The Morning Report
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Monday, July 28, 2008 | The article written about the King/Chavez charter school firings illustrates perfectly why school teachers need a union. Teaching in a public school is a very political career choice.
In this age of excessive testing and accountability, teachers are likely to be the scapegoats when test scores are not improved. Testing may identify problems, but it does not fix them.
There are many reasons that students do not do well in school, many of these reasons have nothing to do with teachers themselves. I have taught students who are homeless, without healthcare, and basic necessities. These students are often absent and have a high rate of mobility. Many classes have a complete changeover of students from September to June.
Until we decide as a nation to ensure that the basic needs of our people are met, some students will continue to fall behind at school.