tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post3571685606309712255..comments2024-03-13T21:26:03.011-07:00Comments on Right on the Left Coast: Views From a Conservative Teacher: Teacher Sacrificed On The Altar Of...What, Exactly?Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-38450553042076893612009-10-25T10:24:30.257-07:002009-10-25T10:24:30.257-07:00This happened to the detriment of everyone because...This happened to the detriment of everyone because of a system that is more interested in the needs of political groups than of individuals. My daughter was in a classroom with just such an individual. A teacher at my school resigned because a 300 lb, violent mentally ill girl was places in a conventional art classroom in order to appease the concept of least restrictive environment. The girl hated boys and was aggressive, even attacking the school nurse when she tried to give her her meds. I have had kids that have attacked their own parents and which were in self-contained ED units except for my class. The idea that public educational institutions must answer all of society's problems has got to end. We spend far too much in terms of money, time and resources on students that are often far beyond the ability of average teachers in public school settings to reach. Right now, in my school, we have five wheelchair bound, severely disabled students. They have a staff that is a 1:1 ratio. In the meantime, due to lower tax revenues, the number of students in average classrooms is going up to over 30 per class. The government for too long has used public education as a means to provide programs that have no business in education. It should not be our responsibility to feed, clothe, provide healthcare, counseling, daycare, and countless other programs that are far beyond the basic scope of learning. I weep for this teacher because it could be any teacher. Who among us has not had the student who threatened us? I remember a few years back one especially disturbed student stalked my daughter at a neighboring school. Yet when I mentioned it to authorities, they dismissed it. If we are going to have such severely disturbed or disabled students in our public schools-which seem far more concerned with making parents "feel good" than in educational effectiveness, then we need to stop funding the outside programs and return teachers to classrooms. I could tell you stories far more troublesome about bedridden students brought to class or violent offenders returned to class pending legal action, but this is old news to anyone in public education. Sadly enough, I teach in what is considered a "good" school. I can only imagine what passes for normal in the more disadvantaged schools. Sorry this is so long-it was too close to home.Ellen Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02845981491726296767noreply@blogger.com