Atrios Nails It: Teachers Are Sick Of Being Dumped On

Leave it to the Godfather of Snark to encapsulate what 3.3 million of us are thinking:

Elsewhere in the article someone discusses the family's commitment to public service. Argh. This isn't about Romney, just this conceit that being a member of Congress, or a governor, or the fucking president, is about "public service." There are public servants, like the teachers everybody dumps on these days, but people with high paying cushy jobs which virtually guarantee them a lifetime of future even cushier even more high paying jobs are hardly making some sort of sacrifice for good. [emphasis mine]

Dear lord, I feel this just about every damn day I open the paper or turn on the cable box or read some dumb-ass nonsense from some think-tanky blogger somewhere.

I know I'm not perfect. Everyone I've ever worked with knows they're not perfect. Every teacher I've ever had more than a passing conversation with knows we're not perfect. We want to get better. We know how high the stakes are - dear God, please stop telling us how high the stakes are, we get it already.

We're the ones who have to look into these kids' faces every day. We're the ones who have to call home when there's a problem. We're the ones who have to put that grade on the report card. You think we don't want to give everyone an "A"? You think that wouldn't make our lives easier?

We know there are slackers - do you think we're happy to work with these people?  Of course we want them gone, but you know what? Those of us who've been around the block a few times know those people aren't going to last in the classroom anyway (and it's not like everyone on your job is so great). Let us take care of it; you people need to start cleaning up your own messes.

What we teachers are all getting so sick and damn tired of is a bunch of wonks and posers and pols and pundits running around in fancy suits telling everyone how we're the problem (but they love us!). Yet not one of these people - all of whom are making way more than we do - has the guts to do our job.

I have a college education and two masters degrees, and I make five-figures a year. I get a small pension that's been frozen, the same health care I'd get if I worked at a bank, and no paycheck for two months a year. I'm not complaining: I knew the trade off going in. What angers me is that you tools of the 0.1% keep telling the rubes that my modest compensation is somehow outrageous - as if teachers are the plutocrats.

You people need to back the hell off. When you're able to do your own jobs, you'll have earned the right to criticize us. But you politicians can't even balance the budget without cutting medical care for old people. You posers couldn't even run your own school districts (talking to you, Rhee and Klein). You wonks can't even keep your flavor of the month reform straight. You pundits can't even get the basic facts of the argument right. Fix your own messes before you come after us.

Shut up, go away, and let us teach. You have nothing to say to us we don't already know. You're useless. Go away.

Just stay out of our way - all of you.

How Do Voucher Cheerleaders Keep Their Heads From Exploding?

Leonie Haimson Twitter-points us to this gem about the trial in Louisiana that eventually determined school vouchers were unconstitutional:

The second day of the state district court trial to determine if Louisiana’s School Choice Act (Act 2) is constitutional began with the plaintiffs calling Beth Scioneaux to the witness stand, Scioneaux, who has worked for the Louisiana Department of Education for 19 years, is currently the deputy superintendent for finance and oversees the preparation of the school funding formula—also known as the MFP.

[...]

According to Scioneaux, “All students covered by the MFP are considered public school students.” And, with the state Department of Education referring to vouchers as “scholarships”, she added, “The Department position is that scholarship students are still public school students.”

Under further questioning about local tax dollars being used for the statewide voucher program, Scioneaux told the court, “Even though the local school district does not govern the particular school a child attends, the local community still has a responsibility to educate that child.” [emphasis mine]

Isn't that wonderful? According to this long-time LA education official, the citizens of her state have an obligation to educate children who do not attend public schools, because they are still public school students.

So if you want to send your kid to a school that teaches that dragons are real and slaveholders were nice guys* and Jesus is against modern math (I am not making this stuff up), your neighbors must pay your way. Who are they to think they should have any say in how you spend their money?!

I think it's time we extend this way of thinking to the rest of our government, don't you? Personally, I think libraries should only stock comic books, and firefighters should fill their hoses with French champaign. That's my God-given choice as an American; you, naturally, have an obligation to fund my choice, no matter how foolish or inefficient it may be.

That completed the plaintiffs’ case, and the defense called state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education president Penny Dastugue to testify. Dastugue, appointed to BESE by Governor Bobby Jindal, told the court the Board “just felt” vouchers would be good for Louisiana’s kids. [emphasis mine]

Well, at least they're making policy based on solid research...

These people have been incoherent for so many years that they actually can't hear how ridiculous they sound. They aren't even the slightest bit embarrassed by the nonsense that spews from their heads. Somehow, they've isolated themselves from their own inanity.

This robot was obviously not made in Louisiana.

* One of the smart-ass Jazzboys just pointed out to me that slaveholders would be described by voucher school teachers as "job creators."

I wonder where he gets this snarky attitude from?