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Being an ex-teacher, I can now criticize our educational system for all
its faults. It's like the old adage, "If you want to know how to raise a
kid, ask an old maid.
My first comment is that it costs more today to amuse a child than it
did to educate his father. My compadre graduated from the second grade
in Mexico in the 1950's and he has beautiful handwriting, solves math
problems without a calculator, and says, "Yes, Sir." and "Thank you." He
even predicted the drought of '96 based on some Mayan philosophy
involving the moon. He even informed me that a full moon lasts only 8
hours and that corn ear-worm larvae migrate only during the full moon. I
have a Master's Degree and can't even argue with him.
As a classroom teacher, I never liked coaches. They wanted the athletes
to pass just so they could play in the big game. How many of our young
people are going to grow up and make a living in professional sports? I
did meet one coach I respected. When he came to be interviewed he told
the board he wanted a two-year contract period. He said, "If I'm a
winner, I go on to a bigger and better school. If I'm a loser, you'll be
wanting me to leave." He moved up and on and has a state champ trophy.
But what do you do with coaches who can't win? Move them into
administration? Which reminds me of the poorest teacher I had in my 12
years of public school. He was fresh out of college and trying to teach
science in his home town. He couldn't handle the kids. We even called
him by his first name. And what became of him? He got on with a college,
teaching education and supervising student teachers. Today, he's dean of
the college. He's a nice guy - he just couldn't teach biology.
Something to ponder as we head into a new school year. Who runs the
school?
The superintendent is afraid of the school board.
The principal is afraid of the superintendent.
The teacher is afraid of the principal.
The teacher is afraid of the parent(s).
The parent(s) is/are afraid of the kids.
The kids ain't afraid of nobody!
EDITOR'S NOTE: Jerry Hulsey is a former school teacher who writes for
fun.
It's that time of year again. Summer camps are closed. Neighborhood
pools are quiet. Soon, school bells will ring again and the hustle and
bustle of a new school year will begin.
As their children strap on the backpacks and say goodbye to summer,
many parents are once again evaluating the education that their children
are receiving. Every parent has a right to expect that their child
should get the best education possible.
The debate over education is not new to this nation. Education is often
the center of heated political debates. Foremost in that debate is the
federal government's role in educating our children.
For too many years this country's education policies have been
one-size-fits-all mandates dictated from bureaucrats in Washingotn. We
all know that schools in Crystal City don't have the same problems as
schools in New York City. How can we expect Washington insiders to make
the best decisions for our schools when schools eight blocks from them
are in shambles?
Each year innovative education reform proposals are bantered about. And
each year, the liberal education bureaucrats claim that anyone who wants
to reduce the size of the U.S. Department of Education must be against
education. Let's be realistic.
No one is against education. It's going to take action from
individuals, not more government, to improve education. This Congress
has sought to ensure that education money is spent on educating, not
paying for endless red tape.
For example, the House recently passed its Labor, Health and Human
Services and Education Appropriations Act for fiscal year 1997, which
increased overall spending on education by $2.4 billion. This bill is a
practical solution intended to target those effective education programs
that have produced real results. The bill also eliminates many of the
costly federal mandates handed down by Washington. This type of
practical, bottom-up reform is just what we need.
Maybe now Washington is finally learning its leasson. Finally, there is
initiative to return the control over eeucation back where it belongs,
with the parents and teachers. It's about time for Washington to step
aside and let Texans decide how to educate Texans.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Henry Bonilla represents the 23rd Congressional District
in the U.S. House of Representatives.
There is another Texan in this prison where I'm at, who's also a white
man. Jerry from Dallas, he's been been here a while and we get along
good and share all news from the homeland. I myself am an offshore
oilfield worker who grew up in El Paso and worked all over the state
starting out of Odessa and Fort Stockton.
Anyway, Jerry and I have no one to write to back in Texas. I'm 39 and
single; Jerry 35 and single. We would like to write to people back
there. Also I would like to ask if I could maybe get a Pecos newspaper
sent to me twice a month ? I've got a few dollars and would galdly pay
for them. We don't get paid for our work here at this prison. I'm also
going to school to get my G.E.D. while here. I'm very busy from 5 a.m.
til 11 a.m. never get much reading done with my hours. Sure do enjoy
Texas news.
I saw that I could also get access to these newspapers, but do not need
but a few at a time, because of what I'm allowed to have in at this
prison by rules. Could you help me to obtain these as follows. Hope you
will work with me til get funding right? 1. Pecos Enterprise 2. Alpine
Avalanche 3. International Presidio-Ojinaga Mexico 4. Fort Stockton
Pioneer. Could you help me work this out ? Please one issue of a
newspaper each week. I will be glad to pay.
If you can come up with any other suggestion to help me, I would be
most grateful. Please help me to keep in touch with my homeland. Jerry
and I both intend on reforming while here and look forward to get back.
Would love to get news from women and any pictures as well. Hope this
ain't asking too much. Will wait a reply. Thanks very much and we will
answer all letters.
(We big fans) Go--Cowboys & Oilers--Astros & Rangers.
Adios Amigos.
Joseph Wilson 357011
Montgomery State Prison
P.O.Box 256 D-3-B-09
Mt. Vernon, GA 30445
Jerry Hayes 207441
Montgomery State Prison
P.O.Box 256 D-4-B-14
Mt. Vernon, GA 30445
Your readers should also know how to contact an excellent nonprofit
source of help, the 49-year-old Stuttering Foundation of America. All of
our energies go into working to help those who stutter, not picketing
Warner Brothers about Porky.
We provide a nationwide referral list, videotapes, free brochures and
accurate information on stuttering written by the leading authorities in
the field of speech and language pathology.
For more information, offered free of charge, your readers may write us
at P.O. Box 11749, Memphis, TN 38111-0749, e-mail: stuttersfa@aol.com,
or call our toll-free Hotline on Stuttering at 1-800-992-9392.
Jane Fraser, president
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