School Reform? let's ask teachers for a change.

When it comes to school reform, corporate chieftains get a say, legislators "investigate" and pass bullshit laws. governors set statewide policy, bureaucrats impose the resultant rules and regulations, school superintendents enforce this silliness, and amateur opinion makers declare all manner of 'truths.' But when it comes to school reform there is one voice that is rarely, if ever, heard. That of the classroom teacher. No one asks them: "What do you think? What's not working? What gets in your way? What might actually make things better?" 

This reflects a fundamental disrespect for teachers and their craft that troubles the entire process of schooling. Teachers are are regarded as mere assembly line workers in our education factories. They're supposed to do just do what they're told. Told by whom? Posing politicians in Washington and various state capitals. Desk-bound bureacrats going through the motions. Amateur school boards and a host of administrative flunkies. And let's not forget the occasional groups of torch bearing parents whose emotions have often been inflamed by profiteering bunko artists who feed on parental concern. "Friends, we got trouble. Right here in River City!"

We need to get over this condescension if school improvement is actually what we want, because nothing good is going to happen without frontline facts from, and the wholehearted cooperation of, classroom teachers. Will we do that? It's unlikely. The idea that "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach" is much too much a part of the American scene.