John Dean's illuminating book titled "Conservatives Without Conscience" becomes more relevant with each election cycle. The book discusses modern politics and the conservative movement through the lens of authoritarianism. For a treat, read the Authoritarians by Bob Altemeyer (free download). Right wing authoritarians are ethically (and sometimes legally) challenged as they operate under the premise that if they do it, then it is right. Add Senator Paul McKinley the Senate majority leader from Iowa to the ethically-challenged list.
In violation of legislative ethics, Senator McKinley's office has been sending out e-mails that are thinly-veiled prepackaged right wing talking points. These e-mails are not being sent via his campaign office, but rather through his legislative office using taxpayer dollars. To be fair, perhaps it is his staffer Don McDowell who missed the ethics orientation, as his name is in the e-mail address (don.mcdowell@legis.state.ia.us). However, Senator McKinley invites our response. I am sending the e-mails to our Attorney General and I will be sending them to my state senator to see if they can make it stop! If you are an Iowan and as angry as I was when you finish this posting, please express your concerns as well.
Lest you think I am imagining the purpose of these e-mails, here are some quotes. Warning, blatant dishonesty ahead!! Talking points are bolded.
This is a tale of two teachers. Everybody knows a Teacher A and a Teacher B. Let’s introduce you to hypothetical Teacher A and B, both 4th grade teachers who appear in classrooms all across Iowa. Each has 15 students in their respective classrooms and have taught ten years with bachelor’s degrees as required by Iowa code.
Supposedly, these are real teachers, but really(!!), Iowa teachers haven't had 15 students in their classrooms since around the turn of the 19th century.
The students in each of their classrooms are from similar backgrounds with comparable abilities. Iowa students, while becoming increasingly more diverse, are still some of the most homogeneous and teachable as compared to anywhere else in the nation.
Any one else offended by the idea that those "non-homogeneous" students are less teachable? Note to non-Iowans, please don't judge our state by these guys.
Teacher A utilizes tried and true methods that are responsible for Iowa’s noteworthy heritage in education. A is very responsive to the needs of the students, often staying after work to help students who have questions and prepare lessons for the days ahead. A is usually available by telephone at home in the evenings and on weekends and identifies struggling students who need extra attention. Teacher A gives routine feedback to the students and parents about academic progress. Teacher B, while following recommended curriculum, shows movies in class, goes on many field trips and allows students to deviate from the fundamentals to pursue fun activities. Teacher B is out the door as soon as the bell rings and does not arrive at school until shortly before the first bell in the morning. Teacher B spends weekends pursuing his or her own credentials and exploring the newest untested education fads.
So apparently, Teacher B both follows recommended curriculum and deviates from it. Good trick! Ethically-challenged is usually accompanied by logically-challenged. Also, I wonder what these tried and true methods are, as opposed to those untested education(al) fads. You will see that talking point again and again.
At the end of the year, Teacher A has finished teaching students the fundamental skills and all of her students demonstrate at least one year of academic growth. They are now at 5th grade level and are ready to do 5th grade work. Teacher B’s students, on the other hand, have not mastered the fundamentals and on average show only about a half of a year’s worth of growth. These students will not be ready for 5th grade material and will only continue to fall behind their peers. So when it comes time to reward pay raises, how many believe Teacher A will get more money and benefits?
OK, so where are these 4th grades in Iowa with all their students failing? And how many of you believe that once Governor Branstad and our Republican senators are done, any teachers will get a raise or more benefits this year no matter how talented?
If this were in any other sector of the economy – private sector companies, insurance, small businesses, manufacturing, community banks and others – not only would B be not be awarded with the same pay and benefits, B’s employment status would likely be in question.
In the private sector, A and B would likely be laid off, replaced by cheaper non-credentialed staff, have no benefits, and see their pensions evaporate when they go to collect them.
But Iowa’s education system is much different. Since both teachers are represented by union bosses, they get the exact same pay raise no matter how students perform. Unfortunately, Iowa’s education system is becoming increasingly unfair to both our outstanding teachers and students and threatens the economic strength of our sons, daughters, granddaughters, grandsons. Because of this system, many of our best teachers become frustrated and quit and it is virtually impossible to remove an underperforming teacher from the classroom. Iowa’s system has not discouraged the chasing after every new educational fad.
Under our Democratic governor, our schools began to come back from the "No Child Left Behind" disaster. They were respected and supported. Now our Republican leaders are doing the divide and conquer strategy. We can't let it work!
We have spent billions of new dollars adopting the latest fads, provided generous teacher bonuses, increased teacher salaries and added technology into the classroom only to see Iowa’s once proud heritage slip because of stagnant or declining student achievement. It is time to change course and begin to reward teachers based on whether their kids are learning rather than by tenure or credentials bargained for by union bosses. Not only is it time to pay our best teachers handsomely, it is time to remove teachers from the classrooms who are not performing. Additionally, we must put the focus back on classroom teachers and eliminate positions not directly dealing with student achievement. We must get back to the true definition and purpose of education.
There's those fads again. Perhaps he means active learning. Perhaps he means recognizing different learning styles. Perhaps he would choose to remove that technology and go back to students writing on chalk boards. Being techno-savvy so obviously handicaps our children.
Iowa’s education system needs dramatic reform, a serious attitude adjustment and a major effort to clean up its act – and soon! Senate Republicans will continue to work to make changes to our education system, but it is also time for the good teachers of this state, the ones who truly do care, to rescue their noble profession from the union bosses and out-of-touch education elite. The very kids we are supposed to be educating today – the future of our communities, state and nation - are counting on each and every one of us. It would be a tragedy to let them down. As always, I welcome hearing from you and can be reached by phone at 515-281-3560 or by e-mail at paul.mckinley@legis.state.ia.us Paul McKinley.
A serious attitude adjustment is clearly needed, but it's the mean-spirited, anti-intellectual, and union-busting attitudes held by these right wing authoritarians that needs the adjusting.
It is time for teachers in this state to stand up to this disrespectful attitude by our Republican leaders. And we need to have their backs.
P.S. Each time I receive one of these e-mails (3 so far) I am donating to the Iowa Democratic party.