Posted by Phil Lewis on January 14, 2003 at 23:12:43:
In Reply to: for H.S. band directors posted by anti - N.E.A. on January 14, 2003 at 20:23:45:
It's always easy to blame one organization, administration, or group of people when things go wrong. I am a teacher in the state of Missouri and I can tell you that we are are losing almost 70% or our young teachers because teaching has become a nightmare that they are just not willing to face. I myself am looking forward to retirement in the next few years. Had I known 30 years ago the direction that education was going to take, I would have stayed in the military band. But, I had no way of knowing. Hindsight is always 20/20 vision and I really don't have too many regrets. I can tell you that kids have changed in that period of time. I can tell you that parent's notions of discipline and responsibility have changed in that time. What's wrong with America's Educational system? There isn't enough room to figure it out here. Let me just say that there are some wonderful kids in my bandroom who also happen to have wonderful parents. And there are some not so wonderful kids in my school, but we can't blame teachers, we can't blame parents, we can't blame George Bush, we can't blame Congress, we can't blame the NEA, we can't blame any ONE! We all have to take responsibility and work to correct whatever is ailing the system. What we can do is pay attention when school boards meet in your community and get involved. They are the ones who control your schools, not the NEA. If you have kids in school, you owe it to them to elect school board members whom you believe have your child's best interests at heart. Go to candidates meetings and listen to what they have to say. That's called being a responsible citizen. Indifference and apathy is more to blame than anything else, in my opinion.
I don't belong to the NEA and I don't know exactly what they were hoping to achieve. If the article is correct, and that's assuming a lot, then it certainly raises some valuable questions! You can't always believe everything you read, no matter how esteemed the author may or may not be. They are human and have their own opinions and can sometimes just be talented in structuring their phrases to make themselves sound good. I read the article and the author left many glaring holes and unanswered questions. I would hate to base my entire opinion of the situation on just this one article.
As I try to dismount my "soap box" without injuring myself, let me say that there are many good things happening in todays schools. Most band directors are probably like me: they get up in the morning and go to work in hopes of opening their student's eyes to the wonderful world of music. Plain and simple! We're not politicians. We're not propagandists. We're not evil. We're just ordinary folk trying enrich people's lives through the medium of music.
Phil "that's my 2 cents worth" Lewis
Please carry on about your duties as if nothing happened and maybe he'll go away.