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"Taj Mahal" Public Schools A "tablet" from the on-going INTERNET BOOK, "The Doctor's Terrific Tablets", ( http://www.terrific-tabs.com ) by John N. Todd III, M. D. (link)
10/00; 5/01; 9/01; 2/02; 3/02; 5/02; 7/02; 8/02; 9/02; 10/02; 11/02; 2/03; 3/03; 7/03; 10/03; 12/03; 8/04; 4/05; 1/16/06 CLICK links BELOW to see related topics: PUBLIC Schools in ALABAMA (link) AND: SANTA CLAUS and Robin Hood; what would they do about WELFARE & TAX? (link) AND: REFERENDUM for MORE Local TAX from productive citizens (link) And: A+ COALITION for Education, in Alabama (link) And: TAX: more and more TAX for "Education" (link) And: RACISM, and anti-Racism (link) And: TRACKING in public schools (link) And: EBONICS and Albonics (link) CLICK HERE to go to the "FRONT PAGE" of "The Doctor's Terrific Tablets" CLICK HERE for ALPHABETICAL INDEX of this entire WEBSITE CLICK HERE to EMAIL your thoughts to the author This responds to the Tuscaloosa News' front-page article (Sunday, July 25, 1993) concerning "horror stories" told by Alabama public-school superintendents, in their testimony last week before Governor Folsom's Education Reform Task Force. The superintendents did not "mince words" in their description of public school problems that allow a "minority of students to ruin (the educational process) for the majority". One superintendent observed that "no pressure of a judge's ruling" (for more funding) will correct the educational system -- unless the facts are recognized. After reading that article, I had a dream. In this dream, I could see an Alabama public school, for students in the 6th through the 12th grades. This "dream-school" was modeled after the Taj Mahal, with all of its rich extravagances. Each of the students attending this school was individually chauffeured to school in a Cadillac limousine. After arriving at this beautifully constructed and immaculate school, each day, every student was warmly greeted at the front entrance by a "counselor", who cordially patted the student on the head, and said, "We care about you. Have a nice day". (This greeting was pre-planned, so as to give every student a sense of worth, and "self-esteem".) A psychologist, a nurse, and a social worker were available for each grade. They and numerous teacher's assistants busily evaluated each student, and attended to all the whims of dissatisfied or rebellious students. Upon arrival at school, each student was immediately served a full breakfast, prepared by a gourmet chef. Later, sumptuous mid-morning snacks were supplied, by waiters. Then -- a catered lunch, that spared no cost -- hamburgers, catfish, pizza, ribs, "greens", black-eyed peas, and fries! Metal-detectors were at every entrance to the school; and policemen walked the halls, to protect the children.... "just in case". Knives, guns, and brass-knucks were confiscated each morning; but were returned to each student, at the end of every school day -- for personal protection, when the students returned to their home neighborhoods. The school was "funded" by a generous local population, which opted to spare no expense to "save the schools", and to educate the children ("children" -- repeatedly referred to as "the hope of the future"). The local property tax was increased to a level designed to fund each student with $15,000 per year in local funding, plus State and Federal contributions. Each teacher in this grand school-system was compensated with an annual salary of at least $100,000 -- so as to compare with the income of other "professionals", such as accountants, lawyers, and physicians. In this Taj Mahal school, the teacher/pupil ratio was enhanced..... so that no teacher had more then four students. Every student was supplied with brand-new textbooks, especially selected by the Washington D. C. Board of Education (because, in Washington, they fully understand "education" -- and they know what is best for us in Alabama). Condoms (including mint-flavored condoms) were freely available, at no cost, to both boys and girls. Sex education in both heterosexual and homosexual "love" was a mandatory course for all students, regardless of a student's sexual "persuasion". Pregnant children, from the 6th grade through the 12th grade, were not required to take English-composition, math, and science; but were shunted to classes in "parenting", instead. A sophisticated computer was supplied for the desk of each student, and every teacher. Computer "games" were available in every classroom, for those teachers and students who were unable to learn how to use a computer, or a word-processor. Many Nintendo game-champions were "crowned" at this school.... among students.... and teachers. In the wealthy environment of this school, "Tech-prep" and vocational training languished -- for lack of interest among the administrators, and the students, and their parent (or parents). All students were encouraged to go into either nuclear physics, or "brain-surgery". Then, my dream suddenly changed, and became a nightmare. In the nightmare, I discovered that the TEACHERS in this splendid Taj Mahal-school, were the same teachers (good and bad -- with many still untested, untaught, and unproven) that we now have in all public schools, in "real life". The PARENTS, too, were the same -- with the usual public-school admixture of parental-qualities (good-and-bad). The