In response to Schoolgal you wrote:

“I guess you don’t like to hear from the other side of the coin.”

That’s a rather mixed up image. Do coins talk? Do they talk from their sides? Or did you mean something about hearing the other side of the story? Try to be clear.

As for discounting the views of others, well, it may be true that one party in these discussions has nothing of value to say. You seem long on attitude and little else.

With respect to your parents’ experience with your elementary school teachers, we can say with certainty that you weren’t present for the discussions. Moreover, because you were quite young at the time of these controversial meetings, your understanding of them approaches zero.

You would have no idea whether a teacher had expressed a sense of intellectual superiority to your parents. Meanwhile, you should open your dictionary. You don’t know the definition of “incredulous”.

It’s also clear you don’t understand the meaning of the phrase “mince words”, or you wouldn’t claim your father was a straight talker and then describe his interpersonal manner with the definition of “mince words.”

Furthermore, you might think he’s the Don Rickles of the intellectual set, but if the insultee doesn’t know he’s been insulted, the insulter has wasted his time.

Moreover, if it’s true your parents refused to meet with your teachers ever again after encountering one elementary school teacher who rubbed them the wrong way, then their refusal states rather clearly that they are exactly the parents who drip disdain for the school system for the flimsiest of reasons. Your father, in his wisdom, concluded all of your teachers were dunces unworthy of some brief attention from him because he met one, in your elementary school, he did not like. From that experience he extrapolated that all of your subsequent teachers were insubordinate egotists with whom he would not converse. What a show of brilliance and open-mindedness.

If he really thought so little of your teachers, and by extension, the school system in which you were enrolled, why did he leave you in this substandard setting?

If you think about what you wrote, you will see the point you made was this: he couldn’t be bothered with you or the quality of your education. He threw up his hands and walked away.

“Ranting” is a bit hyperbolic to say the least.

I guess you don’t like to hear the other side of the coin. I tell you, if you were my child’s teacher and you discounted my point of view, I would walk away from you as someone who doesn’t want to hear constructive critics and assumes superiority, and thus, not worth my time. Give and take is the key to dialog. That means you have to be open-minded. Apparently, you are not.

There are good teachers and bad teachers. There are good parents and bad parents. To pretend that one side has the monopoly on effort is putting your head in the sand.

Just because you are a good teacher (presumably) doesn’t mean all are good teachers that go the extra mile. Therefore, to invalidate what NYCparent has to say is contributing to the problem of parent outreach.

When I was in elementary school, my parents asked my teachers to recount in detail how we were doing. The teacher told my parents in no uncertain words, “none of your business” and implied some sort of intellectual superiority. That seems incredulous, but it was true.

My father, has probably forgotten more things than most people have learned in a lifetime. He is a true brainiac and knowledgeable in a broad array of subject matters.

You can be certain that he gave my teacher a piece of his mind. In his youthful days in particular, he never felt the need to mince words, or to be politically correct. He has a particular talent to use vocabulary that would take the average educated person a few hours and possibly the use of an unabridged dictionary to figure out that they have been insulted. That incident resulted in my parent’s unwillingness to go to any open-school nights thereafter. As far as they were concerned, it was pointless and a waste of time. It’s a good thing we were good students.

So rather than take personal insult at NYCparent’s remarks, maybe you can actually listen to what he/she has to say. Even if it doesn’t apply to YOU, or YOUR school doesn’t mean it is invalid. If you want better work conditions, more money, and a general respect from the public, particularly parents, you have to give it in return, no just expect it.

Thanks for supporting Chaz.

We need all the help we can get. You may like Frank McCourt’s new book “Teacher Man,” if you want to get a perspective on teaching from a great writer who knows more about it than most experts, and appears to have learned it intuitively, in spite of all the silly advice he received.

It’s not a masterpiece like “Angela’s Ashes,” but it’s a very good read for anyone interested in education, and Frank’s got one of the very best writing voices I’ve ever heard.

Every teacher ought to read this one. Costco has it for $14.19, a bargain. The library, I’m told, has it for even less.

I guess they think they can overload us with this nonsense. What are our rights?

By the way do I have to do the statistical analysis? Can I refuse?? What are my options?

I would like an answer from an informed person.

“In America, doctors, lawyers, generals, actors, televison people and politicians are admired and rewarded. Not teachers. Teaching is the downstairs maid of professions. Teachers are told to use the service door or go around the back. They are congratulated on having ATTO (All That Time Off). They are spoken of patronizingly and patted, retroactively, on their silvery locks. Oh, yes, I had an English teacher, Miss Smith, who really inspired me. I’ll never forget dear old Miss Smith…”

So remember, Chaz, that may one day be you they’re remembering. And when they do, they’ll express particular gratitude for the time you worked out that statistical report, and helped with question number 37 on the Living Environment Regents.

Really, Chaz, I’m surprised you didn’t already know that.

I believe you really care about the NYC schools and I will not argue with you on that point. However, let me relate a story to you that happened to me today, maybe you can understand our frustration.

My AP (Assistant Principal) came to me during class time to inform me that I should recollect my midterm tests from the students (I gave them out on Monday- good luck in collecting them) and do an analysis of the 36 Regents questions and determine which ones were hard and which ones were easy. Let’s see, collect 150 papers, spend 12 hours going over their tests and write a statistical report to the LIS. When should I do this? During my zero period tutoring time with students? My prep & lunch periods when I meet with students to discuss their academic progress and other issues? Or should I stay after school and do this mindless report (without pay) for a week and not see my family?

Well I work hard helping my students and raising a family without some DOE educrat giving me some mindless task. This is the idiocy that the classroom teacher has to put up with under your wonderful DOE

I’m happy for you, and it’s great you have a good principal. It’s particularly good you have one with classroom experience (other than the stark necessity of fleeing from it ASAP).

Nonetheless, I’m not joining the Jack Welch fan club just yet.

Again divina, do you have any suggestions or are you just going to keep ranting.

Also, if her principal is that great, then she should have no problems getting answers to her questions.