Back to the Books for Schools Plan

Late one recent Sunday evening, I was reading the last of the newspaper when I came across Assemblyman Tom McClintock’s article on education. I chuckled. Surely he was being facetious when he proposed doing away with class-size limits and paying teachers according to the number of students in their classes. But the next morning I reread the article, and a chill went up my spine. He was serious.

Obviously it has been awhile since McClintock (R-Northridge) has been in a public school or else he would have seen the absurdity of the plan he detailed March 7. Schools cannot be run like factories because children are not containers to be opened up and filled with product--knowledge--as if they were jars of peanut butter.

So, to write accurately about the schools, McClintock should be returned to school:

On social studies, he earns an A for stating that a top-down management system does not work well with diverse populations. But unfortunately, the assemblyman earns an F in math. Even though California has poured a great deal of money into education over the past five years, this state continues to rank among the lowest in the United States in per-pupil spending.

The assemblyman’s assumption that teachers can be paid according to the number of students they attract is based on the syllogism that concludes that the most “popular” teachers are the best. But each teacher has a style that is unique. Some are more structured; others are not. Filling the needs of students in a classroom is an art, not a science, and McClintock fails this course.

The importance of 20 students in a classroom cannot be glibly dismissed by the assemblyman either. Such a ratio gives teachers time to focus on individual students’ strengths and weakness while they master specific skills. Students learn much more in these smaller classes. Also, special-education class sizes have to be limited to be effective for remediation. It is difficult now to find qualified special-education teachers. If we based salaries on class size, no one would want to do that work.

And what about discipline? If their salaries were dependent on popularity, teachers might be skittish about reprimanding students. Classrooms would become chaotic. The assemblyman gets a U, for unsatisfactory conduct.

McClintock thinks teachers should be encouraged to use whatever methods they choose. This philosophy earns him another U, for his work habits. Teachers are constantly being taught new methodologies to stay ahead of changes in pedagogic research. Also, the state has a framework of standards for each grade and subject. Teachers need to follow these standards to insure a continuation of skills from one class to another.

Finally, according to McClintock, cutthroat competition among teachers would be healthy. Such a negative attitude earns him another U, this time for social skills. Teachers are generally cooperative. They exchange ideas and methods while borrowing books, staplers, scissors, work sheets, tape recorders and even lunch money. Cooperation among teachers sets an example for students of how to get along in a larger community.

Tom McClintock has returned to school, but he is unable to complete his term. His grade-point average is below a 2.0, and he has three U’s on his report card. Being in the state Assembly is an extracurricular activity, and he is no longer eligible. He may return to Sacramento when he has studied harder and completed his homework. He also needs to stop annoying the teachers with his absurd comments.