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Sunday, March 3, 2013 | 2:02 a.m.
Another view?
View more of the Las Vegas Sun's opinion section:
• Editorials - the Sun's viewpoint.
• Columnists - local and syndicated writers.
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Have your own opinion? Write a letter to the editor.
Everything that is wrong in the U.S. is blamed on the president.
Ultimately, the buck does stop there. We never blame ourselves for our irresponsibility — financial, moral and personal. We never blame ourselves and how our collective actions could possibly influence global events.
However, in education, we somehow misplaced the blame. Instead of blaming those where the infernal buck stops, we find an easier target: teachers.
Let us look at unemployment. Instead of blaming those who set hiring policies and decisions, we blame the unions.
Why the shift?
The president proposes solutions that are preventive rather than palliative, and we holler and scream. Those who are setting education policies are proposing palliative solutions instead of preventive, and we agree: persecute teachers and ban unions.
Are we really this naive and ignorant so as to swallow this fallacy?
Many of us do, causing a rift in our social fabric. I can only hope the pendulum begins swinging back before anarchy takes over.
God save the USA from its own folly.
Unfortunately Nancy, teacher unions are a "special interest" group designed to benefit teachers at the expense of tax payers. More pay, higher taxes and more political clout to effect election outcomes are seen as its primary goals. Most Nevadans would support increased education funding if it would identify and help those who need help graduating from high school the most. The funding needs to support programs aligned with this objective. Admittedly, it's bad optics to have a union boss posting a letter like Lynn Warne did on 2/11/13 (article linked below) asking for money without a dedicated purpose for the funds. The title to the article was "Our kids pay when the rich don't" yet the teacher union boss did not outline one single program that would benefit students. Teacher unions are a special interest group like any other designed to boost teacher pay and political clout for itself.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/feb...
Many teachers should be paid more. Many administrators are paid too much. We have too many administrators and other non-teaching personnel and too few teachers. The teacher's union wants to ignore most of the above and ask for higher taxes to be used in ways that are undefined.
Many taxpayers are no longer going to support more funding when those underlying issues are never dealt with.
Michael
When Bush was President everything that was wrong was Bush's fault
Reid and Pelosi who ran Congress since 2007 had no role or no fault according to Democrats
Obama ran blaming everything on Bush
In fact Obama ran twice 2008 and 2012 blaming everything on Bush
Nancy says "God save the USA from its own folly."
So true our dependency society elected Obama twice
--
Did you hear about the sequester - Obama is now saying not my responsibility
Pure hypocrisy.
Obama said in November 2011 "Some in Congress are trying to undo these automatic spending cuts. My message to them is simple No....I will veto any effort to get rid of those automatic spending cuts. There will be no easy off ramp"
Pure hypocrisy. When conservative proposed deduction elimination as part of TAX REFORM Obama claimed it did not add up - the math did not work.
Pure hypocrisy. Well tough -
the SEQUESTER was Obama's idea,
Obama signed the bill,
Obama failed to lead the Super-committee to a revised deal,
Obama said he would veto any effort to get rid of the sequester,
and Obama had over a year to plan an orderly implementation.
RefNV - "Unfortunately Nancy, teacher unions are a "special interest" group designed to benefit teachers at the expense of tax payers."
Complete nonsense, no one teaches because of the "great salary" they earn. Everyone in this country knows teachers are severly underpaid, still carrying loans from their college years. Teachers teach because they love teaching, period. Right here in Nevada teachers use their own money to purchase schools supplies because the state has failed to do so. To me, that is a dedication few have in other fields.
Future is a worn out 45rpm record stuck in the same groove ... tick ... obama ... tick ... obama ... tick ... obama ... tick ... obama ...
Get a life.
The story goes that education problems are the fault of teachers. That reasoning would make crime the fault of police officers and fires the fault of firefighters.
But, before you despair, remember this story is brought to you by special interests who favor pay cuts for teachers and tax cuts for millionaires. These are the folks who would sell you that the first responder heros of 2001 are now the greedy villains of 2013 and the greedy villains of 2008 are now the "job creating" heros of 2013.
