Dark and Unfortunate Facts About Education
Public education is a business. There, I said it. Should I lose my job over that, it’s only proof that I’m correct. Educators have the biggest hearts in the world, but not all of them. Some educators are in the education game for one reason — profit. The rest work as or with educators. Here is some of the dark secrets, stored in the silo of education.
Major education publication companies are the driving force behind what every state’s school year must revolve around. For example, every year schools are forced to comply with state testing. Where do you think those tests are made? Major education publication companies put them out. Those same companies are behind the curriculum and preparation that we use in textbooks, websites for guidance, professional development, lesson planning, lesson plan templates, books about writing lesson plans, and even the passing requirements that are directly linked to graduation, college acceptance, and even employment.
Please take a second and reread that paragraph, because you may never see it again in publication.
If word got out that only 3 companies are behind all of the above, we may find that this is ludacris and somewhat driven, perhaps biased, or even outdated and ineffective, all leading to inaccurate results that mean nothing to a child’s education.
Why do you think we’re testing during a pandemic?
Out of the dark, comes the light however. I have met some folks that are trying to change the game — and I love it. I have seen the revolution of true educators out there, pounding the pavement day in and day out, in an attempt to make real change. We’re working on it.
Also know that providers for services such as construction in districts like New York City Public Schools, are blatant thieves in education and get away with it daily.
They are the only ones somehow that are contracted vendors with the city schools, and we can only call this guy’s company or this particular service for scaffolding that stays up for years without a stitch of work surrounding it.
I saw the school construction authority in New York City first hand rip off each school they worked in, and read an article not long afterwards here, where they were painted in such a positive light for opening so many schools to address overcrowding. If you call having scaffolding up for the four years I worked in one school building in hell’s kitchen, without any construction going on at all getting your tax dollar’s worth — perhaps that’s because I couldn’t even find anyone to complain to in the SCA.
I’ve seen receipts for PC’s bought in 2011, that were $2,000.00 a piece, when dells were for sale for $800.00 at that time. I mean, “Dude, it’s a Dell…” come on.
I’ve paid $2000.00 for 4 hours of professional development offered by a county educator. This was so we could improve our knowledge of state testing.
I’ve learned that each year, new editions of books that we were forced to buy had only 1 or 2 major changes — and we had to buy them in order to be current. This was when schools all bought textbooks.
When the world changed and went digital, those publication companies made non-reproducible, annual editions to their textbooks that were nowhere near engaging. So we stopped buying the books, and bought the website license instead.
How much do you think transportation costs? How much do you think a school bus costs? Google it and I bet you come up with 55 grand.
After all is said and done — a 55 passenger yellow bus, with all fees included, runs a school around $250,000.00 per bus. Why? Since we’re all been on a bus at some point, ask yourself — What in the name of everything holy makes a bus that carries people, cost that much money?
Perhaps one of the worst dark secrets that I’ve come across in education, would be about the ones that are calling the shots who haven’t the faintest idea of what it’s like to be in a school let alone a classroom — yet they make major educational decisions.
In the early 2000’s the Regional Operation Center in New York City was filled with “educators” and “education administrators” who never stepped foot in a classroom, yet made policy and procedure. Does that sound right?
How about ATR’s in New York City — if you ever want to know a dark secret — google ATR’s New York City Public Schools — and have fun. Man that was crazy! Those people were forced out of a job they held for 20 plus years in some cases, and wound up being substitutes until they hated it so much they resigned or retired.
Perhaps the award for the worst I’ve ever seen however, the darkest secret that was eventually exposed to New Yorkers, as if it was a surprise — was the rubber room.
This was where educators who were in trouble — went so they could go away. Some of these people were wrongfully accused and awaited some hearing that was years away. Some were there because they made some serious waves and should be dealt with, but the union somehow found a loophole and there they sat making $75,000, some over $100,000 and never had to do anything at all. No work. All pay.
These are examples of some gnarliness in education that needs to change. Unless it does, we’re all taking tests during a pandemic, which we are by the way.
