"Economic Recovery and Educational Issues . . . ?"

Someone on the radio today said that economic recovery may end up costing us one trillion dollars.  I wonder how large that pile of money would be if it were stacked up in $100 bills.  Is this worth it?  I don't mean to go all "W" on this but . . . sheesh, that's a lot of money to borrow from China.  I truly can't conceive how this much money would look in its material form. 

I do have a better solution . . . stop flushing money down the drain in Iraq!  Invest in education instead.  

The school district that I live in had a pretty good reponse to the current economic crisis.  They stated that while they must always use public funds responsibly, cutting education opportunities would not help our children to become productive (read "working") members of society.  They are oh so very right!  Now . . . they aren't particularly stellar in funding the arts but my family has been able to provide artistic experiences for our children.  

I hear school boards and administrators in other areas saying that "we have to cut spending so that people won't lose their houses" . . . wouldn't it be worse if our current generation of students can't afford to buy houses because they aren't well educated?  This is an excuse, I think.  

I also heard another education quote that makes me step back and blink . . . a media happy school superintendent recently stated that "we need to stop thinking of teaching as a life-long professions and should encourage and support teachers who only want to teach for a few years".  Her justification for this comment was that it would save districts from paying "high" salaries for teachers who have become too comfortable and complacent.  This person has been out of the classroom too long . . . and tends to like saying things for shock value.  She smiles a lot when she generates headlines in major newspapers.  

I don't know too many teachers who can put up with the job if they are doing less that their true potential.  Sure . . . there are ineffective teachers who need to retire, but there are also ineffective doctors, lawyers, and customer service representatives at McDonald's.  The worst doctor that I ever saw was an emergency doctor who didn't think that anything was wrong with me . . . right after I slammed into air bags in a car accident.  This doesn't mean that I distrust all doctors.  We need our public to stop blaming the masses for a few bad apples!  Most teachers do care and work very hard.  

Teaching is, at its worst, a lower paid thankless job.  It takes many years to learn how to wear the hundreds of hats that we ask of teachers.  A five or six year teacher is still very new at this job.  We should aspire to want teachers with loads of experience and we should create job environments that encourage teachers to want to stay in this profession.  After all, research shows time and time again that economic investment into education pays off in much greater dividends for society . . . isn't this a better way to view economic recovery!