Consider the source!
Jim Weber,
I stand by my point regarding teacher unions that I made in my comment above. No one so far has compelled me to add to what I've already written.
Nancy says that everything is blamed on President Obama. I find that statement odd, given that President Obama just won re-election by a comfortable margin and that the approval rating of Congress is consistently below 10 %.
I understand that Ms Agustin likes the President and agrees with what he is doing but that should not blind anyone into thinking that the dissatisfaction a large number of Americans have with our present situation is all being blamed on President Obama. He is taking some of the blame, along with the Congress and our two parties and that is as it should be. Collectively, they are all doing a very poor job.
Michael
Talk about generalities! Vernos writes that "no one teaches because of the great salary they earn," and "everyone in the country knows teachers are severely underpaid." Wow! Vernos has actually talked with every teacher and has met everyone in the country? That's typical of the left; making up "facts" that meet their socialist agenda. Blaming the teachers for the putrid state of public education is akin to blaming Wal-mart employes for the prices on the shelves. Policy does not start at the bottom; it begins at the top and that's the problem with the public school system in a nutshell. It stinks at the top! That's where the decisions to "indoctrinate" rather then "educate" begin. The public shool system has become the new "plantation" and teachers do what their masters bid them to do: bend the minds of the young into believing they are incapable of independent thought and must rely on bureaucratic pencil-pushing drones to direct their lives. The only way to correct the situation is to dismantle the public school system in favor of a competitive one. The best and brightest teachers have little to fear and lots to gain. They will not only remain employed; they will prosper financially, intellectually and have a greater feeling of satisfaction since they will be doing what they really want to do: educate youngsters, not just be fair-to-middling baby sitters for the political establishment.
@Michael I disagree. I don't feel that the president has or will ever except blame for anything. If so name one thing.
Everybody is blaming Obama??? Whar nonsense! Our Main Stream Media are still in thrall and keep praising him for 5 years running. Contrast that with their treatment of Bush: "It's all Bush's fault!" they keep shouting 4 years after the poor guy retired to his ranch. The only two things Bush did wrong are these:
1) His "compassionate conservatism" helped provoke the Democrat-caused housing bust where the banks were forced by threats of fines and prison to give mortgages to some 1,200,000 people who had not a snowball's chance in hell to ever pay for them.
2) "Islam is a religion of piece" Bush said. What nonsense! Islam is not a faith - it is and has been for 14 centuries a political program of conquest by force of arms or terror, of forced conversions, slavery when resisted, and mass murder.
"Are we really this naive and ignorant so as to swallow this fallacy?" (Nancy Agustin)
Of course you referring to all the Fox news loyal followers.
I am sure Ms Agustin is one of these liberals who just can't stand for anyone to disagree with Barack Obama on anything. I am sure she thinks everyone should just shut up and let Obama do as he pleases. I wonder if she felt the same way when Bush Jr was in office or when Obama himself was laying blame for all of America's problems at this Presidents feet?
As former President Harry S. Truman once said,the buck stops here.
In Jan 2009 Obama took office with two mismanaged wars and a collapsed economy. The Iraq-Afghanistan money sinkholes have, or eventually will, cost taxpayers several trillion dollars. Wounded or killed war veterans and their families will have to be cared for for many years to come.
The Great Recession left many families without homes, retirement savings and, most importantly, jobs.
Those were the challenges the new president faced from day one. On day two Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell said that goal #1 for Congressional republicans was to ensure that Obama was not reelected. They promptly went about setting up roadblocks to create gridlock, hoping that they could make Obama an even worse president than GW Bush, as if that were even possible.
The GOP's obstructionist scheme was a dismal failure as the president passed the Affordable Care Act, saved General Motors and Chrysler and, in a decisive blow to the global terrorist network, hunted down Osama bin Laden with a daring raid that, had it failed, would have spelled doom for Obama's presidency.
