Who Is Responsible For The Decline

More people are trying to interject their opinions into the decline of modern education.  Parents blame teachers and administrators while those same people blame faceless bureaucracies in the state and national capitals as well as parents.  With all of the finger-pointing going on it is some of the most obvious people have been missed as the root of the problem.    So who is responsible for the decline in modern education?

Could it be Mrs. Beulah B. Betterthanyou?  She comes to class in her most fashionable ensemble.   Her hands are bejeweled with rings befitting the queen of England.  She appears pristine, elegant and professional.  Her grades are based neither upon the mechanics of the task nor upon the information but upon the final opinion rendered.  All those agreeing with her are duly rewarded and showered with praise while the dissenters are reviled and impugned.  She rails against the immorality of modern students and their horrible, broken families.  She preaches from her podium about the ignorance of those who do not follow The Bible to the hilt, while either being seen by various students of all ages exiting the porn room of the local video store or being married to the local swindler who constantly cheats people out of money for land, goods or labor.

Could it be Coach Horace A. Hardcore?  He loves badgering children in front of other children.  He points out the inadequacies of those who do not participate in the various athletic programs.  He also aids children in their hazing of those who appear weaker for the sake of building his athlete's confidence.  He eats, lives and breathes the creation of an aristocracy based upon athleticism and all others must be the servitude class.  He forces the “undesirables” to do all of the assigned work to make them appear busy and justifies low grades as their laziness even though he's throwing work their work in the trashcan.  He tells his athletes to just hand in something; after all, homework is for those “losers.” 

Could it be Mrs. Pallid G. Livermore?  This is the teacher awaiting an organ donor who sits at her desk scowling at these children.  Her husband is wealthy enough that she does not have to work but she does so in order to take up the time in her life with an equally “respectable” job.  She arrives home in time to prepare a meal and be home for her own children.   Retirement could not arrive fast enough though and is thankful for her tenure so that she does not have to tolerate the peasants who claim she cannot teach.  She has no hope in reaching these students and she could not care less either.  She feels that most of the children are beneath her but she puts on a great show to outsiders of how much she loves the children.   She fondly remembers little Cindy Poplar's mother from her high school days and rewards Cindy with good grades regardless of how scatter-brained she may act.  Also she despises little Johnny Porfamly.  She sneers at his choice of clothing and belittles the fact that he shops at Gothics-R-Us.  He never receives anything above a “C” even though he learned and understood the material.

All of these teachers have contributed to the loss of faith in education at the personal level.  These teachers are the few but they exist in every school system.  Moreover, they have been around for some time.  Parents of today had one or more of these teachers growing up and understand the double standard that exists in education.  No one weeds these people out because they appear to be from wealthy or respectable families.  If the school system made available the grade distribution from classes at least parents could see which teachers may appear to have double standards.