The mess that is our education system

[I am Groot]

I've read a few of these over the past year, and it seems to be the same across the country. The schools are filled with refugees and immigrants who can barely speak a word of English, have brought their cultural issues with them, and are aggressive if not violent. It's worse in the downtown and poorer areas of cities, but I've read some news accounts of other areas with similar things going on. In every case the educational establishment just nods and smiles and does nothing about the violence and lack of discipline in schools. And I can't help wondering just what kind of education the next generation is receiving. And when they get to college/unviersity is it any better given how these institutions are stuffed full of foreign students?

Reprinting a particular post I found elsewhere because what they say seems to be echoed by so many teachers, and confirms some of the things I've read in the local media.

***

My teaching situation is an absolute nightmare.

For context, I teach junior high. I teach at an inner city school. I am trained in teaching history and English language arts at the secondary level. I teach in what is supposed to be a general Ed classroom. I am not qualified to be an ESL teacher, a phonics teacher, a crisis worker, a special Ed teacher, a social worker, or a behaviour interventionist. Unfortunately, I have to fulfill all of these roles at my school. I am completely overwhelmed.

My classroom is a warning to the world of the dangers of inclusive education. There is no learning happening in there. I am not safe. The kids are not safe. My “normal kids” are neglected because I have so many behavioural problems in my room. Inclusion comes at a cost. This model is not sustainable and we are f*cking failing our children the longer we keep this model going. The kids with behaviour problems do not get anything out of being there. The regular students do not get anything out of being there. I don’t care if that is not politically correct. Some kids do not belong in our classrooms! School is not the best environment for all kids!

My classroom composition is as follows:

• I have multiple kids who cannot speak, read, or write English. Many of them are illiterate in their native languages. Somehow being placed in a mainstream class is the best thing for them????? They get a single twenty minute reading intervention pullout a week. I have to teach these kids their goddamn alphabets in grade seven English while the rest of my class is writing essays.

• I have refugee and immigrant kids who are EXTREMELY violent and aggressive. They have never been in a classroom before. There are daily fights. Many of them come from cultures that do not respect women, and as a result, I am treated like absolute shit compared to my male colleagues. The homophobia, antisemitism, and misogyny I witness from these kids on a daily basis is astounding.

• Several students with IEPs and special needs - I have a blind student, a student with low functioning autism, a student with ODD, multiple children with severe ADHD, and a student with an extreme communication disability. I have been hurt at work. I have been sexually assaulted at work. I am sweared at everyday. I have never experienced as much disrespect anywhere before as I do at my job now. I worked in the service industry for ten years and never experienced anything to this degree.

• Many of my native-born, English-speaking students are way below grade level. A large chunk of them are reading and writing at a grade three level. I teach grade 7/8/9. They too are actually illiterate because they cannot read or write or sound out words.

• I have a student who has been placed back in a normal school environment after being in a juvenile detention centre for the last three years. He has a history of violence and has assaulted multiple students and teachers over the years. He has put a kid in the hospital. He is in no position to be placed in a regular classroom. I am scared of him. Every day, there is an incident with him. Admin says we need to give him a chance and really try to connect with him!!!

• I have kids who are at grade level and even some who are working well above it. Their reward for working hard? They get ignored. They do not learn anything. They are subjected to trauma by being around these kids.

I have no EA support. I have over thirty kids in each of my classes. Suspensions are far and few between because nobody would be at school if they happened. Admin takes a soft approach to these kids because “trauma informed classrooms.” What about MY trauma? What about the trauma of my other students?

I am told there is no funding. I am told that classrooms are diverse and that’s a good thing! I am told this is just how things are now! I am told that the kids are still recovering from covid and that they deserve grace!

There is no help. There are no resources. There is no time.

I am planning three to four different lessons for a single subject. How the f*ck is that okay?

The government and the board are hurting teachers. All they care about is cutting costs. These people do not have teachers’ or students’ best interests in mind.

[I am Groot]

This was from the other side of the country last year.

 

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/defiant-students-fearful-teachers-and-an-elementary-school-in-disarray-what-really-happened-at-pinecrest-public-school

Similar report from this year.

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/adam-time-is-running-out-for-a-solution-to-school-violence

[Michael Hardner]

Uncited anecdotes should be regarded with a jaundiced regard.

We should be following mainstream media articles that already talk about effects of, say, Doug Ford and his cuts to special ed.  