The bottom line is that President Obama has been a very successful president. If not for traitorous republicans bent on sabotaging every attempt to get us out of this GOP-created sinkhole, all Americans, not just the super rich, would be far better off today.
All I want you people to do is FIND who is RESPONSIBLE for the failures of education - where the INFERNAL BUCK stops.
The argument about teachers and unions is getting old. It really and simply is ignorant to place that blame considering that most of those who comment here are not or never have been in a classroom - actually doing everything a teacher does. One or three years of teaching or having a girlfriend in education does not make you an education expert either.
There is only a whole 50 minutes in a day afforded teachers to prepare lessons and materials, grade papers and enter them in grade books. There are a whole lot of other duties. In the many years I have taught, I have yet to discover a trick to do a good job for the seven hours I am paid to do it.
So, why are you blaming us for the failures in education? Would you blame the sinking of the Titanic on the deckhands?
We have no voice when policies are formulated. Teachers are never consulted when major decisions are made. Why are teachers blamed for their failure? Why are you cutting our salary and benefits? Shall we charge you for everything we buy for our students that the district does not provide? NO! We will not do that. It is part of our job! And, we stay as teachers because no one else care for children. Not the government, not this community, and not too many parents.
If you paid a baby sitter for a low rate of $2.00 per hour for seven hours a day, 20 days in a month, and multiply it by 35 children, you are getting a really good bargain. And, babysitters don't even have to teach them anything!
We are doing a job no one else wants. HOW DARE ANY of you accuse us of being greedy. Where would your children be if there weren't any teachers?
Freeman -
I wouldn't even consider there was a possibility of changing your mind about anything. We are all products of our life experiences and yours and mine obviously differ.
I give the President all the credit in the world for the successful guns and ammo industries, it didn't involve the US Treasury, bailouts or the national debt.
Well, to be fair I have to give Joe credit too. Buy A shotgun ladies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia4csoQLv...
Willard Romney was on Fixed News today, whining about the "liberal media" that ended his impossible dream of becoming the first Mormon president.
It was all the liberal media's fault that Willard got caught speaking from his hard heart as he slandered half the country's citizens.
It was all the liberal media's fault that he was caught flip-flopping on, well, everything. It was the liberal media's fault that he was a clumsy, awkward candidate, an out of touch elitist who kept his vast fortune stashed away in Switzerland, the Caymans and Bermuda. It was the liberal media's fault that he's not sitting in the Oval Office handing out unnecessary tax cuts to people/corporations and the super rich top 1%.
Wouldn't it be nice if, just once, Willard and his incompetent party accepted blame for their damaging failures?
Asadteacher bitterly says:
"All I want you people to do is FIND who is RESPONSIBLE for the failures of education - where the INFERNAL BUCK stops.
-- Classic question when dealing with a government institution. In the government environment nobody is responsible and everyone is collectively responsible. That great new for government leaders. In private business you get fired or go bankrupt
The argument about teachers and unions is getting old....having a girlfriend in education does not make you an education expert either....
--- well if we are not education experts why did you ask the first question
I have yet to discover a trick to do a good job for the seven hours I am paid to do it.
--- most of us have to work an eight hour day and we do not watch the clock and beat it out the door
We have no voice when policies are formulated.....Teachers are never consulted when major decisions are made.
--- Not true you have the same right to blog, go to school board meetings, talk to management, in fact you have a Union that protects all your work rules and forciblely carries your water. Get on with it
We stay as teachers because no one else care for children. Not the government, not this community, and not too many parents.
--- Speak for millions of parents I reject this callous characterization. You need to get over yourself.
We are doing a job no one else wants. HOW DARE ANY of you accuse us of being greedy. Where would your children be if there weren't any teachers?
--- I know a lot of teacher that do not share your belief that nobody want to teach. As for yourself you should find another job
"I know a lot of teacher that do not share your belief that nobody want to teach. As for yourself you should find another job".
Nancy, this is sound advice from Future. According to many on the left, the economy is improving which means job opportunities for all ages. Why be so miserable being in a job you don't like? Be bold and try a new profession while letting a college grad sharpen their teaching skills as a teaching replacement in your place. This move would reduce your stress. Give it a try Nancy.
