That's what I always say about teaching. The people who control the money in education (publishers; politicians) would like you to believe that everything wrong with education is the fault of the teacher. Sadly, there are enough morons in this world that believe the rhetoric. Eliminating the unnecessary upper level positions (the ones that make all the money in jobs created so they could have a job) would free up money to spend on #1 Teachers and #2 Facilities.
Raising teacher pay to a desirable level would cure many of the "bad teacher" rhetoric that exists because now there would be a natural competition for the job. Instead of the best and brightest blowing off a teaching career to pursue a more profitable calling, they would teach and there would be more competition for jobs and therefore the less capable teachers would be naturally forced out. It would also restore respect to the profession and make teaching desirable again. There are a whole list of things it would do to improve the education system but I've been on this soapbox before.
#2: for the past twenty years my school has been in a constant state of construction and remodel but we're an anomaly. There are schools all over the country that haven't experienced any type of modernization or repair in that same amount of time. Could you imagine having thousands of people in your home every day for twenty years and not spending any money for upkeep? That's what's happening in too many places in our country. I believe one of the reasons my school is ranked so high is because we spend the money on facilities and our school feels clean, safe and like an institute of learning. Hard to learn if most of your lights are broken, ceiling panels are missing and stained and the heat/AC is non-existent, water fountains don't work, toilets are gross etc.
So much to rant about.
::sigh::
