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As a beginning teacher, I find it very intimidating that this ballot is even being considered. Teachers are like fine wine, in that as they age in their profession, they become more effective, confident and successful with students, administration, fellow colleagues and parents. Ballot Measure 60 seemingly does not acknowledge that becoming worthy of a merit based system takes time. It doesn't happen over night, it takes years to be the best one can be. If Ballot Measure 60 passes, it is going to put EVEN MORE pressure on new educators who already have enough anxiety as they begin to learn how to operate their own classroom. I also believe that Ballot Measure 60 would cause division between those teachers who have merit pay and those who do not. This is absolutely dangerous, in that teachers need to be united in the workplace because working relationships are essential in the schools.

Also, I think that Measure 60 wants to provide a scapegoat for what is wrong with education today. Teachers are not the ONLY answer to kids struggling in schools, standardized tests, abusive/broken home environments, poverty, social minority, learning disabilities, etc. Teachers are part of the solution, but they cannot be expected to "fix" the many challenges that kids come to school with. Parents need to be more actively involved in the education of their children and take responsibility for the choices their kid is making while at school. As a first year middle school teacher in Eastern Oregon, it seemed that the students who struggled the most behaviorally, socially and academically usually had absent parents or no parental authority that cared enough to bring them into line. It is time to stop blaming teachers for the many challenges found in education. After all, it takes an entire village, to raise a child.

Finally, I feel that many administrators are not doing all they could do in leading schools to face the challenges and issues concerning the education of their students. I have met "people in power" in the school system who seemingly lost their passion and drive to work to solve the issues at hand. They seem to only be there for their title and to keep the status quo going. There is no leadership for change, no creative, innovative problem solving going on...just someone there to collect a pay check every month. This has got to change. I think school administration carries way to much power, and that teachers and parents need to be empowered to deal with the issues, struggles and problems not only found in their classrooms, but in their school and school district. It is the teachers who are out in the trenches everyday dealing with kids who are struggling. These teachers know what the school is up against. In my experience, I have not seen school administration working alongside "in the trenches" with teachers. Can you imagine a school system where school administration would be required to teach in a classroom on a regular basis in order to keep in touch with what is really going with the student population? I think that would be revolutionary.

posted 4 years, 8 months ago
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