uh, perhaps more along the lines of, say, overly dogmatic, american "exceptionalist" libertarians, obsessed with partisan politics, with an unrealistic view of current events? (socialist teachers indoctrinating students, because their union tells them to? really? do tell?)

__________________
"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

It's not that direct a link but I've been teaching in the SF Bay area for 9 years and that is what is occurring.

Our schools are much closer to being like a madras (sp?) then most folks realize.

I am not a knuckle-dragging, Limbaugh-loving, whatever simplistic categorization one might be incline to use.

I don't think politics, in and of themselves are going to solve our problems. But the NEA/CTA/etc are tacit wings of the left-leaning segment of the democratic party. Its about 85/15 the ratio at the 9 colleges were I have worked.

Oh, an actual teacher, not an opinionizer? Amazing!

A couple of random comments;

"The hand that rocks the cradle controls the nation" ~ slightly modified.

"Those who can do. Those who cant teach."

"Catch them young, teach them tricks"

"Generational change starts in the classroom"

If any political group is looking to make changes in the long term they start on impressionable young minds.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Teach


your

children


well

Mr.

Layback 40


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztVaqZajq-I&feature=related

__________________
'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
-Native American elder

Thanks for that!!
I am a fan of C,S,N & Y

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Often but, of course not always.

At prestigious research institutes the caliber of the Professors is amazing. Depending on the discipline you'll encounter levels of genius, practicality and multi-tasking.

A man I greatly admired literally directed 20+ projects simultaneously.. You'd walk up to him and his mind was like a computer. He'd stop for a moment, access the project you were doing in his mind and then say exactly what you needed to hear to deal with your obstacle.

These projects required external funding, typical $50K to $250K per project. He managed procuring and satisfying the funding organizations. The brilliance and of the man was other-worldly.

At my level, teaching at various community colleges, the vast, vast, vast majority of these people do not have a clue what typical life is like.

They work less then 40 weeks a year, less then 35 hours a week, after 6 years or so can't be fired, laid off or made significantly uncomfortable. They're paid $100K+, excellent benefits, often succeed in exempting themselves from social security payments, disability payments and have excellent retirement.

It is not unusual for a 45 year old instructor to have spent 40 of their 45 years either going to or working at schools.

They believe the life of "mainstream" people is beneath them, that they are under-paid, over-worked and under-appreciated. In most instances they have emotional/psychological/neurological/behavioral issues that would greatly limit their ability to perform in the 'mainstream'.

They believe they are superior and that they are not appreciated. Therefore they teach the students perspectives that elevate the world of the instructor and degrade the world of the non-instructor.

They are petty, small-minded, insular and have little grasp of nor appreciation of concepts like honor, valor and simple ideas we all learned (depending on our age) from watching westerns in the 50's: a man is as good as his word, let your actions speak for you, you've got to be able to look yourself in the mirror, etc

Half of the teaching load is done by sub-contractors who cost the school half of what it costs to use a full-timer. That's how they got me. However, I have only met one other instructor with any entrepreneurial experience, and few with any extensive life experiences outside of academia or research positions at industry or government facilities.

They tend to sneer at the concept of usability and applicability. They are certain that they are under-appreciated.

This is my experience dealing with a rigorous physical science. I shudder to imagine what they are like in the humanities, fine arts, etc.

However, they tend to know their specific subject matter, in terms of book knowledge, well.

You can learn a great deal at a good community college but the student has to know how to filter the signal to noise.

All of my experiences are in the SF Bay area. Perhaps other locales are better.

PS - I enjoy the part-time job as a supplement to my other endeavors and have finally found a department that allows me to teach with the rigor and pragmatism that is my nature. Academically it's an excellent department and the students have excellent transfer rates to top caliber schools. The personal integrity of some (less then half) of the instructors is good. But very few of them have a clue what life is actually like.

Thanks for being honest SJH. My opinions are based on my experiences as well, but from the perspective of a parent. Tonk- are you a parent, or a teacher, or both, or neither?

SJH- in a related subject, what do you know about this weeks teachers protest in Sacramento? I heard that the CHP booted them out of the capitol building so they couldn't trash it like the union criminals did in Wisconsin. If so then I have to give kudos to Gov. Brown for standing up to them.

__________________
1984 300TD 1981 240D

I like my job. It's a job. But what I see on a daily basis is unconscionable.

I just checked my mailbox this evening. The union newsletter explained how to behave, write, think, speak, etc to accomplish the union's political goals. I've refused to join the union and resist their forcing their views into my life at work but I still receive 'marching orders' from the union via campus mail and e-mail. It took two years to stop their computers from calling my phone and telling me how to vote.

They had the buses, signs and talking points set-up for the ride to Sacramento. In class the student rep asked the students to get on the bus and ride with them to oppose corporate greed and right-wing hate-speach (I wonder, with the half-dozen-or-so corps, LLCs I've founded if I'm one of their enemies).

I'm required to use campus e-mail. Periodically mass e-mails are sent to everyone encouraging them to attend various union or progressive rallies. Propaganda sheets are e-mailed so one may refute the 'right-wing, hate-filled, opponents' that the union support. Political posters and slogans are posted on various instructors doors and windows. At some schools every hallway is filled with dozens of posters and pamplets promoting the world-view of dozens of alternative cultures, life-styles and belief system.

I have NEVER seen a poster stating, as an example, "We hold these views to be self-evident... endowed by their creator..." or "..and to the republic, for which it stands.." or "...tear down this wall!" (Now's the time when someone states that I am a ...... for thinking my comments are a form of demagoguery instead of a man watching his nation losing its soul)

I have never seen a picture of Lincoln, Washington, Patton/MacArthur/Eisenhower, Neil Armstrong, the Seal Team from Pakistan, any American military image. I must have but cannot recall seeing an American flag. The concept that three times in the past 100 years hundreds of thousands of Americans died, millions were traumatized and tens of millions were deeply disrupted to save the world from tyranny is unfathomable. Their worship of Obama, at least initially approached deification.

