We all know the importance of good instruction in our children’s education. The new teacher evaluation system is well intentioned, but I’m not at all convinced that more hurdles for teachers would accomplish the goal of getting better teachers.

Teachers are already some of the most poorly-paid people in our nation, and the low pay is having a deleterious effect on attracting and retaining good teachers. Many college graduates are finding that jobs in industry, rather than teaching, are looking more lucrative, especially when teachers’ retirement systems are being deemed too extravagant.

If parents are suddenly finding that the educational system is rife with bad teachers worthy of increased scrutiny, then perhaps they should be asking themselves questions like the following:

(*) Has our nation been putting too low a priority on the importance of teachers?

(*) Have we, for example, not been willing to pay teachers salaries and benefits that are competitive with what other college graduates are making?

(*) Have we, in some cases, not even paid teachers enough to afford housing and living expenses in the communities in which they teach?

(*) Why are we willing to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars for all of our adult “toys,” such as consumer electronics, but not willing to spend more on our children’s education, which will serve as the foundation for their earning capacity the rest of their lives?

(*) Why do we idolize our sports players, putting them on pedestals and paying them multi-million-dollar salaries, but then treat our teachers with such disdain, paying them a pittance, while expecting so much from them?

It seems to me that we, as a nation, have consistently, by our words and deeds, put our educational system at the bottom of the priority list, and then gotten angry when it fails to meet our expectations. In so many ways, we are reaping what we have sown, and are now paying the price in terms of our inability to compete in world economic markets.

It’s high time that we examine our priorities in education, rather than blaming teachers for our own failings.

Teachers are already some of the most poorly-paid people in our nation, and the low pay is having a deleterious effect on attracting and retaining good teachers. Many college graduates are finding that jobs in industry, rather than teaching, are looking more lucrative, especially when teachers’ retirement systems are being deemed too extravagant.

If parents are suddenly finding that the educational system is rife with bad teachers worthy of increased scrutiny, then perhaps they should be asking themselves questions like the following:

(*) Has our nation been putting too low a priority on the importance of teachers?

(*) Have we, for example, not been willing to pay teachers salaries and benefits that are competitive with what other college graduates are making?

(*) Have we, in some cases, not even paid teachers enough to afford housing and living expenses in the communities in which they teach?

(*) Why are we willing to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars for all of our adult “toys,” such as consumer electronics, but not willing to spend more on our children’s education, which will serve as the foundation for their earning capacity the rest of their lives?

(*) Why do we idolize our sports players, putting them on pedestals and paying them multi-million-dollar salaries, but then treat our teachers with such disdain, paying them a pittance, while expecting so much from them?

It seems to me that we, as a nation, have consistently, by our words and deeds, put our educational system at the bottom of the priority list, and then gotten angry when it fails to meet our expectations. In so many ways, we are reaping what we have sown, and are now paying the price in terms of our inability to compete in world economic markets.

It’s high time that we examine our priorities in education, rather than blaming teachers for our own failings.