} Nf \A DD ft b&b ANNAANANANALVY YY YY Y V\ Ode db be \ tA TT RL Revolutionizing Teaching In America: Putting Parents In The Driver’s Seat by Guy Doud and Tom Fleming (NAPSA)—“Hostages.” That’s how Horace Mann, the founding father of public educa- fession—and keep them there? It’s time we conceded that teachers will not be treated as professionals unless we take the same risks that other professionals do. We know that America thrives on achievements of American students have declined by virtually every measurable standard. The answeris to open up edution in America, once said he and cation to the freedom and competition that has improved every his fellow educators were “entitled an entrepreneurial system that other industry, profession, product to look upon” the children that and service in American life. We parents had “given to [his] cause.” rewards effort, talent, individual We—and 11,000 of our fellow initiative and risk. Yet we as welcome a world in which highperformance teachers turn out educators—believe it’s time to set teachers have empowered our high-performance students and those “hostages”free. unions and ask our governmentto America pushes diploare rewarded accordingly with higher pay mats and rattles sabers “It’s time we concededthat teachers whenits citizens are held and esteem. will not be treated as professionals captive, yet we approach How to get there? Put the hostage situation of ynless we take the samerisks that other parents back in the driver’s seat. Parents will our students passively. professionals do.” It’s time to put parents not voluntarily continue back in charge of their children’s education—and to restore teaching as an entrepreneurial, prestigious profession in which teachers rise on their performance, not merely seniority schedules. We know that parents want to be in charge of their children’s education. This was confirmed by research recently released by Parents in Charge, a national, non- profit organization that is encour- aging a new debate on American education. Eighty-two percent of poll respondents believe parents ought to have primary responsibility for the education of their chil- dren—but why do so many teachers agree? According to the Department of Education, our nation faces a teacher shortage. As many as two million of this country’s 2.7 million teachers will leave the profession over the next 10 years. How do we lure talented teachersinto the pro- @ create a system in which weare insulated from this spirit by civil service law and union contracts. Manyof our colleagues welcome greater accountability and seek it out, not merely for greater pay, but also for greater latitude and free- dom. Nevertheless, the bulk of our educational system remains bureaucratic, stifling to teachers and studentsalike. Why should this be? Ninety percent of American students attend government-run schools. A 90 percent market share in any industry—especially one in which paymentfor the product is mandatory by law—surely qualifies as a monopoly. Even before the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890, Americans knew that monopolies produce inferior products at high prices. Since 1920, the cost of public education has risen 14 times in constant dollars, yet the academic to send their children to schools that cannot teach or protect their children. Parents will not all choose the same education product, but schools as various and unique as their own child’s personality, abilities and dreams. Clearly this new approach would have a completely untraditional effect—on the child, the family, on schools, on communities and on the teaching profession as well. It’s time to stop ransoming our professional respect and our children’s future to the needs of a failed monop- oly—and choose a freer, more open system that lets all of us rise to the unknown heights of our unleashed potential. Guy Doud (1986 National Teacher of the Year) and Tom Fleming (1992 National Teacher of the Year) are members of the Children’s Scholarship Fund’s “Teacher’s Advtsory Board.” For more information, visit www.parentsincharge.org.
