Response to an Educator Regarding my Remarks about Education -
01 Feb 06
In the previous release I referenced the following exchange. To
my knowledge, the teacher and I have never met. John
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2006
10:21 AM
Subject: The speech that has been
forwarded through email.
"Dear Mr. Dashler:
I am
deeply offended by your comments on education. I am sure that you
did not mean to accuse educators for "dumbing down" our children in
Georgia. The impression that I received from your speech was that
teachers are overpaid and overcompensated for the results that we
see in our children. Do you realize how many teachers vote? Do you
realize that educators are perhaps one of your largest groups of
voters? Many of us can see through the fine line of well worded
speeches. Remember, we are highly qualified.
Ms. “X”, Sorry you were offended. I am curious. Did you read the
entire speech? If you stopped at the point where you became
offended, I would urge you to read the remainder. If you still have
the same impression, I will respond with a detailed answer to your
suggestions and criticisms. Respectfully, John
Mr. Dashler, I have read the speech. People
don't like to wait until the end for the good part of a speech. Tell
us in the beginning what you are going to talk about. Don't insult
us, and then expect us to understand later in the speech. We already
turned off the television. If you want teachers on your side,
compliment first. After you have us listening, then, you can tell us
your plan. Thank you for your response, Ms.”X”
Ms. “X”, Your suggestion to use the "pat on the back" before the
"kick in the pants" is well taken. However, teachers were not the
object of the "kick in the pants". The highest level of educational
leadership in the state- the governor and political leaders were the
target.
The progression of "Dumbing Down" statements was to
show the far-reaching impacts of failed leadership. There is a valid
inter-relationship between education (performance of public schools,
acceptance criteria at our post-secondary institutions, drop-outs,
adult literacy and the education level of the
population); social problems rooted in generational
poverty (crime, illegal drugs, births to unwed mothers, child
advocacy issues, etc.); economic development and job
creation, governance (how we are led); relative
value of our tax dollars; and, how leadership has, and will
continue to fail Georgians and why.
At no point did I intend
to imply teachers are "overpaid" or "overcompensated". I merely
stated the facts.
The facts regarding educational
performance are not pretty. Georgia's students are performing at, or
near, the bottom in every measurable category of relative
performance. That would lead one to believe that Georgia spends far
too little on education. But that is not the case.
Leading
the nation in drop-outs that cost us $17 billion dollars each year
in economic benefit and social assistance costs does not reflect a
successful education model. When you realize that 500,000 of our
present student population will not graduate from high school, there
is a problem. They will join over one million that already exist in
our population.
Having the lowest college level retention
rate in the country shows the problems are not only on the low end
of the socio-economic scale, they span the economic spectrum. Worst
in the country on SATs and nearly the worst on ACTs shows a problem
exists. Considering we've had the HOPE scholarship for a generation
of K-12 students and only 1 of 13 elementary students will graduate
from college, there is a problem.
Having two million
Georgians on social assistance programs that are the second largest
component of the state budget is a problem. Having the largest
prisoner, probationer, and parolee population in the country
indicates a problem. When 80% of the criminal population consists of
high school dropouts possessing no more than a 6th grade education,
there is a problem. When 109 of Georgia's 159 counties have
populations of poor and working poor that exceed the national
average, there is a problem.
In the face of thousands of
lost good-paying jobs with benefits, producing only 50,000 jobs a
year (most of which are minimum wage jobs) will not even meet the
needs of graduating high school seniors. That is a
problem.
All of the aforementioned problems are
inter-related. When all of these problems go unsolved for too long a
period of time, a problem becomes a big problem, and then a crisis.
But the fact remains- the problems are not being solved. Will they
improve on their own? Or unattended, will they worsen? Georgians
must decide where we are on that scale. And, they must decide if
they want a continuation of unrelated piecemeal efforts. Or, do
Georgians want solutions set in motion? I am the candidate for
setting long-term solutions in motion. The other candidates are
not.
The facts regarding educational spending stand for
exactly what they are. Georgia spends more for the education of our
children than any other Southern state. With the recent increases in
educational spending announced by the governor for next fiscal year,
Georgia will outspend all but 8 other states. The facts regarding
educator compensation are simply that- facts.