 

[I am Groot]

5 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

Uncited anecdotes should be regarded with a jaundiced regard.

We should be following mainstream media articles that already talk about effects of, say, Doug Ford and his cuts to special ed.  

 

I think most of us are aware of what happens to teachers who speak publicly on such issues. And the two followups were, in fact, cited. I'm hearing these same 'anecdotes' all over the place.

[I am Groot]

Here's more anecdotes from the net

 

 

My soon to be 12 year old daughter has been having problems with a very specific demographic of boys at her public school. The girls have joined in and have made comments about her not being proper because she's mixed race and doesn't conform to what their parents have been teaching them about how a woman should act and what they should wear. She dresses like any other 12 year old kid I've ever met. It's getting progressively worse with zero intervention by the school.

The kid who assaulted mine on the bus multiple times? "We'll talk to the parents". Then "they're banned from taking the bus". But are still allowed on the bus. Nobody has an answer as to why they can ride the bus , the bus driver says her hands are tied and can't tell me more.

The "conflict resolution" strategies suggested by the school are a joke. It puts the onus on the kid being bullied to find their own solutions in the face of harassment and violence.

She'll be in Jr high next year and the school she is streamed into in our slice of the burbs is worse. Far worse plus weapons and gang violence. The principal and several staff are on leave. I've registered her for an entirely different board simply to avoid her having to go to the school in question.

Goodbye ocdsb

 

******

 

Principal at Hillcrest was disappeared for trying to get things under control last year. She was accused of racism. She is an acquaintance and from what I’ve seen/heard not racist at all. Once she was removed a chill was put over all other P’s and VP’s to tow the line or suffer the same fate. Does racism exist?…absolutely. Is having rules and behavioural expectations inherently racist?…not at all. But you gotta play the game to climb the ladder.

I can confirm, as a former colleague of said Principal, who as a teacher made a name for herself working with at-risk students, that what happened to her was wrong.

@few-seaweed-1465 you are absolutely right that this sent a chill through administrations across the Board.

Teachers too are becoming less willing to get involved with student conflict or even enforce basic class rules as they fear reprisal from the Board. An incredible number of teachers have been put on leave for “racist” behaviour and with the majority of them this has been unwarranted.

It’s a terrible time to be in Education but working in this Board makes it that much worse. This is what happens when you have Director with an agenda and a bunch of sycophants as Superintendents. Hopefully the new Director rights this ship and brings calm and pride back to this once inspiring organization.

 

[Michael Hardner]

14 minutes ago, I am Groot said:

I think most of us are aware of what happens to teachers who speak publicly on such issues. 

I know a bunch of teachers, you're posting pure b******* and lies and you know it.

Conversation over.

No links, but everything is terrible and the world's ending.

Can the moderator just ban the chicken Little or do we have to read garbage from someone who's clearly intelligent enough to know better?

[ExFlyer]

While I agree the education system in Canada is a mess, I am not going to blame immigration or immigrants for the situation.

Perhaps there is problems with students but more often than not, it is entitlements that students think they deserve. for that I blame parents, teachers and teachers unions,

Teachers (many but not all) and teachers unions are not in it for teaching but for their own gains, in salary, benefits and pensions.

I think students (and the parents of them) expect a lot more from school than they deserve.  Students have been told and taught that they are special when in fact, they are all the same. It is parents expectation that their kid being different and treated special that causes issues.

Edited October 29, 2023 by ExFlyer

[I am Groot]

5 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

I know a bunch of teachers, you're posting pure b******* and lies and you know it.

Conversation over.

No links, but everything is terrible and the world's ending.

Can the moderator just ban the chicken Little or do we have to read garbage from someone who's clearly intelligent enough to know better?

You become more and more of an arrogant dick every day. I posted links, you retarded illiberal twat. That you're too lazy to read any of them because of your towering belief in your own perfection is not my problem. You also are supposed to be ignoring me, you sanctimonious fool. So why don't you go back to pretending how unbiased and neutral and 'above the fray' you are and lecturing everyone else on how they should behave? That seems to be the only thing that gives you a sense of achievement in your miserable life.

[I am Groot]

2 minutes ago, ExFlyer said:

While I agree the education system in Canada is a mess, I am not going to blame immigration or immigrants for the situation.

Perhaps there is problems with students but more often than not, it is entitlements that students think they deserve. for that I blame parents, teachers and teachers unions,

Teachers (many but not all) and teachers unions are not in it for teaching but for their own gains, in salary, benefits and pensions.

