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According to a recent informative, disturbing article by Jim Shaw , excellent, experienced teachers are saying they have had enough of unruly, disruptive, even violent students, and are leaving the field in disturbing numbers. Where are the administrators? The school boards? Where are the consequences? What about the young people who want to learn, or the parents who want their children to acquire life skills and a quality education?
How about taxpayers who pay for their educational systems with hard-earned tax dollars expecting achievement and civility? And what of our nation's future when these instruction disruptors leave for the workforce?
Rigorous behavior standards enforced with meaningful consequences will remove the perpetrators and restore order. Then, schools must reestablish high expectations, restore grading to reward achievement and raise standards to bring achievement to levels being achieved by students in other countries where student achievement ranks far ahead of ours. I guarantee these societies revere their teachers, and their students are abiding by rigorous behavioral and academic standards. We should expect, no demand, the same for our future leaders.
Jerry Barnum is retired from West Fargo Schools and living in Erhard, Minn.
