OT: The pay ...

[Leon]

Ok, 5 teachers cannot do it all regardless of how much you pay them. '~)

[Highland Pairos]

You make very good points. My primary point was that this is not an easy issue. While I agree that there are great issues with leadership in this country, I do not think that the issue of seatbelts in school buses is a simple one that just boils down to politicians and bus companies trying to make cheap buses. Seatbelts would be an easy and relatively inexpensive solution, if it were the right one. It just simply is not that easy. Currently schoolbuses have a laundry list of design criteria for the sake of safety. Now, can they be safer? Perhaps. Is there a better answer? Probably. Do I have them? Not at all. But having worked in the bus transportation business I can tell you that this is an issue that is hotly debated even among the professionals and executives in that particular segment of the industry. Incidents like the one in Minnesota will renew this debate within the industry and will cause a number of people to honestly question how they have been doing things. Hopefully that debate and examination will at some point lead to a solution.

SteveP.

[mac davis]

But they might motivate a few of the lard assed ones by example.. like by making

2 or 3 times as much each payday..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[J. Clarke]

You are aware, are you not, that teachers have a union?

[Doug Miller]

The real problem here isn't the lack of seat belts on the school bus. The real problem here is the illegal alien with no driver's license who ran a stop sign and collided with the bus.

[George]

And the most generous contributer to their "friends" in politics. Like their party or not, you have to contribute.

[Fly-by-Night CC]

.....

I'm not so sure this is true (at least in Oregon) - I believe a teacher must allocate any political contributions to a dedicated fund overseen by the union. At least that's the way the non-licensed union runs things.

[mac davis]

So do/did the auto workers in Detroit..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Edwin Pawlowski]

You are kidding right? You have to be involved in the school and what your kids are doing. When my children had an incompetent teacher, I made the school aware, as did other concerned parents. Those two teachers no longer teach in those schools. My kids are long out of school, but one of their high school teachers that is well entrenched in the system finally got bounced after 20+ years. It can be done and should be done.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

What is more sad is the fact that most of the really bad teacher seem to become the administrators. And they all have an assistant or two. Talk about top heavy management.

[Fly-by-Night CC]

No I wasn't kidding. I was referring to those who criticize and belly-ache because they heard about so and so or read something on the 'net. You must be involved in the schools to know what's really going on.

For example, that the mention of God or religious articles are banned in public schools lament. I may think that is the situation in our town if I hadn't been involved in my local elementary school for the last 4 years. Once you expose yourself to the "inside" community you learn the real scoop - both bad and good. (and in my mind the good far outpaces the bad - I see dedicated teachers and staff who passionately care about "their" kids' achievements and well-being, both in school and out.)

Good on ya Edwin! All parents and community members should be as involved as you were.