I think students (and the parents of them) expect a lot more from school than they deserve.  Students have been told and taught that they are special when in fact, they are all the same. It is parents expectation that their kid being different and treated special that causes issues.

It's a lack of discipline because modern progressive teaching doesn't believe in discipline. It doesn't believe in punishment, or what it calls 'negative reinforcement', and it most especially seems to feel the need to tolerate almost anything from 'newcomers' who come from different cultures. And those cultures tend to be extremely violent, and none of them, NONE have raised children with belief in non-violence and respect for women/girls or different religions or sexual orientations.

How could that NOT turn out to be a problem?

[ExFlyer]

7 minutes ago, I am Groot said:

It's a lack of discipline because modern progressive teaching doesn't believe in discipline. It doesn't believe in punishment, or what it calls 'negative reinforcement', and it most especially seems to feel the need to tolerate almost anything from 'newcomers' who come from different cultures. And those cultures tend to be extremely violent, and none of them, NONE have raised children with belief in non-violence and respect for women/girls or different religions or sexual orientations.

How could that NOT turn out to be a problem?

So, it is the teachers??

Or is it the parents that don't want their precious kid disciplined for poor behaviour?

Or is it the school boards that want to be non offensive to everyone?

 

[I am Groot]

25 minutes ago, ExFlyer said:

So, it is the teachers??

Or is it the parents that don't want their precious kid disciplined for poor behaviour?

Or is it the school boards that want to be non offensive to everyone?

 

It seems to be an illiberal progressive ideology that has taken over the educational establishment, from ministries of education to school boards to school administraitons.

[ExFlyer]

26 minutes ago, I am Groot said:

It seems to be an illiberal progressive ideology that has taken over the educational establishment, from ministries of education to school boards to school administraitons.

What the hell is that?? "illiberal progressive ideology"?

And in particular parents demands.

[herbie]

It's two buzzwords that indicate it's time to stop listening, the person using them is just p1ssing and moaning with as little effort as possible.

[Zeitgeist]

There’s an absence of authority because parents are generally too busy or laissez-faire, and they undermine educators who try to assert authority.  School boards are structured to cowtow to irresponsible trustees and parents.  The responsible parents are tuned out by unions and sympathizer trustees who are pushing radical left indoctrination. Kids aren’t held to account due to fear of offending BIPOC and LGBTQ.  Free range dysfunction sprinkled with gender ideology and mamby pamby wellness rhetoric ignore issues while kids with special needs are given inadequate support. Standards are lowered because they aren’t respected.  

Edited October 30, 2023 by Zeitgeist

[herbie]

14 hours ago, Zeitgeist said:

There’s an absence of authority because parents are generally too busy or laissez-faire, and they undermine educators who try to assert authority.

Well that started out with a decent point then degenerated into a typical rant idolizing the very parents that are exactly like that. Too lazy to even look at the curriculum they succumb to lies from those that wish to promote their intolerant views and picket the School Board meetings with absurd accusations and elect members who actually want to indocrinate kids rather than educate them.

[Zeitgeist]

28 minutes ago, herbie said:

Well that started out with a decent point then degenerated into a typical rant idolizing the very parents that are exactly like that. Too lazy to even look at the curriculum they succumb to lies from those that wish to promote their intolerant views and picket the School Board meetings with absurd accusations and elect members who actually want to indocrinate kids rather than educate them.

No.  There’s far too much indoctrination right now in education, starting with gender ideology and the religion of intersectionality victimhood.  Hopefully educators get back to the business of education and the groomers get drummed out of town.  Not likely unfortunately.  Parents need to find schools with high standards and family values where kids can learn from healthy role models instead of being confused and affirmed in their social-media-addled passing fancies.  

[ExFlyer]

On 10/30/2023 at 4:32 PM, Zeitgeist said:

No.  There’s far too much indoctrination right now in education, starting with gender ideology and the religion of intersectionality victimhood.  Hopefully educators get back to the business of education and the groomers get drummed out of town.  Not likely unfortunately.  Parents need to find schools with high standards and family values where kids can learn from healthy role models instead of being confused and affirmed in their social-media-addled passing fancies.  

Education is a wholly Provincial jurisdiction.

The educational problem is a localized one. One city/town has different issues than the other.

