Supporting the unpopular

I try to ignore politics, refrain from stating my opinion, and quietly vote my beliefs. I'm not posting this opinion on Facebook because it's too long. Sometimes we have to speak out, support the unpopular, and defend what we believe is right.

In our state, we are having this huge political uproar over education. Our superintendent of education has proposed a 3 part bill that will reform education in our state. I like this man. He supports parent choice, charter schools, and advanced technology in the classroom. They are many who don't like this man, in fact a lot of people don't like him. So I am sharing my 2 cents here.

1- getting rid of tenure and union bargaining. This is huge to me. This is so important! Tenure is defined as status granted to an employee, usually after a probationary period, indicating that the position or employment is permanent. WOW would I love to have that in any of the jobs I've held! Can you imagine, only having to try your best for the first 2-5 years of employment, then having your job secure, raises and all, regardless of how well you did your job? (that was total sarcasm.) Tenure is crap. I have been fortunate to have good teachers for all my kids, but I know there are some that are horrible, and for them to be allowed tenure so they can continue to suck at their job at the expense of my kids is ridiculous.

2- technology in education. I cannot believe people are against this! We are in an age where technology is consuming us. Everything is done by email, online, text messages, etc. You can do virtual science experiments, reinforce math skills, and allow advanced students to learn at their own pace. US History can become interactive. World events are taught as they unfold. Technology is an amazing asset to teachers and students alike. Yes, technology and online classrooms will eliminate the need for some teachers. But think, it's all the crappy teachers we can get rid of! There are benefits to the program, and they out-weigh the cons. The bottom line should be what is best for the kids, and how much are we saving/spending.

So, I love teachers. I love that they are willing to spend their days. and nights, working to educate my children. I started out my college years to become a teacher. I have nothing but the utmost respect for them. Good teachers are worth paying a lot more than they get now. Bad teachers don't deserve to be influencing any child. Cut the bad teachers, pay the good teachers more, and give our kids the opportunity to keep up in the world. And that's my 2 cents.