A journeyman public schools educator emailed this scrivener in response to the Allegheny Institute’s Policy Briefs/commentaries on the Keystone Exams, PSSA tests and how poor performance in the latter often presage poor results in the former (Policy Briefs Vol. 22, Nos. 13 & 15). He read the commentary supporting these white papers in The Observer-Reporter of Washington (on April 21 & April 7, respectively).
The writer’s name and school district have been, by mutual agreement, stricken from the below to protect his privacy:
“I have a background in communications (broadcasting/journalism) with a bachelor’s degree and three master’s degrees in education. I have 20 years’ experience in education as a building substitute teacher in a high school after 14 years in the private sector upon college graduation in 1988.
“The changes I have seen during my tenure from March 2002 to the present day are drastic.
“Education has taken a beating in recent years, and this began before the pandemic. In my school, Family Consumer Science, Tech Education and Driver’s Ed have all been eliminated.
“Art returned this year after a one-year absence after our art teacher retired. We are an agricultural school and our vocational-agricultural program is an anchor curriculum.
“We offer several AP (advanced placement) courses that students do take for college credits.
“But, by and large, this business is taking a beating because teachers are leaving and there is no new blood ready to step in and replace them.
“School districts are begging for coverage and can’t find substitute teachers. Our district’s website has listed the need for the last number of years.
“Those (PSSA/Keystone Exams) test scores can reflect a wide variety of reasons and reasoning.
“What is to keep a student from ‘tanking’ a test? That happens. Believe me.
“What is to keep a student from being disinterested?
“Educators are no longer just teachers. We all wear multiple hats — teacher, coach, confidant, psychologist, mentor, role model, surrogate parent, you name it.
“Educators are called on to take on multiple roles for little to moderate money.
“You may be concentrating on the city public school systems, which is fine; those districts have been taking a beating for years.
“Our school is small and located in a rural area. We have a hard-working staff dedicated to educating our students.
“But the students have to meet us halfway and do their work. They need to take charge of their education.
“I am a ‘lifer’ with many more years left to go. I want to be part of the solution because I see the problem(s). The system is failing teachers and, therefore, failing students.
As but one example, “our elementary school doesn’t teach cursive. From what I’ve heard, many other districts don’t teach cursive, either. That was standard when I was in school. In grades 1-3, we were drilled on that. And in grades 4-5, it was more emphasized as I prepared to move into middle school.
“We can all sit and point fingers. But the system is failing the industry.
“The government has no business being in education. Those decisions should all be handled at the local level. Let teachers, parents and all involved locally have a say in what needs to be taught.”
In a follow-up email, the educator noted that he is a “conservative” and is “disgusted and fed up with the state of our country and the state of education.”
That said, “I love what I do, serving our young people and future leaders. Yet some want to treat education like a leech when it is designed to serve the public good.
“Outside of my family and friends, my former teachers were my heroes.”
Thank you to the writer for his thoughts.
Colin McNickle is communications and marketing director at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy (cmcnickle@alleghenyinstitute.org).
