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Pastimes : THE SLIGHTLY MODERATED BOXING RING -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (19425)	8/16/2002 6:39:05 PM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21057

Tucson, Arizona Friday, 16 August 2002 Restore teachers' dignity By Richard Choquette SPECIAL TO THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR The great beast of public education stirs from its summer hibernation. Parents shop for school clothes, bus drivers learn their routes, and custodians spread one last coat of wax. Teachers wonder how they will make it through one more year without the respect of students, parents and their administrators. Superintendents are wading through the 1,100 pages of new federal intervention. Lawmakers tout these regulations as the nationwide cure for low academic achievement and will presume a great success in upcoming reelection campaigns. As one gets closer to the classroom, however, the enthusiasm drops off precipitously. Reg Weaver, newly elected president of the National Education Association, told teachers, " 'No Child Left Behind' is another empty phrase." It's empty because if a student chooses to stay behind, teachers are powerless to enforce his or her cooperation. Obscured by the surreal expectations and high-stakes accountability measures is the erosion of authority to maintain a disciplined, rigorous atmosphere in the classroom. Parents seem quicker than ever to defend their children's poor behavior. When 28 students were caught plagiarizing reports in Piper, Kan., their parents stormed a school board meeting in protest. The board caved in to their demands and ordered that the penalties be reduced. When students realize they can rebel with the support of parents and district leaders, they lose respect for teachers, and the whole educational process disintegrates. The protection of "innocent until proven guilty" doesn't apply to teachers. In today's social climate, a savvy child can invent charges of abuse or racism knowing that they will be taken seriously. When accusations are eventually found to be unsubstantiated or students confess to fabrication, the process of exoneration itself will still leave deep scars. Male teachers, in particular, are vulnerable. The past year's media villains, suicide hijackers, CEOs, priests and kidnappers - all were men. An intensifying paranoia plagues Tucson's schools. A science teacher at Doolen Middle School was immediately transferred when parents complained that he made racist remarks during a lesson on genetics. A coach at Catalina High School lost his job after a female student said he touched her during the half-time of a football game. The most tragic incident involved a math teacher at Pistor Middle School. After assisting another teacher in the restraint of a violent student who had a long history of disruptive behavior, he was accused of using inappropriate physical force. His principal placed him on an indefinite administrative leave. This blemish on his career smashed any hope of pursuing a counseling position with the master's degree he had earned the previous spring. He cleaned out his personal belongings, went home and took his own life. The knee-jerk reactions to student accusations aren't making our schools safer, but they are undercutting academics. A recent survey of 800 registered voters found that raising teacher quality is their top priority. Apparently, it is difficult for the general public to imagine that even an excellent teacher can be overwhelmed by student resistance. These people have never stood before 30 students who would all prefer to just sit and chat or go outside to play. It's painful for teachers to listen to politicians boast about their support for education. First, we need the restoration of dignity and authority to the teaching profession. Then we can turn our attention to raising the precious test scores. * Richard Choquette is the librarian at Valencia Middle School.