Questions on Education for Politicians

Below this post was a list of questions for teacher unions. This post has some updated questions for politicians and education leaders in Texas. This was emailed in mass to quite a few lobbyists, politicians and educators, without any response of course. Take some time and review my questions below. Maybe you have some answers.
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I've been teaching in Texas for 13 years. As a frustrated educator that feels like a member of the public enemy list and pressured to be a parent, counselor & savior of our youth, I have some serious questions for your role in the education system. I"ve placed some questions below. Can you please answer them to the best of your ability?

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1. Why have you not considered having the ACT or SAT companies proctor state-wide TAKS (now STARR) to prevent cheating and alleviate the pressures teachers face with the testing days? Standing all day long and under an FBI state-of-emergency response that causes extreme stress and the threat of job termination, is unacceptable and unfair to students. Teachers could choose either to sign on as proctors and be paid by ACT or SAT or districts could make them work as hall monitors or have teacher prep days. An alternative, give teachers the day off and use the funds that normally pay them that day to pay the ACT or SAT companies. In addition, why are state politicians & TEA not moving towards the state test to just be called, and become the SAT or ACT? Why reinvent the wheel? Is it not the goal of all teachers to prepare students for college (really life in America)? Re-Inventing the wheel seems to be a huge waste of time & funds. 

2. What is the problem with a state policy requiring all politicians to serve as substitutes for one week in an inner-city school, suburban school, charter, private and a suburban/inner-city school? This would give them a much better focal point on the issues teachers face, especially behavior and the overwhelming paper work. It may give them a glimpse of parents cursing out teachers and administrators, student-on-student violence and student-on-teacher violence. Of course, politicians are never serious about having a vision that will benefit teachers. And of course, being a substitute for two days is beneath them and won't solve any issues. Pshaw. 

3. Has there been a move for more law enforcement on school campuses? I believe all teachers would agree that they would stay on their jobs longer if the environment were more conducive to calm than chaos. This is not just an inner-city issue anymore but one that is happening in the suburban schools. 2 officers per every 1000 just doesn't seem to make sense. Of course, cutting salaries at the top end would be great, but never gets justified. Teachers are not security officers unless the state investigates paying for teachers obtaining martal-arts and security training. And I don't see that happening. 

4. I can not understand the overwhelming pressure from the state in regards to elementary schools and TAKS. The pressure on the little one's is crazy and I don't think TEA or politicians are aware of the harm they have placed upon our children. Why should an elementary child feel college level pressure? Why should an elementary child be told that they are good kids, but since they can't pass a test...one test mind you...that they will have to repeat a grade? And if they fail it twice they repeat, and if they fail it again the next year then what? You have a 10 year old that fails the TAKS two years in a row, you have then created a 12 year old 5th grader who gets pushed into middle school. A child who probably could do the work on paper in front of a teacher or parent but they are not good test takers. This is unacceptable and can not be tolerated even with the new STARR test. No wonder cheating occurred on such a high level in this state. Just because American born kids are not interested in science and math doesn't mean that cramming it down their throats and vigorously looking to make them the next Einstein, is effective and the right method to use. 

5. Is Achieve Texas (www.achievetexas.org) being placed on the right level? I would love to see this one good program evolve. Having every kid graduate with a license or certification in a trade plus a diploma is awesome. However, why do kids need the pressure of passing not only the STARR or state-wide graduation exam as well as get pressured to pass certification exams? Have you seen the Microsoft C++ or the Avid Media Composer exam? These are not easy. Why not create a hybrid graduation system requiring students to pass exams based upon their chosen academy with core course rigor included? The other matter is that Achieve Texas should be placed on the elementary level. Why? If our country needs and wants home grown scientists and mathematicians that will move our country into the 22nd Century, then the only way to do it, plus decrease the drop out rate and increase test scores is the provide our children, from the kindergarten level, with EXPERIENCES via academy programs. Stop trying to make learn higher order mathematic & scientific principles without them truly doing it just as they play video games every day. Every year from kindergarten, a Texas child should be in an academy program engaging in actual lab work; Broadcasting Studios, 3D Motion Capture Labs, Biology Dissection labs, Aquatic discovery labs, Mountain Bike Engineering labs, etc. Those are just a few examples. All on the elementary level so that our children grow up with this as second nature and not being exposed to it in a 17th century sit and listen to a lecture format. All ethnic groups will benefit from an EXPERIENCES style approach that is hands on and combined with traditional lecture settings. The two combined will no doubt have an incredible impact upon retention, test scores and spark an increase in home grown American youth into higher science fields. Imagine a high school where freshmen must take a scuba diving training course in the fall and then in the spring they actually go to the Caribbean or Florida and actually dive. You now take aquatic science out of the text book and classroom and place the students in the ocean, hands on, and experience what they have read in the books. What about the sophomore year having kids work as mechanical engineers and each kid designs and builds their own mountain bike and then they are taken to areas around their city and ride! The math and physics needed for that is then re-enforced in the classroom. It becomes clear and relevant! Those are just examples the possibilities of Achieve Tecas. It is now time to make these sacrifices for our country and our youth and to place academy programs on the elementary level so that our children grow up with science and math and it becomes a norm in their lives. There is no vision in education anymore. We must totally redo the educational philosophy and get rid of the lecturer and replace them with the educator lab technician. 

Does no one in state government not realize that with the increasing of state testing standards, the dropout rate is increasing? The drop out rate for America is at an all time high. Furthermore, testing is being fanatically pushed in order to somehow spark an interest in more scientists & mathematicians and home grown Americans are not going into higher sciences as a career. The numbers don't add up and the philosophic approach is seriously flawed. I would ask that you consider some of these ideas and truly seek to have a vision for education with vigor and tenacity. If we continue to be cattle then we will get run like cattle.

Ted A. Irving, M.A.
Sam Houston State University Alumni Board of Directors
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Houston Fulbright Association
2002 Hightower HS Teacher of the Year
2003 Houston ABSE 2ndary Teacher of the Year
Former NAACP Gloster B. Current Leadership Award Winner
2002 Texas Regional Emmy Award Winner
2006 Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher