Bob, couldn't agree with you more. I have three sisters, all of whom were teachers. I am heartily glad they were able to retire/leave the profession before it became so bad. (One grandma was a teacher and the other was on the Board of Education, too.)

I used to grade papers for an English dept. at a high school in WY. The head of the dept. loved my positive criticisms, corrections, etc. She understood the kids learned from them and became better writers/communicators. A new teacher came in the next year. I graded her first of the year essays and heard nothing...no more work. Finally called the dept. head who said the new teacher refused to pass the corrected essays back to her students as they would be "devastated." That really upset me as there were some students with real potential whom I went out of my way to give extra encouragement with my comments, etc. I called the head of the local college English dept. and asked his opinion. He agreed with and told me the first year students they were getting had a hard time stringing one sentence together in a correct manner. That was back in the mid-90s.

On the other hand, I have to say, so far, my grandson at age 7 seems to be getting as good of an education as can be in class of too many kids and ridiculous constraints on the teachers. They DO single out individual students for outstanding performance and they do have music (not often enough.) He gets a lot of extra at home and from me, so I know he will be okay, but with the budget cuts planned for Colorado, who knows?

It is so stupid that people bouncing, chasing, hitting, and carrying balls; shooting, killing, maiming, etc.; etc., etc. do so with a gazillion of our monies whilst teachers and schools have to scrabble for small potatoes. I'd really like to see a day when the old bumper sticker, about when the armed forces have to have a bake sale it will be a good day for education, becomes untrue.

Power to the teachers who do so much to help shape the generations to come. May they be venerated and recognised for their extraordinary contributions to society.

BTW, all of my sisters did exactly as noted above in the summers: worked at fast food joints etc. to keep things afloat..

kat