Schools at Risk of Further Decline

Public schools have become an endless receptacle of society’s problems. I have been an elementary school teacher for 28 years. I have seen the academic curriculum disintegrate, overcrowded classrooms with a multitude of learning and emotional problems proliferate, little parental involvement, endless “progressive” programs which have not worked, and then the bilingual program thrown into this to create further discord in the public school system. Of course we have eliminated fine arts such as music and art. And now there is a strong push for inclusion--we must mainstream severely handicapped children into the classroom.

But, teachers can “handle” all these situations. After all, we are such highly paid professionals with a multitude of talents. I should be able to teach American history in Spanish, sheltered English to the English Language Development students, teach attention deficit disorder students to focus on instruction, have a well-balanced fine arts program, which I must create, and teach the skills of a structured physical education program. While doing this I am supposed to reach the average student, the high achiever, and the GATE student. I will have to work on a special time for them. Maybe they can work on their own or in cooperative groups--perhaps I’ll put them at a learning center.

We need to return to tracking students, not allowing students to pass until the skills at the grade level are achieved, have mandatory uniforms, a staff dress code, keep a strong Head Start program and return to a strong academic program. We need to bring back vocational training in the high schools and prepare students to at least have marketable skills. We are not all college material. But we can give students the tools to become productive members of society.

Monies [not] spent on the mentor programs, bilingual education, worthless in-service days and frivolous “new” programs would put more money into the schools for students, books and teachers. We cannot continue going in the direction we are or we will see public education in the state of California further decline.

DEE WHITE

Capistrano Beach