Phony Education

It was the middle of period 4 on a Tuesday when a monitor showed up at Mr. X's class asking the teacher to send Marta to her office immediately.  The teacher was a little concerned as they were reviewing for the regents and Marta was not one of the strongest students but let her go anyway.

Marta returned at the end of the class and Mr. X asked what happened.  Marta explained that she was failing health due to excessive absence (she had not been in class more than 10 times the entire semester) but could pass and graduate if she attended the two hour after school classes all week and made up 10 hours.  It seemed like a good deal.  Ten hours for a whole terms work.  The only problem was Marta had already missed the first two hours.  The counselor told her not to worry.  She could do something to make up the make up work she missed.

Marta will probably do something to make up the work.  Maybe she will hand in a project her friend did.  Maybe she will download a paper from the Internet.  Maybe she will just smile nice, who knows.  But, Marta will graduate.  The school needs to keep those stats up.

So, armed with a meaningless diploma, Marta will head off to college.  She will expect the same experience and will be crushed.  Another young person has been sent into the world to fail.

Miracle Worker



It is regents week and the AP has all her obedient little teachers in the rooms giving out answers proctoring.  Since she took the job, this department's statistics have made a remarkable improvement. Kids who only 4 years ago could barely read and do arithmetic are now getting regents diplomas and going on to college.  She is a real miracle worker.

I feel for these kids.  In college no one proctors exams this way.  There is no coaching through exams.  Too bad diplomas can't be recalled like defective cars.  An extra screw won't fix the problem these kids have.  Their education has prepared them for the junk yard.

On the bright side, the AP is doing her part to keep the school's A rating.  I hope everyone involved feels real proud of themselves.  It is funny how things change.  The people committing these atrocities came into teaching because they "liked" children.