Witch Hunt − 20 October, 2007
By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.
--2nd witch, Macbeth, Act IV, scene 1
Dark times are coming.
Now, first of all, don't get me wrong. What I'm going to talk about today is a real problem. However, I have been a citizen of the United States long enough to know what a media-inspired witch hunt can do.
I don't mean real witches, of course. I'm referring to the strategy used by Senator McCarthy in exposing "communists." Proof by example; guilt by association; conviction by accusation.
Part of the deal of being a teacher is that one moment you are admired, spoken of in some melancholy, vague way -- and the next you are treated to a thousand damnations for causing every single problem in modern society. Or cursed for being some lazy failure that can't hold down a "real world" job (which makes more money, thereby proving it is intrinsically worth more). Or maybe we're held accountable for not teaching as well as they did in "the good old days".
Ah, you mean before Brown vs. Board of Education? Good old days for a few, misery for many. But it's those few that make the most noise.
In order to appreciate the situation, I'd really like to see that "noisy few" try and handle the job of being a teacher. As professionals, we have standards; as teachers, we want the best for our students.
However, try achieving that when you are continually strangled by oversight, requirements, paperwork, poorly defined and implemented programs, unfunded mandates, monitoring, meetings, trainings --- filing, indexing, briefing, debriefing, and being rendered as a set of standardized test numbers, not as a person.
And now, the witch hunt. I don't know if it will happen, but I'm seeing the signs.
There was a story in the AP on October 20th, 2007. [Journalism is dead, by the way; our paper mostly reprints stories from the AP verbatim, and apparently never proofs, edits, or checks them for bias.] It goes something like this:
AP: Sexual misconduct plagues US schools - Yahoo! News
"Plague", ah, the word implies that this is an omnipresent threat -- something you can't escape, a danger that confronts you at every turn. Very carefully, the numbers are placed far apart in the article, but here are the facts:
There are 3 million public school teachers.
Out of these, over a five year period, there were "2,570 educators whose teaching credentials were revoked, denied, surrendered or sanctioned from 2001 through 2005 following allegations of sexual misconduct." (Quoted from the original article).
Now, if any of these allegations were true at all, that would be far too many cases. Even a single instance is far too many.
People wonder why a nice guy like me is for the death penalty. Well, there's your reason. Folks that go wrong in that way can never be repaired.
But is 2570 out of 3,000,000 really up there in "plague" territory?
If you want a REAL plague, try looking at some more general stats. You know, like a journalist would, if they understood the concept of research. For example, the RAINN site gives the following statistics:
One in six women are victims of sexual assault. Clearly this evil is not being perpetrated by those 2570 teachers -- I wonder how many crimes were committed by family members, for instance?
But is this factor mentioned? I think if you took any group -- warehouse workers, physicians, legislators -- you'd find similar numbers. This is a national problem, and not native to one particular group. [I note also that later in the article they politely excused themselves from looking at private schools, saying, essentially "Who knows?"]
Now, the article might try to hide behind its apparent focus, concern over the fact that teachers are given a bit more trust. [Though we're not, as I said above.] But is that any cause for some of the other quotes in the article? How about this one:
"Students in America's schools are groped. They're raped. They're pursued, seduced and think they're in love."
Look at that big, broad, general statement. Conviction by accusation. Proof by example. Guilt by association.
Clearly, this is the speech given just before the lynch mob assembles.
So now what? This was just part of a pattern. Last weekend, I saw a similar article in the Columbus Post-Dispatch, "The ABCs of Betrayal."
And I expect to see many more in the next few months. Blood is in the water; the media will begin their mad, red dash to do what they do best -- promote fear, because fear sells their product.
I love my job, and I love teaching. But if you're wondering why teachers leave the profession, why the most talented and creative take their skills elsewhere -- look no further than this article. There aren't too many goats that will volunteer to be beaten up again and again.
--2nd witch, Macbeth, Act IV, scene 1
Dark times are coming.
Now, first of all, don't get me wrong. What I'm going to talk about today is a real problem. However, I have been a citizen of the United States long enough to know what a media-inspired witch hunt can do.
I don't mean real witches, of course. I'm referring to the strategy used by Senator McCarthy in exposing "communists." Proof by example; guilt by association; conviction by accusation.
