teachers: not what they used to be

[Bob Morris]

1> There has been a significant demographic shift in the teaching cadres
over the last thirty years. When I was in school (sixties), many of my
teachers were very bright, capable

I live in L.A.  A good friend, 56, idealistic, who was in the Peace Corps,
teaches at Beverly Hills High.  He tells me many of his native-born,
English-as-a-first-language students flunk 11th Grade math because they
can't read the textbook at that level.  Why?  He says many of the parents
unreachable too, the bureaucracy is stifling, no standards (i.e. pass them
and get rid of them).  And this is Beverly Hills, a "good school" area.


>The only good teachers left (that I have noticed) are
married women who like to teach and whose husband's salaries allow them to
afford it.

Another friend, a married woman, like you describe, tried teaching in L.A.
schools, as she enjoys teaching and kids.  She gave up after a year.  The
bureaucracy was lunatic, no supplies, long commutes, endless paperwork,
etc...  Sad.