always went to those!

Do you speak with evidence in your back pocket or doing what people normally do, blaming poor people for being poor. Little to no facts, all conjecture.

a reply to: Kali74

It is going to be four years before Trump can be replaced . If he gains in the midterm elections it will be eight.