It's Just a Bill!

     This weekend, I read about State Bill 911 which would give schools the opportunity to punish unruly students without suspending them. These students would appear before a volunteer judge who would decide to either require the student to do community service or pay a fine. The fines could pay for additional security at the school or help with to bring in character education. The one comment that really caught my eye was "This is the number one problem in education." This bill is just a bill because it doesn't address the real problems that we are facing in education.
     First, the number one problem for schools is the teacher shortage, and the only solution is to make education first in our state. Several years ago, someone told me that Oklahoma should be the education state, not the toll road state. It's time to quit insulting teachers, it's time to listen to teachers, and it's time to give teachers a pay raise. Solving the teacher shortage would help reduce class size which would lead to fewer discipline problems. Teachers could also focus on the needs of the students and not just trying to get through the curriculum to meet testing requirements.
     Next, show students different paths that they can take in school. School should not be just about passing a test. In my opinion, students should be on a plan of study that is followed and updated at they progress through school. This plan of study would focus on their interests and also help them overcome weaknesses in reading and writing across the curriculum. If students have a path to take, then school becomes more important to them. Then, discipline problems should be not be an issue. It's all about the curriculum and making it relevant to the students. Adapt the curriculum to fit the needs of the students instead of making it fit a test.
     Finally, I told my husband about this bill. His first response was that students could just pay their way out if their families have the money. We cannot ignore the lives of our students, the way they live, and where they live. Education is the only path out of any situation; we just have to guide them down the right direction.