The only group that can be ridiculed is some subset of white/male/conservative/Christian. They have no knowledge of how this nation actually was created, what were (are?) the values of the people from 1600 to 1800, the people who founded the unique American culture.

It is considered insultive and at some schools will result in counseling to address students as Ladies and Gentlemen. The application to some of the states schools list on the application male/female/other.

15% of the faculty and staff are uncomfortable/disagree/intimidated by the other 85%. They support every minority and 'excluded' group except the one that disagrees when them. When I complain to the administration about the unprofessionalism, much less the illegality of a hostile work environment I was called "mean-spirited" by a Dean.

To answer your question I find no evidence that Brown is opposing this rally and certainly no stepped up police action.

However, Cindy Sheehan will be present.

PS - you may find it noteworthy that as the funding per pupil has increased the quality of education has decreased over the past 50+ years. When 34 students show up for a class that the union has limited to 28 I use to take the additional students. I was ordered to stop because 1.) other instructors could not manage the additional load and I was embarrassing them and 2.) if the administration learned that I carried amost a 25% over-load they would ask why others could not. (BTW, students don't pass my class without learning & I've repeatedly taught classes of 40+ students). So the educators who claim to have the students best interests at heart will stop almost 25% of those wishing to enroll from doing so just to maintain their light work-load and negotiation posture with management.

Lets not forget the UNION tells you what color socks to put on in the morning.

It what ways do your schools resemble a madrassa?

SJH- Any chance you could post the e mails you received from the unions? I'm sure it won't change the minds of the union zombies, but it could be enlightening for those who aren't aware of what is really going on. I had similar experiences to yours when I worked on a "2 gate" job as a non union carpenter. The union thugs would try to intimidate you if you worked too fast, or during breaktime etc. Fortunately, like gang members, they were only tough if they outnumbered you by 10 to 1 or more so we would just tell them to pound sand. I wondered why the builders would even allow a 2 gate job, but apparently they needed somebody to get the job done and fix the mistakes of the primadonna union hacks. Funny thing is off the job after work, most of the union guys were great to hang out with. I guess they have to play the part at work or be shunned by the brotherhood- strange breed.

__________________
1984 300TD 1981 240D

The teachers union in Australia is an "interesting" organization. It represents both teachers & principals. This often causes conflicts.
When a dispute is between a teacher & a principal, you have 2 union reps at the meeting, one representing each. It often ends up with the union walking away from things or the 2 slugging it out through the courts.

I often laugh with other professionals that are around my age (55).
When we think back to our university days, we remember the students that went into teaching. There were many DB dope heads that just got through science degrees that couldnt get a job so they went off & did a 1 year graduate diploma of education & became teachers. These were the bottom end of the intellectual pool at the university's. We now see the same ones telling us how to educate children. Many of these ex dope head DB's are now principals. I wouldnt trust them to train my dogs !!
Some years back as part of a study for a government inquiry, I was sponsored to undertake the studies required to become a teacher. If any one is interested in the reports just post asking & I will post a link. The study requirements were the biggest joke ever. I was able to work full time & still study full time without any problem. This was a far cry from my Chemical Engineering studies 35 years ago. Back then we were expected to work hard at our studies. I could see why teachers complain so much when they have to do a little work. They have never had to do a full days work as a student.
Most schools over here are empty till 8.15 in the morning with most teachers arriving at about 8.45, the place will be empty by 4.00 except on Fridays when there are after school drinks in the staff room from 3.45 till stumps. The gossip & complaining is far worse than the teenage girls in the school yard.

Sports teachers have the easiest ride of all. Out of a class of 25, there will be about 8, including the obese ones, that forget their sports gear every week. They just sit in the corner texting & playing with their phones. There is no real accountability. Unlike in maths, where students are tested every 6 months for progress against national bench marks, there is no such testing for sport. Provided the parents dont complain, the sports teacher is seen to be doing a good job. At the same time teenagers are loosing fitness & becoming obese. A few months ago I was at the swimming center in a near by town. There was a bus load of students there for swimming. Out of the 75 students, we counted 64 that were there as spectators only ! There were only 11 in their swimming gear. I guess being a spectator is now something they teach in schools!!!

I am amassed at the number of teachers married to ex students of theirs. It appears to be a past time of the first year teachers to go after the year 12's.

Many over here believe that no one should be permitted to teach secondary students unless they have a minimum of 10 years private work force experience. Problem is that the whole education system leadership is now stacked with ex dope head DB's that have no idea of what the larger part of society wants to see from education.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

I suspect not by much. The liberal mindset is so pervasive thruought society now that I think Academia is pretty much the same everywhere. What is your discipline?

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Being involved in liberal arts, I can tell you that most of the union stuff SJH mentioned would never fly at my school, at least within my discipline. Also, professors (in my experience) do their best to be completely devoid of politics in their teaching, unless the course specifically deals with it (i.e. political science). In fact many of my grad peers are conservative and intend on pursuing the academic life. I only had one professor have her politics show through, and it literally interrupted her teaching ability (if she even had any). She was a nutjob. I would be interested in hearing the differences between community colleges and FT universities - as SJH mentioned there are a lot of subcontractors who come in and teach a course or two rather than the FT professors of a uni, I imagine that makes a huge difference. As an aspiring academic I have come to expect 13+ hour days on a regular basis along with handling multiple research projects. The "40 weeks a year, 30 hours a week" doesn't apply to anyone who teaches graduate courses, believe me.

__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth