In Praise of Teachers
Two editions of your magazine have had articles that were critical of public education. "An Unlikely Spot at the Head of the Class" [October 2] about Boston schools insinuates that it was only when the schools were freed of the teachers union that the schools were able to be innovative. "Fast Times, Revisited" [September 25], an interview with the young man who pretended to be a high school student in a Los Angeles school, portrayed teachers as uncaring and lazy. The piece also mentioned 40 students in a class, and the young man seemed to see nothing wrong with that. As a public school teacher I feel that U.S. News is painting public schools and teachers with a pretty broad brush. Research tells us that the two indicators of student success are the education level of the mother and the economic status of the family. Teachers deserve our respect and understanding for the tough job that they are doing every day, often trying to take the place of the absent parent. I am lucky enough to teach at a high-functioning suburban school in Wisconsin with very few of the problems like those mentioned in your articles. Most of our children come to school ready to learn, with parents who value what we are trying to achieve. Even so, my job is tough and challenging, and for much lower pay than other professions that require as much education as I have. I love my job and feel that I am doing my civic duty by sacrificing monetary gain for making a difference in the world. Isn't it about time that journalists and politicians tell the real story about public education?
TAMARA JOHNSON
Wales, Wis.
High School Hoax?
I was appalled at the portrayal of high school students in "Fast Times, Revisited" [September 25] in an interview with Jeremy Iversen. Posing as a high school student, Iversen visited one high school, in one area, in one state. High school graduates around the country could explain to him that individual states are responsible for the school systems within each state. Surprisingly enough, that is why a person cannot possibly expect to go into one high school, study it for a year, and then make vast conclusions for the entire nation as a whole. This is the impression I got from your article. Not once did it mention that this reflects only one school system. It is also important to consider the sort of funding a school receives based on property taxes and to consider whether the school system relies on the performance of its students on standardized tests for funding. If Iversen had truly wanted to know what high school is like in the United States, he would not have done one case study. He should have done several case studies: at least one in every state and in every setting; schools with a lot of funding and schools with little to no funding, etc. America is a diverse place where each school district is drastically different from another.
REBEKAH L. RAFFENSPERGER
Grantham, Pa.
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