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Karin
Guest
Nope i posted stats for NV…same problems all over the place not just in NY.
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Adonis33
Guest
Okay - two states - unless you produce national stats - I don’t believe it is just to say this is is a problem that is “all over the place”.
How many allegations vs. convictions. My first year teaching - one of my coworkers got accussed of inappropriate touching. After a lengthy ordeal, it turned out that the student made the story up.
I am not sure that the stats indicate actual convictions in a court of law, or if the stats indicate allegations.
Correct me if I am wrong.
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Karin
Guest
Fair…I will attempt to dig up the national stats. The hard part is that many of these things (stats) are not in a central place and I am sure just as in the Church history things re:schools and teacher abuses get covered up or not reported at all. But I will see what i can find…I am curious to see how large of a problem it is…
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David_Paul
Guest
Is that the standard now? We never hear that when Priests or other clergy are accused.
I started doing “teacher arrested” google news searches in 2001. The number of cases is staggering. From all over hte nation. Not much right now as school is out but try a search in the fall. In less than one school year I stopped archiving arrests and convictions after reaching 150.
The weirdest case was a teacher in Arizona who shot herself in the thigh before kids were in her classroom in order to bring attention to the lack of security at the school.
The most horrific was in Colorado. A ring which brought up boys up from Mexico. One teacher had over 100 charges on him.
And those are only the ones which show up on google. Imagine what we don’t know.
I have no doubt the abuse problem is far worse in public schools that it was in the church.
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Adonis33
Guest
I’m not denying that teachers are guilty of such acts. But their is a chasm of difference between a teacher being accussed of such acts, and such accusations being substatiated. At times - students are very quick to say “are you checking me out?” when nothing inappropriate is going on.
As far as priests being accussed - I do not have an answer to that.
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Philip_P
Guest
There has actually been some progress on education in NY. It’s been one of our current mayor’s priorities. While results have not been unmixed, there does seem to be a positive trend, and I think it’s worth sticking with his education reforms long enough to give them a chance to work (I’ll probably be voting for him based on this, now that the west side stadium bid has thankfully died a well-deserved death).
Also, not all public schools peform dismally. There are some very good public schools in the city. However, the underperformance of schools, especially in poor neighborhoods, is a serious concern (counting *against *Bloomberg is that his solution seems to be to price anyone who’s not super-rich out of the city, but his rivals are so far very underwhelming).
Also, it’s worth pointing out that the NYC stats were not broken down by offense category. We’re all just assuming it’s sex offenses here without having anything to really back it up.
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David_Paul
Guest
Hawaii Reporter
By Laura Brown
7/8/2005
The National Education Association (NEA) hosted 5 days of mind-numbing sessions for nearly 8,000 labor union teacher delegates and education support personnel from all 50 states – including Hawaii – during its convention in Los Angeles this week.
Chants of “union, union, union,” not “learning, learning, learning,” echoed throughout the convention center at the July 2 to July 6 convention. But the main purpose of the gathering appeared to be to “pass the hat” to milk delegates in order to build NEA political action funds . . .(snip)
. . .the crowd appeared cooperative, giving and helping to raise $1.3 million for the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education, a political action fund used solely to influence the election of individuals to political office who agree with the NEA’s positions on union protectionist issues.
State caucus leaders told delegates that they were expected to donate at least $150 each to the fund. Hawaii’s state delegation handed out a packet of 9 envelopes to the Hawaii caucus. Hawaii’s director Karolyn Mossman explained how to “skirt” the limitation on individual contributions to the political fund even though they were being “watched closely.” Some delegates refused to contribute to the fund because they have no control over how funds are spent. Others, like Tom and Tamra Conroy of Paradise, California, each donated $250 each because they believed that the fund’s executive committee only directed the funds toward candidates who were “solid on education.” Others said they donated just to have a chance to win a $25,000 car and other prizes. . . .(snip)
A breakdown of expenditures for the NEA Media Fund is as follows:
Oklahoma – $300,000 to support gambling. (Bill passed.)
Florida – $295,000 to increase the minimum wage. (Bill passed.)
Maine – $300,000 to oppose the property tax cap. (Bill defeated.)
Nevada – $25,000 to increase minimum wage. (Bill passed.)
South Dakota – $62,000 to defeat reimbursement to private schools for transportation and food services. (Bill defeated.)
W. Virginia – $50,500 to support $5.5 billion in bonds to finance state employee pension fund. (Bill pending.)
Florida – $25,000 to restructure tax system. (Bill pending.)
Idaho – $175,000 to direct more funding to public education. (Bill pending.)
Califorinia – $2.5 million to oppose merit pay, teacher tenure, paycheck protection. (Bill pending.)
Ohio – $450,000 to oppose TABOR (taxation and spending limitation) constitutional amendment. (Bill pending.)
Arizona – $470,000 to support trust lands. (Bill pending.)
The NEA Legislative Crisis fund came into play in the following states:
S. Carolina – $100,000 to oppose the “Put Parents in Charge Act” to provide tuition tax credits
Kentucky – $249,190 to oppose shift in some health-care costs from taxpayers to state employees.
