“By way of contrast, education spending per student, in constant dollars, has approximately tripled since 1964. Has there been a corresponding improvement in what this money can buy?”

No, we still get the same static from the only channel the usual suspects tune in to.

I see the magic of the market is the Wall St meltdown, the # of homes underwater in USA, the rust belt, Caterpillar, homelessness, the growing gap between rich and poor, the Bush tax cuts, Harper chooses jets jails and warships and then cuts OAS…

Marvelous.

Not to mention the very profitable public employee pension plans that allow early and generous retirement?

“Not to mention the very profitable public employee pension plans that allow early and generous retirement? “

Conveniently overlooked in Doug’s response, but every bit as important to the discussion.

Doug, you forgot to include Canada’s rust belt, the province Ontario. And don’t get me on the rising numbers of homeless people, the number of families who do not work for the public sector, living from one pay check to the next, and the public education system, always downloading expenses unto the parents. Not just the US, but everywhere where the public sector has grown fat and overpaid.

In a article from the National Post, the public sector unions stood back, and watch the economic crisis. Now it is their turn up to bat, and feel the heat.

Fun and games in BC and the teachers’ union.

Looks to be shaping up to be a long drawn battle between the two.

“What the B.C. Teachers’ Federation heard:

“It’s a tremendous victory for teachers, and for students and for parents. It’ll have a significant impact on restoring learning conditions in schools. … This is a turning point.”

– BCTF president Susan Lambert, April 13, 2011

What the B.C. government heard:

“We understand the B.C. Supreme Court’s decision to oblige us to engage in processes that respect the constitutional right of collective bargaining.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/bc-politics/new-special-needs-cash-cant-outweigh-loss-of-teachers-bargaining-rights/article2341439/

I wonder what is in the future for the public sector in Ontario, and other provincial public sectors? I doubt it will remain a picture of contentedness. .

Here’s an annecdote before I say whether or not I agree with today’s post:  This a.m., while doing my banking, I was waited on by a very young bank teller.  I asked to withdraw $75 and said that I needed the exact change of $36.00 and $15.00 and the balance in the largest denominations possible.  The poor gal was visibly shaken.  I had to explain how to do this, and the reason that she needed to be shown is because, in school, she had never done two step problems.  Poor thing.  I assured her that it wasn’t her fault, but that she hadn’t been taught.  I also had to tell her that I wasn’t trying to give her a hard time, but that I wanted to make a couple of little cash payments without having to bother the payees for change.  Conclusion—if the younger generation can’t do very simple two-step math problems, then government-run monopolies are a dismal failure, and things are deteriorating—the complete opposite of what happens when competition has been introduced.  Education needs competition, or the education of our children will only continue to deteriorate.

Hi Bev,

I bet that the young teller makes all of h er payments online! 

Yes the teachers’ penion fund.
, teachers savings has provided the capital for many businesses to expand. They can thank a teacher OTPP is one of the largest pools of capital in the nation. When they buy something everybody takes notice.

Another thing, Stephen, why do I have to do your job?  I’ve had to so many times with Ontario graduates.  My other thoughts about this situation were that with no skills taught these kids can’t possibly think critically.  Working will probably help this girl, but it’s frightening to see Canadians lacking the ability to figure out something so easy.

Don’t you think that you have made a bit of a leap there Bev, your sample size is 1 and you want to end the public school monopoly on that basis.

There is this other issue that seems common with reformers. “If I meet someone who does not know something, then it was not taught”. Wrong, it was not learned.

We often on parents night get ” you did not teach XYZ because I asked my son and he could not explain it. We are tempted to say, would you like to meet the rest of the class? They can explain it.

“By way of contrast, education spending per student, in constant dollars, has approximately tripled since 1964. Has there been a corresponding improvement in what this money can buy?”

The graduation rate, university and college grad rate have skyrocketed since 1964.

By the way, hydro, paper, construction, books, whatever all go up every year.

No kidding, Doug, they’re powerful!  That’s the problem—they’re too powerful.  But we still have to bail out the teachers pensions, while some of ours have shrunk.  That’s totally unethical.

Sigh! Just trying to insert a smile Bev

Sigh! Just trying to insert a smile Bev…

“We often on parents night get ” you did not teach XYZ because I asked my son and he could not explain it. We are tempted to say, would you like to meet the rest of the class? They can explain it.”

Doug, typical response from the BLOB, to move the topic away from curriculum and instruction to the student and his behaviour.

Or this one, ““If I meet someone who does not know something, then it was not taught”. Wrong, it was not learned.”

Another attempt on that curriculum and instruction does not matter, how it is taught because it is all the learner’s fault.

“We often on parents night get ” you did not teach XYZ because I asked my son and he could not explain it. We are tempted to say, would you like to meet the rest of the class? They can explain it.”

I’ve been here long enough to have read Doug say that he’s long retired. Are you looking back fondly on the parents nights or speaking of your experience at VIP Academy - you’re not clear on that. 

And who are the “we” you speak of because it’s wise to remember that you’re only speaking for yourself. You’re not a collective here.

Malkin, Nancy and Bev are correct IMO.

By we I mean all of the teachers in Ontario. We are a collective.

“By we I mean all of the teachers in Ontario. We are a collective.”

You do not speak for them. You speak only for yourself.

“By we I mean all of the teachers in Ontario. We are a collective.”
You do not speak for them. You speak only for yourself.

How do you know, Chuck?  Maybe Doug works for the BORG of Education.

Very cute Wayne. Doug’s been around so many education blogs for so long, including this one that he’s pretty much told us his education history.