I made it very
clear that teachers are not to be faulted. Teachers don't make the
rules. Teachers don't determine curriculum, budgets, etc. Teachers
don't decide the socio-economic composition of their classrooms and
whether their students have two educated parents or one uneducated
parent.
Georgia's problems in education are a leadership
problem. It's as plain and simple as that.
As for teachers,
actually I do not envy those in the profession caught in this
political mess. They are the working class of the education
profession and they have to do the best they can with the
preparation, support and leadership they get. Unfortunately, the
governor and his political cronies have been using educators as
pawns in their games of power. The "goodie bag" of pay raises and
other "goodies" are to pacify the profession. And as you made very
clear, educators are intelligent people. They will figure it out.
The question is. What are they going to do about it? Will the
pacifier work?
I've never known of any working class of
people that were unhappy with their work circumstance that became
happy for more than a very short period of time by an increase in
pay. Have you?
Georgia needs a vision. And Georgians need a
leader that is uncorrupted by partisan power politics. Georgia needs
a leader that has one goal: serve all 9 million Georgians for the
greater good. I am not about power or money. I am about positive
change. The governorship is the seat of power. A vision for Georgia,
of which solving our very serious problems in education are a part,
can only be championed from that position. That is why I chose to
run for the office as your governor. I will not abandon Georgians
for a political party, a special interest group, a lobby group, or a
large voter block. All Georgians, including you, need a governor
that will work to solve problems that affect your life and the lives
of your family members, now and in the future.
The greater
issue regarding education cannot focus on taking care of educators,
although that is every employer’s responsibility. The greater issue
must be restoring the institution of education above the ever and
rapidly changing social mores of society. That is the challenge that
I see as the number one priority in education. A component part of
that effort is re-establishing "educating and preparing" children as
the primary mission.
I know teachers are tired of change.
But, change is what is needed. Electing a governor committed to
bringing all of the stakeholders to the table and one who is willing
to personally lead the effort is the only way the right and final
changes will be made.
Failure to do it now while there is
choice and while we are not financially weak, will save us from
being forced to do it at some later time. If that should come to
pass, the process will be less friendly, hastily done, dictated and
very expensive. Everyone will lose in the short range so that
everyone can win in the long range. I foresee a painful scenario
unfolding.
Let me offer one last comment regarding your
remarks. You use the word "insult". Let me share some lessons I
learned during the past year personally interacting with many
educators. None are happy. Most actively employed
educators are very supportive of my vision for education.
All retired educators have been extremely
supportive. Criticisms have come only from a few
active educators. Educators who support me offered this explanation.
Actively employed educators are unable to detach their emotions from
the situation, which clouds their objectivity. And yes, they
interpret critiques as criticism and take them personally. Many are
not, nor have ever been, at a level in the education hierarchy to
see the big picture. The opposite appears to be true for
retirees.
Ms. “X”, I am not an enemy of education. I am one
of the staunchest supporters. However, I make a distinction. Won't
you agree with this distinction? The focus of the debate on
education should not be about educators. It should be about
educating Georgia's children.
I am hopeful that educators
who want Georgia's public education system elevated in educational
performance, so as to rank among the best in the country, will align
themselves with me. Those who share my viewpoint and concerns will
join me and become part of the solution.
Hopefully, you are
one who shares those concerns and that vision. Assuming you are, let
me personally welcome you as a Dashler for Governor supporter.
Thank you. I hope I have addressed your concerns adequately.
And you should know, the amount of time expended was not motivated
by fear of the educator-voting block. It was because you, as an
individual, had concerns about my message and deserved an answer.
Undoubtedly, there are others who share your concerns. Therefore,
this response will be released on my email pyramid later this week
so as to clarify my intentions. You have been very helpful. Again,
thank you. (Your identity will not be revealed, nor will the
postscript below.)”
That’s it, Folks. I hope that clarified some of my thoughts
regarding education. However, there are more thoughts that I will
share in the next release. It will address changes to the HOPE
scholarship. The governor is making some recommended changes and the
Lieutenant Governor has some ideas, too. I don’t have much argument
with either of them, that is, as far as they go. I think there need
to be more changes.
I’ll share them with you in the next
release. Then, I share some thoughts with you on
“ethics”.
Until then,
John
Thank you
for your time and
support!
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