Public Education in the United States: Its time for hard conversations.

Tennessee is a true reflection of the United States. The educational challenges we face here are no different than other states across the Nation. Rural realities, urban realities, poverty, abundance, internet access, digital resources, economic challenges in addition to the changing child raising family structures of mom and dad, two moms, two dads, blended and single parents are part of the equation.  The post COVID questioning of historical, legacy institutions and beliefs, ranging from faith, religion, and democratic ideals add to the instability.

As we move into the 2023-24 election cycle, rhetoric about K-12 public education is ramping up. There is no doubt that over the next 24 months, discussion on K-12 public education will grow to a crescendo.  Both outside and inside, teachers, administrators, school boards, parents, community members, local, state, and federal elected officials, all seem to be voicing concern and frustration.

 

On the outside looking in...

The success of Glenn Youngkin’s election to Virginia governor, running on a platform of rooting out the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in public schools, to Mike Pompeo calling the president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, "the most dangerous person in the world"  to Fox’s Pete Hegseth’s book, "Battle For The American Mind", advocating a “revolution to save our children in public schools from leftist indoctrination,” reflect a loss of faith and confidence in our public education system.

Parents and community members are concerned with “learning loss” due to the COVID pandemic and worry about their children’s preparedness to enter and contribute to society. Elected local and state officials are concerned about economic growth, and community wellbeing. The ability to compete globally, and our Nation’s defense is directly tied to the education of our young people. If Public Education is the bedrock of a healthy society, how healthy are we?

 

On the inside looking out...

Those who work within the public schools feel stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. Veteran teachers truly want the best for their students, but are tired, feel underappreciated, and are burned out. The Georgia Department of Education commissioned the University of Georgia to study Teacher Burnout. The report, published in June of 2022, not only identified salaries, but cited the need to Preserve and Protect Instructional Time, Pressures and Unrealistic Expectations, Teacher Voice and Professional Growth, along with the need to address Mental Health and Wellness as key contributors to teacher burnout. These conditions are not unique to Georgia but can be found here in Tennessee as well as across the country.

 

 Gimme one about the teacher who's

Tryin' to change a life or two...

Where kids are climbing off the walls

It's scary walkin' down the hall

She's underpaid, she's overworked

Come on, man, shout one out to her!

Eric Church, “Put that in your county song”

 

Principals are anxious, tired, and stressed as well. Instructional leadership and student achievement, building operations, school climate and navigating community politics, are burning them out. Principals, as well as superintendents, are having to deal with staff shortages and funding as well as navigating the post COVID political landscape. A Superintendent’s tenure average of 5.8 years, coupled with Board and community relationship challenges all add to the uncertainty and instability.  

 

 “If the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is near.” Accept change before the change is thrust on you. If people don't perform, they perish. If companies don't innovate, they become obsolete. Jack Welch

 

All these signals reflect that the rate of change is accelerating exponentially. The question is can current practices, structures, procedures, and policies adapt to new realities and expectations? As a teacher and administrator for over 40 years, I have experienced the attempts to reform education. Beginning with A Nation at Risk (1980-1989), standards-based education model (1990-2000), No Child Left Behind (2001-2015), and Every Child Succeeds Act (2016-2021) there is question as to the successes of these initiatives. When you stop and think, what is different between schools of 1987 and school today?

 

Realizing new realities and conditions?

Larry Arnn, Hillsdale College president, wrote “Raising a child has always been difficult and expensive. With rare exceptions, it has always been true that the parents who conceive the child raise him the best. And throughout American history, it has been thought that the family is the cradle of good citizenship and therefore of free and just politics. Public education is as old as our nation—but only lately has it adopted the purpose of supplanting the family and controlling parents.” (Epoch Times, Nov. 22, 2022) Instead of blanket statements, there needs to be discernment as to why this condition arose in the first place.  When  37.6% of all marriages in the US end in divorce  and 50% of all children in the United States will witness the end of their parent’s marriage, the problem is much bigger than just the schools. 

It’s time to take a hard look in the mirror.

What is the purpose for public education? During my 40-year tenure it seems this has been a moving target. With working parents dropping their young children off at before and after school programs, how much time does the family spend together? How does this reality match up with Arnn’s comment that “Public education is as old as our nation—but only lately has it adopted the purpose of supplanting the family and controlling parents.”  Who, lately, has been spending the most time raising and caring for the children?

 

Let’s us, Tennesseans, be the first to begin the hard conversation, with inclusive dialogue of all stakeholders. What truly are all the challenges facing us? What do we want Tennessee to be and what do we want for our children?