Massachussetts – $255,000 to fund bailout to pay for collective bargaining costs.
New Jersey – $141,000 to defeat a constitutional convention
Connecticut – $76,500 for publicly funded pre-kindergarten.
Georgia – $255,000 to prevent taxpayer funds to be directed toward private schools.
Michigan – $490,000 to lobby for increased spending on public education.
Texas – $250,000 to fight vouchers.
Alabama – $150,000 to oppose governor’s budget.
Ohio – $300,000 to impact the state operating budget.
Louisiana – $85,000 to support lobbying efforts.
Rhode Island – $106,000 to oppose selected bills.
Overall, the NEA Media and Crisis funds expended $7,604,190 to fight parental choice and to increase spending on government education without increased accountability.
Full text (Part One of a Three Part Series)
By Laura Brown
7/8/2005
The National Education Association (NEA) hosted 5 days of mind-numbing sessions for nearly 8,000 labor union teacher delegates and education support personnel from all 50 states – including Hawaii – during its convention in Los Angeles this week.
Chants of “union, union, union,” not “learning, learning, learning,” echoed throughout the convention center at the July 2 to July 6 convention. But the main purpose of the gathering appeared to be to “pass the hat” to milk delegates in order to build NEA political action funds . . .(snip)
. . .the crowd appeared cooperative, giving and helping to raise $1.3 million for the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education, a political action fund used solely to influence the election of individuals to political office who agree with the NEA’s positions on union protectionist issues.
State caucus leaders told delegates that they were expected to donate at least $150 each to the fund. Hawaii’s state delegation handed out a packet of 9 envelopes to the Hawaii caucus. Hawaii’s director Karolyn Mossman explained how to “skirt” the limitation on individual contributions to the political fund even though they were being “watched closely.” Some delegates refused to contribute to the fund because they have no control over how funds are spent. Others, like Tom and Tamra Conroy of Paradise, California, each donated $250 each because they believed that the fund’s executive committee only directed the funds toward candidates who were “solid on education.” Others said they donated just to have a chance to win a $25,000 car and other prizes. . . .(snip)
A breakdown of expenditures for the NEA Media Fund is as follows:
Oklahoma – $300,000 to support gambling. (Bill passed.)
Florida – $295,000 to increase the minimum wage. (Bill passed.)
Maine – $300,000 to oppose the property tax cap. (Bill defeated.)
Nevada – $25,000 to increase minimum wage. (Bill passed.)
South Dakota – $62,000 to defeat reimbursement to private schools for transportation and food services. (Bill defeated.)
W. Virginia – $50,500 to support $5.5 billion in bonds to finance state employee pension fund. (Bill pending.)
Florida – $25,000 to restructure tax system. (Bill pending.)
Idaho – $175,000 to direct more funding to public education. (Bill pending.)
Califorinia – $2.5 million to oppose merit pay, teacher tenure, paycheck protection. (Bill pending.)
Ohio – $450,000 to oppose TABOR (taxation and spending limitation) constitutional amendment. (Bill pending.)
Arizona – $470,000 to support trust lands. (Bill pending.)
The NEA Legislative Crisis fund came into play in the following states:
S. Carolina – $100,000 to oppose the “Put Parents in Charge Act” to provide tuition tax credits
Kentucky – $249,190 to oppose shift in some health-care costs from taxpayers to state employees.
Massachussetts – $255,000 to fund bailout to pay for collective bargaining costs.
New Jersey – $141,000 to defeat a constitutional convention
Connecticut – $76,500 for publicly funded pre-kindergarten.
Georgia – $255,000 to prevent taxpayer funds to be directed toward private schools.
Michigan – $490,000 to lobby for increased spending on public education.
Texas – $250,000 to fight vouchers.
Alabama – $150,000 to oppose governor’s budget.
Ohio – $300,000 to impact the state operating budget.
Louisiana – $85,000 to support lobbying efforts.
Rhode Island – $106,000 to oppose selected bills.
Overall, the NEA Media and Crisis funds expended $7,604,190 to fight parental choice and to increase spending on government education without increased accountability.
Full text (Part One of a Three Part Series)
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vern_humphrey
Guest
Philip P:
To require a child to attend a sbustandard school is a violation of that child’s constitutional rights – the child is NOT getting the same education as children in the good schools and hence is not getting equal protection under the law.
This disparity in education is the civil rights issue of the 21st Century.
It’s that way everywhere. In the affluent areas we usually find schools are good to excellent. In the poor areas, they are much worse.
To require a child to attend a sbustandard school is a violation of that child’s constitutional rights – the child is NOT getting the same education as children in the good schools and hence is not getting equal protection under the law.
This disparity in education is the civil rights issue of the 21st Century.
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David_Paul
Guest
At the convention last week, the NEA agreed to a proposal by the NEA’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus to “develop a comprehensive strategy to deal with the new and more sophisticated attacks on school curricula, policies, and practices that support GLBT students, families, and staff members in public schools.”
Do we really need teachers in public schools who find it necessary to organize a "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus?
Do we really need teachers in public schools who find it necessary to organize a "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus?
