MM>> VH> I gather, though that your students are there
voluntarily.  That they
MM>> VH> do not have a culture that disdains education, and are
not the fourth
MM>> VH> generation on welfare.

MM>>True enough ... but kow-towing to their ethnicities would be as
MM>>wrong as I did so in any other situation - I've taught from year 1
MM>>to to postgrad and over to the elderly,  and the best processes
MM>>are much the same;  people are people.

 VH> The problem we have is that in many cases the teachers come
 VH> from the same ethnic background, and lack the skills or
 VH> desire to actually teach.

 I do not see the problem with them coming from the same ethnic
 background. There are all sorts of people in every ethnic
 background. There are an awful lot of white European derived
 people who lack the skills or desire to teach.

MM>> VH> That's a good idea -- if implementable.
 ...

MM>>all teachers get a copy.  The only way promotion can come is by
MM>>applying for higher-grade jobs - and that's how we lose our top
MM>>teachers...   overall, quite a nice system.

 VH> The United States has a 4.7% unemployment rate -- and 5% is
 VH> considered full employment.  Try that here and what
 VH> teachers we have would quit in droves.

 5% is considered full employment by economists who are employed.
 Our unemployment rate is subject to manipulation. With the
 workforce participation rate down, and the number of people
 listed as needing a job up, I have serious doubts about our
 unemployment rate being 4.7%.

MM>> VH> Our problem here is that the
MM>> VH> worst schools are in the worst areas.  Well-paid teachers
don't want to
MM>> VH> live in those areas.

MM>>Exactly so here ... but if you really want to be a senior
MM>>teacher,  then a few years service in a `worst' area is he way to
MM>>secure it.

 VH> I wish we could do that.  Unfortunately, we can't keep
 VH> teachers under those conditions.

 Pay enough and it won't be a problem.
 ...

MM>> VH> You will note that both Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, with great
MM>> VH> fanfare put their children in Washington, DC public
schools when they
MM>> VH> became President -- and quickly withdrew them and sent
them to private
MM>> VH> schools.

MM>>Heh-heh...  `Do as I started off, not as I ended up....'

 The feds have little control over the local schools. Esp since
 they are unwilling to put up much money for them.

 ...

MM>>It'll be the wall and the machineguns in the end, then.

 VH> I tend to think it will end with a whimper, not a bang. :-(

 I think the wall and the machine guns have the edge, for now.

BOB KLAHN bob.klahn{at}sev.org   http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn

... Frisbyterian:  When you die, your soul goes up on the roof!
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