To even localize it more, the school boards manipulate it to please their constituents.

To even confuse it more, it is the parents of the local area that dictate to the boards what they want.

And lastly, schools themselves have a certain amount to leeway to interpret all the BS.

So, it ain''t gonna be changed to whatever you think it should be

Edited November 1, 2023 by ExFlyer

[Zeitgeist]

1 hour ago, ExFlyer said:

Education is a wholly Provincial jurisdiction.

The educational problem is a localized one. One city/town has different issues than the other.

To even localize it more, the school boards manipulate it to please their constituents.

To even confuse it more, it is the parents of the local area that dictate to the boards what they want.

And lastly, schools themselves have a certain amount to leeway to interpret all the BS.

So, it ain''t gonna be changed to whatever you think it should be

I actually know a lot about this for reasons I can’t share.  You’re right that some education policies are set locally, but not provincial curriculum.  Much can be adjusted at the provincial level, but activists have infiltrated the Ministry and most school boards.  

[I am Groot]

On 10/29/2023 at 1:23 PM, ExFlyer said:

What the hell is that?? "illiberal progressive ideology"?

And in particular parents demands.

People who call themselves 'progressives' tend to be largely illiberal, in that they're opposed to freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of thought, etc. They also tend to support racial segregation, which no self-respecting liberal would agree to. And a large number of them are antisemites.

[I am Groot]

1 hour ago, ExFlyer said:

Education is a wholly Provincial jurisdiction.

The educational problem is a localized one. One city/town has different issues than the other.

To even localize it more, the school boards manipulate it to please their constituents.

To even confuse it more, it is the parents of the local area that dictate to the boards what they want.

And lastly, schools themselves have a certain amount to leeway to interpret all the BS.

So, it ain''t gonna be changed to whatever you think it should be

Of course, this leaves out the fact the Ministry of Education sets the curriculum and can order the school boards to do whatever it wants done. And it leaves out the ideological teachings of teachers colleges and universities which produce the educrats who wind up populating the higher positions at all school boards as well as the Ministry of Education.

[impartialobserver]

Teaching has always been a tough and demanding profession. But now with the internet and the rise of the know-it-all (opinionated types who actually know nothing).. they are under the microscope more than ever before. In politics.. they are just convenient whipping boys. Every time that there is an issue.. one side or the other blames it on the teachers. 

[I am Groot]

Just now, impartialobserver said:

Teaching has always been a tough and demanding profession. But now with the internet and the rise of the know-it-all (opinionated types who actually know nothing).. they are under the microscope more than ever before. In politics.. they are just convenient whipping boys. Every time that there is an issue.. one side or the other blames it on the teachers. 

Almost no one blames the actual teachers as opposed to the education system or school administration or school board or ministry of education.

[impartialobserver]

Just now, I am Groot said:

Almost no one blames the actual teachers as opposed to the education system or school administration or school board or ministry of education.

From my experience.. most blame those darn liberal teachers and their unions. By proxy.. id10t liberal teachers and their braindead unions  and therefore the administration that hires them are to blame for everything. What is both sad and perplexing is that the parents NEVER get any of the blame. 

[I am Groot]

2 minutes ago, impartialobserver said:

From my experience.. most blame those darn liberal teachers and their unions. By proxy.. id10t liberal teachers and their braindead unions  and therefore the administration that hires them are to blame for everything. What is both sad and perplexing is that the parents NEVER get any of the blame. 

Most of the problems with the 'bad' students come from their parents' lack of skill in parenting. Not to mention lack of interest in education.

But the reason the 'bad' students are left in among the class and undisciplined are due to the educrats who somehow believe sweet talking and gentle remonstrance will eventually correct their disruptive and often violent behaviour.

[impartialobserver]

2 minutes ago, I am Groot said:

Most of the problems with the 'bad' students come from their parents' lack of skill in parenting. Not to mention lack of interest in education.

But the reason the 'bad' students are left in among the class and undisciplined are due to the educrats who somehow believe sweet talking and gentle remonstrance will eventually correct their disruptive and often violent behaviour.

Well, you appear to be the exception. Every poster that I encounter on political chat forums blames the teachers and no one else. Parents, administration, society are all supposedly doing their best but are being undermined by them darn liberal teachers. Funny how it is only teachers in CA, OR, WA, NY, and NM that earn this wrath. Teachers in ID (who may or may not be liberal) seem to get off the hook just a bit.