Sound Off!

You do have a problem with the population. But it is not an unusual problem and it is not likely to change. You can complain about all the bad students and bad parents, but you can't fix them, you can only fix yourselves.

The illegal problem causes most of your language and cultural issues. So the school district should be in favor of legislation to deal with illegals.

Yes I have taught the child who spent last night in the aunt's car. And the child who's father and or mother are in prison. The child who brought a note saying that the school had persmission to take him and purchase shoes.

I've overheard the HS girls talking about wanting to get pregant. And incredibily HS girls and boys asking who has the "stuff" today.

As a sub I am, in the upper grades, pretty much invisible. Teachers and students talk with each other in lunch rooms and halls as if I do not exist.

This district has problems. Some are the result of central office, not money problems, but "we'll put our heads in the sand" problems. Some are poorly administered schools and poor quality teachers or teachers who are just tired of it all.

There are always good administrators and good teachers and good staff. But they are working inside a broken system.

Again, you cannot change the nature of the student or his/her parents.

So the schools must change themselves to deal effectivly with the population you have.

This conversation started with a comment that the schools were about the teachers. I agree, policies are developed to accomodate teachers. Our schools need to change their focus to the students.

getreal wrote:

Our schools have a 30% drop out rate. They are incapable of making their annual yearly progress.
As long as we allow them to continue to blame everyone else for their failures, they will never change.

Bravo!! There is a major problem in our schools, especially in the math and science. Just go to NMSU and talk to the Math, Physics, Chemistry or Engineering department professors and they will tell you how the product quality coming out of NM high schools has decreased significantly in the past 10 years. Something has got to change.