Society as a whole needs to take responsibility for thier own actions. We have your everday normal families who have parents who go to work, send kids off to school, help with the homework in the evening, reinforce the childs education and values and use discipline when nedded. Then you have the rest who look to blame everyone else for thier disfunctional lifestyle and values that they pass on to thier kids, who in turn pass onto thier kids etc,,, . In Nevada it's hard not to be the disfunctional ones with all the distractions we have to lure in tourist and end up using it ourselves, but it's not impossible to achieve and the blaming game would be no more.
Get over it. Try being an auditor. Investigator. Cop. MANY occupations face the finger pointers. Teachers are SUPPOSED TO BE teaching, not networking, misbehaving at public meetings, crying for more money, more money, more money.
Future obviously has a mind like a steel trap. Once closed it will not reopen for any reason whatsoever. Facts are immaterial.
The final straw is his repeating, yet once again, the Republican't canard that "the SEQUESTER was Obama's idea". True, the idea did originate in the White House - as a measure so severe that NOBODY would allow it to take effect. That idea passed both houses of Congress with large majorities, the Republicans voting overwhelmingly for it. John Boehner specifically stated that "When you look at this final agreement that we came to with the white House, I got 98 percent of what I wanted. I'm pretty happy."
Okay. We've heard from the shill bunch and a few of the concerned ones.
Let's hear from the more reasonable/intelligent bunch.
Anybody?
LastThroes - "Willard Romney was on Fixed News today, whining about the "liberal media" that ended his impossible dream of becoming the first Mormon president."
Real news is news regardless of the source. It's never GOP candidates, policies or social issues, it's always the media that's the scape goat. That is why a few, very few Republicans have spoken up and said the GOP is the party of stupid. Just think about the fact that the most popular Republican governor in the country wasn't invited to the CPAC because he had the audacity to work with Obama in helping the citizens of his state. This CPAC will have the same, old, tiring, string of losers speaking about the evils of government: Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Allen West. Saying the same tiring BS about the "commie/socialist/nazi" president in the White House. The rest of the real world is looking at these people saying, WTF? The GOP will suffer for years to come because their leaders are stuck in self made bizarro world.
Part 1 of 2
What part in American history President Barack Obama has played, will be determined over time, when the dust settles, ad his "legacy" is then established. Until then, it is all controversy, subject to change, and evolving. The United States of America never had a "perfect" president, even one without some controversy surrounding him, so what is the big deal?
Blame: A state as resource rich as Nevada, should have been able to adequately fund its infrastructure, yet it has neglected to do so for over a century. Lawmakers need to get with the program and change the Nevada Constitution and update tax laws regarding the MINING industry, closing loopholes and excessive exemptions. MINING needs to pay a FAIR tax to Nevada, at least an average of the tax amount they pay to the other 49 states.
Put some perspective into unions/associations: any organization/association, "representing" (people) its members, cannot possibly 100% represent each and every person/member. Those working daily in their positions, cannot leave all the time to negotiate their contracts, nor travel across the state or country to voice their political concerns with issues.
Most teachers will tell you that they much rather be at their workplace, doing their job, than to have a "substitute" in their classrooms. When a "sub" comes in, the substitute usually is NOT certificated, nor is a highly qualified teacher, and rarely do they follow and TEACH the lesson plans left for them. In a nutshell, having a "substitute teacher" to replace you (when you are outside the classroom negotiating a contract, for example) is a nightmare!!! So teachers rely on union representatives to be there representing in their stead. Can you blame teachers for wanting to have a representative travel and do negotiation business? Reasonable folks would certainly understand why.
Blessings and Peace,
Star
Part 2 of 2
It COSTS school districts MORE in lost productivity and it results in reduced high stakes(CRT & HSPE) test scores, when full-time employees are replaced with low quality substitutes. None of us want that.