STUDENTS, also, were the same -- including those who were bright, those who were less bright -- and all the others, including many unfortunate students, who suffer from learning disabilities, physical abnormalities, psychological quirks, and behavioral disturbances. In my Taj-Mahal-dream-turned-nightmare, TRACKING (link) was absolutely forbidden in all school classes.... for fear of "hurting someone's feelings" (either students, or their parents). The students, in my nightmare, came from the same admixture of families that are seen in today's public schools -- some students from "normal" traditional families; and many from "other" families -- like families with one or two mothers, fatherless families, poverty-stricken families, "gay" couples, drunken or drugged parents, mentally-impaired parents, "dysfunctional" families -- and all the rest. And, of course, in my nightmare -- as would be expected in all public education systems -- there was still the entrenched problem with "the teacher bureaucracy"; and the "NEA"; and the State Education Associations.... and waste, and disappearing dollars, and the perpetual demand for more and more funding of "education". The "bottom-line" horror, of course, in my dream-turned-nightmare, was that educational achievement (the only reason for any school to exist) of the students in this richly-funded "Taj Mahal" school -- did not improve, at all, in spite of all the money and beautiful facilities and advantages that were benevolently and freely lavished upon this school -- by productive individuals and businesses in the community. {Of course, no obligation, or financial responsibility, or cost, was ever imposed upon the students, or upon the PARENTS, or upon the teachers -- in spite of all the "benevolence" of the taxpayers .... whose money was extracted to "fund" the public schools.) When I awoke from my dream/nightmare, and faced the facts, I realized -- like the school superintendents mentioned above -- that unless the entrenched problems of public schools are first admitted, and then corrected -- no amount of "funding", however great, will ever improve public education, in Alabama -- or anywhere else. Scholastic achievement in Alabama's public schools is now miserable. Enrollment has been declining steadily, for 25 years. Thousands of teachable students have already abandoned the public schools.... to attend private schools, or to receive home-schooling. If change is not instituted soon, all teachable students, and all desirable teachers, will totally abandon the public schools. Construction of "Taj Mahal" school-buildings, and the addition of countless "counsellors" and assistants..... will not help. I concluded this: Time is short. "Reform" is the by-word, on all cognizant lips. The "justifying" of all public-education expenses is now mandatory. "Business as usual" is no longer an option. Discipline in the classrooms must be required, and maintained. The authority for appropriate and adequate correction ("punishment") of aberrant behavior will have to be returned to the discretion of the teachers, and to each school's principal. Misbehavior, back-talk, fighting, truancy, weapons, wilding, tardiness, vulgarity, childhood pregnancy, stealing -- and all the rest -- must not be tolerated. At least one "volunteer" parent should be required to attend (on a "rotating" basis) each and every classroom -- every day, all day.... to function as a "sergeant-at-arms", when necessary -- or as an unpaid teacher-assistant, when (and if) the class is functioning normally, and quietly. "Tracking" (by whatever euphemistic nomenclature one wants to call it) of dull or unteachable or refractory or incorrigible students will be necessary -- to prevent polluting the learning habits of responsive, educable students. Unsatisfactory teachers are another problem. The NEA and AEA have prevented dismissal of almost any teacher.... seemingly regardless of a teacher's inadequacy. (Of course, it must be remembered, the admitted function of the NEA and the AEA is not to improve "teaching" and "education", but to enhance the salaries and benefits of its teacher-members.) (Perhaps you can figure-out a solution for this intrinsic and severe bureaucratic and union-related problem.) Furthermore -- how do we tax-payers escape (obviate) the U.S. government's (and Federal Courts') rules, regulations, restrictions, and mandates -- in all phases of public education? The only reasonable and attainable solution to all these problems (and questions) may be abandonment of public schools. Obviously, many parents have already opted for this "flight"-choice. Like you, I have many other suggestions. There is just no one to listen to us well-educated (non-"educator") outsiders -- even though we tax-payers pay ALL the salaries, and the other costs related to "public-education". One conclusion, however, is painfully obvious: pouring more and more money into a sinking ship is not the answer. "Taj Mahal" schools may look pretty -- but they will not teach our students, or correct the real underlying problems. Politicians and "educators" continue to sing only one song (to feather their own nests): "Give us more of your money. We know what's best for you, and your money". Shouldn't everyone -- all the "insiders" -- especially our "educators" and "legislators", awaken from their impossible Taj Mahal dreams...... and face these realities? |