"atlas shrugged" and the public school system

The public school system could be the single finest example of the culture and society written about by Ayn Rand in "Atlas Shrugged." Disenfranchise the teachers who make the system work. Hand all power to the entitled masses--students and parents who want everything, right now, without having to work for it. And don't you dare try to enforce a system of discipline, in any form whatsoever, because it might hinder the child's "natural development."

What we have is a system specifically constructed to shift any and all responsibility (and blame) onto the one person most powerless to effect change in the system.

Teachers are continually asked to give above and beyond--in their time, in their money, in their passion. When problems arise, they become the scapegoats for a system geared entirely to preserve test and campus scores and reputations for schools and school systems.

It takes only one unfounded complaint from a student to end a career. One female student claims a male teacher has touched her, one student claims a teacher has grabbed him, one student claims that a teacher said something inappropriate, and that teacher no longer has a career, with or without any poof. They may even face criminal charges. They may lose some of their rights, in the name of a thankless job with ridiculous hours and demands, that pays them practically nothing for their efforts.

I was never much of a proponent or supporter of unions, but today, in the climate engufling public shools, it's absolutely vital to be a part of one. If you are a teacher, you NEED the union. It will sometimes be the only thing standing between you and ruin. And even with the help, you may still suffer injustice and unfairness. But join. It's worth the money you'll pay. As things continue to detirorate in the public school system, you'll eventually find that you need more help than you would have thought possible.