The regular classroom teacher usually returns to a hot mess, lessons not taught, students requiring special services possibly not serviced, and a long list of problems with students. So the next best alternative is for teachers to have a union or association "representative" in their place, to deal with contract negotiations, legal matters, and politics. Is that so bad?
Are unions, associations, or even clubs perfect? NO. Where ever you have human beings, you have differences.
A good old saying: You can't please all the people all of the time, but you can please some of the people, some of the time.
Quality of life is as good as the effort one puts into it, vests their personal energies into for their own betterment. When it comes down to it, we are witnessing the values each individual holds and lives. The blame begins with personal responsibility...that is where the "buck stops" my friends. And to Nevada Lawmakers: no more kicking the can down the road.
Blessings and Peace,
Star
Agustin,
You started your letter with an irrational untruth -- "Everything that is wrong in the U.S. is blamed on the president." A totally emotional non sequitur that begat the obvious inane pablum.
Then later, you lament the lack of response from the "more reasonable/intelligent bunch."
Quite frankly, no reasonable person should comment. I have already given you more time than your letter warrants.
Purgatory
ReNV,
"Unfortunately Nancy, teacher unions are a "special interest" group..."
I'm sorry but everyone belongs to some form of "special interest" group, organized or not.
Nancy, good article and comments. Keep being an informative source!
Purgatory:
Then why bother.
You're not one of those whose ideas this country needs, nor the one I am hoping to comment. OBVIOUSLY!
Sorry. You're not in this club.
Thanks anyway.
Please. If you have nothing to contribute, don't hurt yourself.
Thanks to you Peacelilly. You are one of those I really admire, not because of your support, but because you are one of the sanest and the most logical.
Peacelilly: I'm sorry but everyone belongs to some form of "special interest" group, organized or not.
Thing is that most special interest groups don't have monopoly privileges granted to them by the coercive force of the federal government.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with collective bargaining or special interest groups, so long as they don't prosper at the expense of the everyone else. Why should union violence be ignored by LE upon those trying to earn a living? It's all about politics and campaign contributions.
Pat, I don't condone violence by any individual or any group. It is the responsibility of leaders and membership to stop those who would be violent.
It isn't difficult to locate the reason for governmental involvement to secure the safety of union members and their efforts. The is a history of anti-union violence as well as efforts to interfere with the rights of people to organize for very just reasons.
I also don't like monopolies. Residents, ratepayers, and voters are the one's who need to weigh in en mass and be heard on that account. Even political parties are a form of unions.
IMO, Citizen's United needs somehow to be reversed in giving corporations and unions "personhood" status.
The reference to profiting "from everyone else" has broad implications which could become very extreme in any direction. In our society, someone is often profiting off someone else, rightly or wrongly, in one way or another.
Viewpoints often depend on who is the profiteer and who is the one profit is derived from. That is simply the effect of a capitalist system.
It is human nature to not want to be exploited, and the result is people joining with each other to prevent that. It is almost impossible to do it as an individual. However, violence is not the way to achieve justice, in my view.
We have to move beyond that basic capitalist concept, and join it to a balanced societal reference and values. We need to be able to bend and blend.
The term "special interest" is a term that should never have been coined. It has resulted in serious divisions in our society, rather than an effort to unite and seek justice as one nation. Sadly, we have allowed this political tool of manipulation to become a power saw in our nation.
Nancy......Very good letter.
Teachers are the best people in our society.
But you wouldn't know it by reading ignorant
republican comments.
How did republicans become this ignorant, you
might ask?
Maybe they were brain-washed by their parents or
maybe they were dropped on their heads as
children.
Who knows?
Lucky for us, we have our great PRESIDENT OBAMA
teaching us everyday and fixing the huge mess
that Bush and the horrible republican party left
him.
republicans are against public school teachers
and labor unions.
Just one of the many reasons that the majority
booted them out of the White House.
We will still make progress despite these
horrible republicans.
Next year the majority will boot them out of the
House of Reps.
Then, we will really sail.
LIVE BETTER/WORK UNION!