Part of the deal of being a teacher is that one moment you are admired, spoken of in some melancholy, vague way -- and the next you are treated to a thousand damnations for causing every single problem in modern society. Or cursed for being some lazy failure that can't hold down a "real world" job (which makes more money, thereby proving it is intrinsically worth more). Or maybe we're held accountable for not teaching as well as they did in "the good old days".
Ah, you mean before Brown vs. Board of Education? Good old days for a few, misery for many. But it's those few that make the most noise.
In order to appreciate the situation, I'd really like to see that "noisy few" try and handle the job of being a teacher. As professionals, we have standards; as teachers, we want the best for our students.
However, try achieving that when you are continually strangled by oversight, requirements, paperwork, poorly defined and implemented programs, unfunded mandates, monitoring, meetings, trainings --- filing, indexing, briefing, debriefing, and being rendered as a set of standardized test numbers, not as a person.
And now, the witch hunt. I don't know if it will happen, but I'm seeing the signs.
There was a story in the AP on October 20th, 2007. [Journalism is dead, by the way; our paper mostly reprints stories from the AP verbatim, and apparently never proofs, edits, or checks them for bias.] It goes something like this:
AP: Sexual misconduct plagues US schools - Yahoo! News
"Plague", ah, the word implies that this is an omnipresent threat -- something you can't escape, a danger that confronts you at every turn. Very carefully, the numbers are placed far apart in the article, but here are the facts:
There are 3 million public school teachers.
Out of these, over a five year period, there were "2,570 educators whose teaching credentials were revoked, denied, surrendered or sanctioned from 2001 through 2005 following allegations of sexual misconduct." (Quoted from the original article).
Now, if any of these allegations were true at all, that would be far too many cases. Even a single instance is far too many.
People wonder why a nice guy like me is for the death penalty. Well, there's your reason. Folks that go wrong in that way can never be repaired.
But is 2570 out of 3,000,000 really up there in "plague" territory?
If you want a REAL plague, try looking at some more general stats. You know, like a journalist would, if they understood the concept of research. For example, the RAINN site gives the following statistics:
One in six women are victims of sexual assault. Clearly this evil is not being perpetrated by those 2570 teachers -- I wonder how many crimes were committed by family members, for instance?
But is this factor mentioned? I think if you took any group -- warehouse workers, physicians, legislators -- you'd find similar numbers. This is a national problem, and not native to one particular group. [I note also that later in the article they politely excused themselves from looking at private schools, saying, essentially "Who knows?"]
Now, the article might try to hide behind its apparent focus, concern over the fact that teachers are given a bit more trust. [Though we're not, as I said above.] But is that any cause for some of the other quotes in the article? How about this one:
"Students in America's schools are groped. They're raped. They're pursued, seduced and think they're in love."
Look at that big, broad, general statement. Conviction by accusation. Proof by example. Guilt by association.
Clearly, this is the speech given just before the lynch mob assembles.
So now what? This was just part of a pattern. Last weekend, I saw a similar article in the Columbus Post-Dispatch, "The ABCs of Betrayal."
And I expect to see many more in the next few months. Blood is in the water; the media will begin their mad, red dash to do what they do best -- promote fear, because fear sells their product.
I love my job, and I love teaching. But if you're wondering why teachers leave the profession, why the most talented and creative take their skills elsewhere -- look no further than this article. There aren't too many goats that will volunteer to be beaten up again and again.
Comments:
intrepideddie (October 21, 2007. 04:13pm)
Well said. I have the utmost respect and admiration for teachers. I certainly wouldn't be where I am today without them. (Though, I can't really attribute my potty mouth to them.) My dad -- long time high school / junior high English teacher -- despises where things have been heading with the profession. All thanks to the ignoramuses OUTSIDE of the profession. And don't get him started on the media and <i>journalism</i>...
bmccosar (October 21, 2007. 05:14pm)
Eddie, thanks for the support --- Tomorrow, I'm going to start a series focusing on the good things that have happened this year. Sometimes you have to build a bonfire to drive away the darkness.
stretch65 (October 23, 2007. 01:33am)
I enjoyed your commentary on the status of the teaching profession as it is promulgated through the eyes of the media. I am a recently retired teacher and coach who has bemoaned the betrayal of our profession for years. Bravo! Galen Conrardy