While the corporate media sifts through McCain's speech to the Urban League today looking for something they can interpret as a problem for Obama, they seem to be missing a rather shockingly ignorant remark from McCain himself.
We should also offer more choices to those who wish to become teachers. Many thousands of highly qualified men and women have great knowledge, wisdom, and experience to offer public school students. But a monopoly on teacher certification prevents them from getting that chance. You can be a Nobel Laureate and not qualify to teach in most public schools today because they don't have all the proper credits in educational "theory" or "methodology."
Essentially, what McCain just proposed is letting untrained teachers loose on America's kids.
More below.
Now, given McCain's own educational failures, I can understand why he wouldn't have much respect for the teaching profession. But the reason why a random Nobel Laureate can't just walk in off the street and start educating children is because teaching is a profession, one that requires training and very specific skill sets.
(Full disclosure: while I am not an educator, my mother is - she returned to school later in life and earned her doctorate in music education, and currently teaches at a Big 10 school. I am rather proud of her.)
Imagine if you will that McCain had made the exact same statement about a different profession:
We should also offer more choices to those who wish to build bridges. Many thousands of highly qualified men and women have great knowledge, wisdom, and experience to build bridges. But a monopoly on bridge-building certification prevents them from getting that chance. You can be a Nobel Laureate and not qualify to build a bridge today because they don't have all the proper credits in engineering "theory" or "methodology."
Or how about:
We should also offer more choices to those who wish to become doctors. Many thousands of highly qualified men and women have great knowledge, wisdom, and experience to heal people. But a monopoly on doctor certification prevents them from getting that chance. You can be a Nobel Laureate and not qualify to work in a hospital today because they don't have all the proper credits in medical "theory" or "methodology."
One would hope the corporate media would notice if McCain called for more untrained doctors as a solution to the health care problems affecting the country, but maybe that's wishful thinking.
Of course McCain's statement was pure politics. It was an attack against the teaching unions, a group that he knows won't be on his side in this election. And disrespect for the teaching profession is nothing new, especially from Republicans. But even with that said, the level of ignorance on display in this speech was astounding.
You wouldn't want an untrained doctor operating on you.
You wouldn't want an untrained engineer designing the bridge you drive on.
Why the hell would any sane person want an untrained teacher shaping the minds of their children?
