Letters: More Diversity, Please

Credit: Edutopia

The individuals featured in The Daring Dozen: 2006 do not represent the diversity of our nation nor of innovators in the world of education. Though I do not dispute the excellence of those featured in the article -- Kozol is in fact one of my role models -- I must ask that you make a greater effort to be inclusive. According to the U.S. Census, 71 percent of teachers are women, and yet you feature twice as many men as women. I can understand that your goal was to feature the best of the best, but I hope you will agree that many women and people of color fit this description.

Nancy Vandenberg

I enjoy your magazine, save for the superlatives, especially in The Daring Dozen: 2006 (March 2006). Folks such as Jonathan Kozol have contributed wonderfully to education. He writes good books, but they generally preach to the proverbial choir. And our school systems, especially in urban areas, continue to reverse Brown v. Board of Education. Kozol is not very effective these days -- my opinion, of course.

The story about Jason Kamras is touching, yet principals, peers, and the students are giving other white teachers in the Washington, DC, school system -- especially at the high school level -- a very tough time. And the DC system, Kozol's books notwithstanding, still is among the worst in the nation. It isn't because teachers don't get paid a decent salary (one of the highest anywhere).

Finally, Brad Jupp's efforts in Denver are, indeed, commendable, yet less than half the teachers are accepting this effort. And I daresay such efforts have failed because the major teachers' unions, the National Education Association, and the American Federation of Teachers, fight such proposals. ProComp is a grand idea, just not something today's teachers (union members especially) seem to want.

WASHITO is an acronym for "watch and see how it turns out." We try to help folks resist the usual way of thinking. Educators, in the main, tell us, "You aren't teachers, so don't tell us what we need to do." One of my heroes is Neil Postman. He was a wee bit more successful in "shaping" education than Kozol. Keep up the good work, yet go easy on the superlatives.

R. D. B. (Ben) Laime

Do The Math

Kevin Kosar's guesses about the causes of school-budget increases over the past decades (Letters, February 2006) are just that. Capital for school-building construction and renovation should be taken out of the equation, and only the annual operating budget should be compared. Then one must step back a bit and remember that when teachers were paid less, benefits (pensions, insurance) were included in the compensation package. Those benefits costs, meager at that time, are now budget busters. Then there are unfunded mandates such as No Child Left Behind -- and the funding falls on the local municipalities, of course.

In addition, special-education policy mandates that children in such programs be educated for up to twenty-two years. Budget increases in special education have less to do with greater numbers of recipients and more to do with more specialized costs, just as in health insurance. Therefore, the key is not healthy education budgeting but rather healthy education funding, particularly for government mandates. In Massachusetts, education is a constitutional right, and the state is ultimately responsible for these costs. Rarely is the educational pie divided equally among its local districts.

David Fraser

The Write Stuff

I stumbled across "School's Out: The Crisis in Teacher Retention" (Feb/Mar 2005) while doing some research for a book on teacher coaching. It knocked me out! Claudia Graziano is a writer's writer. The piece was packed with content but still a terrific page-turner.

As a former newspaper reporter and editor, I was impressed by the layering of research, interviews, and analysis in the article. As a reader, I just kicked back and appreciated the storytelling. I know few reporters who can blend solid journalism with the lyrical and aesthetic rewards of a story well told.

I tried to decide whether the author had trained as a journalist or as a writer (in addition to completing the coursework for teaching, of course). A moment later, I was at Graziano's Web site. Naturally, she is both.

Matthew Allen Treder

Best Tool For the Job

I have been impressed with The George Lucas Educational Foundation since its inception. What I most admire about George Lucas is his passion for excellence, whether it is in film, architecture, or education.

I recall a comment he made years ago about technology and the PC-versus-Mac wars. Essentially, his response was that it doesn't matter. What matters is what is the best tool to get the job done.

That comment has translated itself into an inspiring, well-respected magazine and Web site. That comment inspires me as I think, create, and act in my passion: education. The Web site is a constant source of cutting-edge information, advice, and even humor. Thank you.

Cathy Zavala

Letters to the editor are a vital part of the conversation. Send your thoughts, corrections, or even complaints to letters@edutopia.org, or Letters to the Editor, Edutopia magazine, P.O. Box 3494, San Rafael, CA 94912. Be sure to include your name, affiliation, and contact information. Letters may be edited for length and clarity prior to publication.