The Montgomery Country School System touts itself as being one of the best in the nation. A term like 'best' can be very subjective. Enough self adulation by the Superintendent and the School Board can place 'best' in a whole new category. Maybe we are just the 'best' of the worst.
Maybe it is time that local officials end their 'It's not my job' mindset and take a closer look at what could be going on within the schools in Gaithersburg. Yes, legally, it is the County responsibility to educate Gaithersburg's future leaders. Does that mean that our elected officials should not stand up and ask questions other than 'when's lunch'? I just want to make sure that we are not being sold a bill of goods for services not performed. No longer should our City Council rubber stamp the 'party line' handed down by Jerry Weast and Big Ike Leggett. Who died and made them king?
As a substitute teacher for almost eight years I have had the opportunity to observe the frustration of teachers in a number of schools. Sitting in the staff lounge or just walking through the halls one can get a picture of what is facing our educators and school administrators. Once in the classroom the picture is more focused. It is evident to me that graduation not education is the focal point with our Socialist school board and their social engineering bean counters whose educational backgrounds are in question. I understand that our own Superintendent has only spent 2 years actually standing before a class. I have been asked each year why I have not become certified to be a full time educator. I answer them the same way each time. I would personally rather walk ten miles of hard scrabble road on my knees than face the hardships placed on our educators and administrators by the MCPS. I love the students more than anything but admire our educators and adminstrators above all careers.
My father was and educator for 28 years. He would not approve of the conditions under which our educators work today. Today, by mandate, our educators have to be social workers, paper shufflers, file keepers, minister, rabbi, priest, mother, father, and baby sitter. Lost in this new job description is the title 'TEACHER'. Cookie cutter curriculum, a grading system from California no less, expensive text many not used, old equipment, lack of class control are but a few of the road blocks placed before our educators even before they step foot inside a classroom.
Did you know that if a student gets one answer correct out of one hundred questions the lowest grade possible is a 50%? Is this the new math of the MCPS? Is this a formular for real success?
Did you know that work not turned in on time yet turned in sometime during the grading quarter can receive no less than a C in grade? Does this conduct seem average to you?
Did you know that this year by mandate if a students grade come close to the next grading level that the grade must be rounded up? What message does this send to the student?
Did you know that our teachers are directed to find students within the regular level of classes to push into Honors and Advanced Placement? Wouldn't it be nice if one had to qualify by GPA to enter a higher level class? All schools will have a group of superlative students but today AP is more like Honors ten years ago. Honors is more like regular.
Did you know that as many as 50% of MCPS juniors attempting to take classes at Montgomery College as seniors cannot past the English/Math placement test? What does that say about the strength of our curriculum and the intensity at which it can be taught?
Our City Council is aware of these facts. I wonder when they will say something?
Our students only desire one thing, honesty from the school system. They want to be treated equally and fairly. If you tell our students exactly what is expected of them in class performance and the ramifications of something less I feel certain they will rise to the occasion and achieve. If you tell our students, as is now the case, that mediocrity is acceptable, that accountability is non-existent, and that graduation is guaranteed regardless if you can read or write a cogent paragraph they will gravitate to the lowest common denominator.
It is past time that the City Council confront the MCPS and demand proof of excellence rather than the rose colored glasses approach of the social engineer. Our city needs to investigate this perceived performance as it would any other investment. I believe our children are worth it. There is an old saying in accounting that 'figures don't lie, but liars can figure'. I want to be certain that the credits and debits balance.
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