I teach HS science and there are schools who go soft on the subject. We had a surge of transfer students come in the last six week cycle and said they had not covered topics we had completed in the first semester. All comments above are essentially correct concerning some schools but not all. From the teachers POV there are some cohorts that will fight you (figuratively) every step of the way, but in large part we can succeed if we keep at it. 100% of my students passed the standardized biology end of course test and it is not an easy test compared to earlier versions. Try one question that is a page and a half long and you'll see the transition to a more analytic approach. Now try that for 40 questions. So here are my observations:
- It starts at the top. State legislators draft laws then walk away and leave the details to the agency bureaucrats, who in turn make hay for the experts to make things so complex as to put an unreasonable burden on the schools.
- No child left behind (Bush '43 and Sen. Kennedy) is a disaster. You think having 19 and 20 year olds still in school is a good idea? Didn't think so, but gosh darn it, it's the law. So, schools are accountable, but not in the way you think.
- Deficient parents is a problem but my experience is that most are supportive. Some do not provide any structure at home, but this is a fairly widespread cultural problem. Some show up at school just to have a semblance of a normal life during the day.
- As far as a woke atmosphere I haven't seen it, but then again, I'm in a small town rural school.
- Outside of coaching the state establishment on down is feminized. Regulations and protocols consist of soft discipline and "relationship building" to handle repeat troublemakers. I used to see the leadership say "we need more male teachers" but they don't really mean it. And the higher you go in the administrative chain the female dominance is nearly saturates the agencies.
I could go on, but thanks for listening.
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