Peacelily wrote @9:28pm "We have to move beyond that basic capitalist concept, and join it to a balanced societal reference and values".
Why not explain your idea about splitting the United States into 3 or 4 countries concept Peacelily:
"I would like to split the country into 3-4 sovereign nations based on the political philosophy the people hold to. One for Republicans, one for Democrats, one for Libertarians, and one for Greens........If any of those countries want to be capitalists, fine. If any want to be democratic socialists, fine".
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/oct...
The federal Dept of Education wouldn't be missed at all.
As long as we continue to use a 19th Century work model to create instructions for 21st Century children, we will fail them.
The blame is not with the teachers, or the administrators, or the union, or the pay. The blame is with the system.
Educational methods have evolved too slowly. The entire process of teaching requires a massive overhaul, with a great usage of technology, and creative thinking equal to the space program and the internet.
There is no leadership willing to take on that challenge.
Agustin,
I sometimes fall into the irrational category, that is why I commented. Respectfully, the next time you write a letter to Mr. Sun, please take the time to make it coherent and with a stated point that you wish the rest of us to understand.
Or don't.
And, Peacelilly, please revisit your comment - "Nancy, good article and comments. Keep being an informative source!" There was not a scintilla of information in the entirety of her words. It was all...well, never mind.
This is what "we" need from you: Less emotion and more logic and reasoning. "We," your fellow citizens and fellow earthlings, will need your energy spent better directed if we are ever to get ourselves out of the mess caused by the emotional folks who came before.
Purgatory
The buck does NOT stop at the President for everything. It stops right here in Vegas for unacceptable K-12, for unacceptable / ineffective higher ed, for unsustainable compensation to local government employees. The buck stops at the Legislature for failure to reign-in unconscionable city / county / SD budgets on a recurring basis.
RefNV,
No need to repeat my answers to your copy & paste quote. You can look it up easily enough, if your memory fails you again.
Purgatory,
I can only express my personal thoughts in my own way, as does everyone else. I also try to refrain from insults of other commentors.
How people react to other's comments can reflect their own emotional state, rather than the actual comment or presumed appearance of emotion.
What I consider informative may not be the same for you. Again, my comments relate to my own response to what I read.
The mess we are in took a great many people to create it. I don't see many signs of any individual or group with the ability to clear it up.
Sometimes, things have to get to the worst possible effect before people will join together to find a solution. With so many huge divisions & problems, it is going to take a huge response.
I don't see that on the horizon, and I'm not even sure it can be reversed.
Perhaps that is the inheritance to the 'children and grandchildren', to clean up the mess of their ancestors.
I've had a long life, and from a young age onward was involved in helping and serving others, being involved in political and social activism. Now, I am very limited in my abilities, so I share my thoughts and enjoy reading those of others.
Best wishes to both you and RevNF!
Peacelily
Nancy Agustin writes nice little readers digest letters to the editor (Letters should be no more than 250 words and include the writer's name, address and telephone number.) and RefNV frequently makes the comment that Nancy is a member of a "Special Interest group", similar in tone how white people used to talk about black folks in the days of reconstruction.
Other people put her personal wages and benefits on the here internets as a way to make people think she is undeserving of respect because she has become a member of America's middle class.
I just like reading her optimistic attitude.
Nancy,
It seems like your an attraction to distractions. The opposition to your posts remains consistence. Now you know what to expect from a future Nancy Agustin post.
Have you notice each time you post, the same commentators attack and attack. Your a magnet for the unreasonable. Plus your a nice fighter. Throwing soft ball and turning the other cheek.
There is an old saying, "don't argue with idiots, they will beat you with experience."
Oh, I am not writing to win. I do not know them so I can not possibly care about what they say. Many of them are just plain ignorant of what really goes on in our schools.
I know I will never convince them to think otherwise, because conservatives do not even attempt to think about other ideas. They tend to stick to what they believe as divine truth.
I write because I want the actual truth to have equal exposure - a repudiation of their propaganda and lies.
Thanks.
Dwight Jones is quitting!
I hope it was something *I* said. Tee Hee!