News
Opinion
In Gov. Brian Sandoval's Jan. 15 column in the Nevada Appeal, he makes a good case for educational improvements made thus far during his administration. His biggest challenge is to beware of the education establishment, which will roll him over in the clover at every opportunity. I just wish he would quit reminding us that the credit belongs to his administration. We know the buck stops with you, Governor, but we also know that in a bureaucracy, critical decisions are made by committees. You're getting lots of input.
Having served on the Carson City School Board from 1976-'80, I vividly remember that we wrestled with the same educational issues that Gov. Sandoval and his troops are facing today — that is, except for hiring a state superintendent. We had no authority to do that. In fact, we had little authority to do much of anything noteworthy.
Speaking of the state superintendent, I like the idea of our governor making that appointment. It is far too important to leave to the establishment.
Had we had such a policy in the '70s, we would never have ended up with Eugene Paslov as superintendent. Why that guy didn't go east instead of west when he left Michigan is beyond me. He is a prototype East Coaster.
While on the subject of im provements, I'd like to suggest that we establish a dress code for teachers. Compared with my public school teachers, most of today's K-12 teachers do not begin to dress like professionals. And, yes, students all the way up through high school should have a dress code, too, one that levels the playing field.
I especially applaud the elimination of teacher tenure. Only in a right-to-work state could this happen without bloodshed. And the new teacher evaluation system has promise but it won't be perfect. It never is. However, it's a huge step in the right direction. I know of one teacher who was voted Teacher of the Year, engineered by the union so she would have name recognition for her state Assembly campaign, and she won.
The importance of class size is overblown, big time. Too many of us who still are kicking were in classes of between 30 and 40 students, and we were better-educated than today's kids. Getting a teaching credential was a lot tougher in those days. Teachers were better-screened prior to acceptance in a teachers' college, and they wanted a lifetime career, nothing temporary until getting married.
My teachers were god in the classroom. And their administrators backed them to the hilt in confrontations with parents. Lawyers weren't lurking around looking to sue teachers and administrators, defending so-called student rights to be pains in the butt just because the little darlings' parents can't stand to have them disciplined.
Our legislature needs new laws shielding educators from troublemakers, and legalizing tough corporal punishment under controlled conditions.
Laying off weak teachers before laying off effective teachers, when downsizing is called for, is long overdue.
However, parental school choice might not be necessary if and when all of these “reforms” are firmly in place, plus a few more as promised.
Smoking: There should be no smoking allowed within a half-mile of all high schools. Violation should carry enough demerits so that if a student is caught smoking closer than a half-mile twice, that would yield sufficient de merits to kick the student out of school for that semester. Every high school should have a truant officer patrolling the half-mile area. Our truant officer had eyes in the back of his head.
Education is a privilege, not a right. It isn't supposed to be a kid-sitting service paid for by us taxpayers. If parents can't control their kids and lay down laws for deportment, then the parents deserve to lose their kid-sitter service and stay home and raise them.
We should no longer fund our schools on a “per pupil” basis. School funding shouldn't suffer because of dropouts or kick-outs; then, troublemakers would no longer be tolerated.
I wish you luck, Gov. Sandoval.
• Bob Thomas was the founder and CEO of a division of Emerson Process, a Fortune 500 company. He later served on the Carson City School Board and the Nevada State Welfare Board and as a state assemblyman. He also founded and served on the Carson City Airport Authority. He recently authored his new book, “Creating a World Class Company” (Amazon).
Having served on the Carson City School Board from 1976-'80, I vividly remember that we wrestled with the same educational issues that Gov. Sandoval and his troops are facing today — that is, except for hiring a state superintendent. We had no authority to do that. In fact, we had little authority to do much of anything noteworthy.
Speaking of the state superintendent, I like the idea of our governor making that appointment. It is far too important to leave to the establishment.
Had we had such a policy in the '70s, we would never have ended up with Eugene Paslov as superintendent. Why that guy didn't go east instead of west when he left Michigan is beyond me. He is a prototype East Coaster.
While on the subject of im provements, I'd like to suggest that we establish a dress code for teachers. Compared with my public school teachers, most of today's K-12 teachers do not begin to dress like professionals. And, yes, students all the way up through high school should have a dress code, too, one that levels the playing field.
I especially applaud the elimination of teacher tenure. Only in a right-to-work state could this happen without bloodshed. And the new teacher evaluation system has promise but it won't be perfect. It never is. However, it's a huge step in the right direction. I know of one teacher who was voted Teacher of the Year, engineered by the union so she would have name recognition for her state Assembly campaign, and she won.
The importance of class size is overblown, big time. Too many of us who still are kicking were in classes of between 30 and 40 students, and we were better-educated than today's kids. Getting a teaching credential was a lot tougher in those days. Teachers were better-screened prior to acceptance in a teachers' college, and they wanted a lifetime career, nothing temporary until getting married.
My teachers were god in the classroom. And their administrators backed them to the hilt in confrontations with parents. Lawyers weren't lurking around looking to sue teachers and administrators, defending so-called student rights to be pains in the butt just because the little darlings' parents can't stand to have them disciplined.
Our legislature needs new laws shielding educators from troublemakers, and legalizing tough corporal punishment under controlled conditions.
Laying off weak teachers before laying off effective teachers, when downsizing is called for, is long overdue.
However, parental school choice might not be necessary if and when all of these “reforms” are firmly in place, plus a few more as promised.
Smoking: There should be no smoking allowed within a half-mile of all high schools. Violation should carry enough demerits so that if a student is caught smoking closer than a half-mile twice, that would yield sufficient de merits to kick the student out of school for that semester. Every high school should have a truant officer patrolling the half-mile area. Our truant officer had eyes in the back of his head.
Education is a privilege, not a right. It isn't supposed to be a kid-sitting service paid for by us taxpayers. If parents can't control their kids and lay down laws for deportment, then the parents deserve to lose their kid-sitter service and stay home and raise them.
We should no longer fund our schools on a “per pupil” basis. School funding shouldn't suffer because of dropouts or kick-outs; then, troublemakers would no longer be tolerated.
I wish you luck, Gov. Sandoval.
• Bob Thomas was the founder and CEO of a division of Emerson Process, a Fortune 500 company. He later served on the Carson City School Board and the Nevada State Welfare Board and as a state assemblyman. He also founded and served on the Carson City Airport Authority. He recently authored his new book, “Creating a World Class Company” (Amazon).