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Philip_P
Guest
vern humphrey:
My point with noting that there are good public schools is that sometimes there is the impression that all public schools are bad, that there is something intrinsic to public education that makes for bad education. This is false. There are public schools that work very well, and we should be seeking to replicate their success across the board.
I agree, and I’m glad to see this has finally become a bipartisan issue. With both conservatives and liberals paying serious attention to education, we are more likely to make progress.
My point with noting that there are good public schools is that sometimes there is the impression that all public schools are bad, that there is something intrinsic to public education that makes for bad education. This is false. There are public schools that work very well, and we should be seeking to replicate their success across the board.
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Lizzie
Guest
What about math or science or geography?
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David_Paul
Guest
Philip P:
A purge is an internal affair. As when a person ingests something rancid and throws up.
NEA bolsters gays on policy,practices, posted by Karin earlier today, reports that teachers refused to approve a resolution at last week’s convention condemning sex between an adult and a minor. It also reported the NEA has a “Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Caucus”.
Why do teachers feel the need for that group? Why wont’ teachers condemn adult/minor sexual contact?
Of course not. Police do that after a crime has been reported. And the union fights it until the prison cell door slams shut.
A purge is an internal affair. As when a person ingests something rancid and throws up.
NEA bolsters gays on policy,practices, posted by Karin earlier today, reports that teachers refused to approve a resolution at last week’s convention condemning sex between an adult and a minor. It also reported the NEA has a “Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Caucus”.
Why do teachers feel the need for that group? Why wont’ teachers condemn adult/minor sexual contact?
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vern_humphrey
Guest
Philip P:
Further, we cannot put children in the freezer and thaw them out in ten or fifty years when the school has improved. Every day a child spends in a substandard school, that child is harmed.
The solution is free choice in education. Divide the education budget by the number of children, and allow the parents to choose any school – public or provate – which they feel is best for their child. Pay the school for each child.
Let the good schools flourish and the bad ones die.
The problem is, we have never managed to export quality from a good school to a bad one – and that IS intrinsic to the system.
Further, we cannot put children in the freezer and thaw them out in ten or fifty years when the school has improved. Every day a child spends in a substandard school, that child is harmed.
The solution is free choice in education. Divide the education budget by the number of children, and allow the parents to choose any school – public or provate – which they feel is best for their child. Pay the school for each child.
Let the good schools flourish and the bad ones die.
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Karin
Guest
VERN-
You have hit it on the head!!! I especially LIKE the part “Let the good schools flourish and the bad ones die.”
:clapping:
You have hit it on the head!!! I especially LIKE the part “Let the good schools flourish and the bad ones die.”
:clapping:
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MrS
Guest
vern humphrey:
My kids are all grown… but my taxes are still collected “for the common good”. Will the union ever promote teacher testing to weed out incompetants?? Yeah right. First dumb down the students, then dumb down the teachers. The good ones really stand out. I would wish that they, the good ones, be put in charge.
Same goes for teachers. A good teacher won’t need tenure. Their quality work will always be in demand.
My kids are all grown… but my taxes are still collected “for the common good”. Will the union ever promote teacher testing to weed out incompetants?? Yeah right. First dumb down the students, then dumb down the teachers. The good ones really stand out. I would wish that they, the good ones, be put in charge.
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Lizzie
Guest
Why won’t the NEA condemn adult/minor sexual conduct? What a good question.
Why won’t the NEA set up mechanisms to purge criminal teachers?
Why won’t the NEA address the reasons for failing schools instead of lobbying for gay issues and early ‘safe’ sexual experimention?
R
Richardols
Guest
vern humphrey:
Believe it or not, Vern, teachers don’t vote on every last thing the union does. Neither do the members of other unions take a vote each time their union takes action on something.
R
Richardols
Guest
Any teacher who joins the NEA does so entirely voluntarily.
My wife’s union, in the NYC School System, is the United Federation of Teachers, a trade union, affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, which in turn is an affiliated international union of the AFL-CIO.
The NEA is an entirely separate organization.
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condan
Guest
I’m curious: Why do teachers need a union? Aren’t they able to speak for themselves? Its not as if they are uneducated mill, assembly line or factory workers who are easily abused and at the mercy of corrupt corporate entities. I thought teachers were well educated professionals perfectly capable of articulating their needs.
The fact is that teachers have unions so they can lie sideways in the public trough at the taxpayers’ expense just like any other civil servant. The fact is that our children are getting nothing more than the bare minimum, the drop-out rates are skyrocketing and illiteracy is at an all-time high. Of note, when school district budgets are presented, more often than not, they are voted down because the taxpayers are sick and tired of funding the corruption and mediocrity of today’s teachers who seem completely incapable of stringing more than seven words together to make a coherent sentence.
Gee, maybe they do need unions at that.
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David_Paul
Guest
Good job security.
UFT pact protects another unfit teacher
New York Daily News
July 11, 2005
Where else but in the New York City public schools would a drug addict be in charge of a student drug prevention program?
And where else would school officials find themselves barred from firing said addict despite a felony conviction?
nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/326839p-279421c.html
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