This Old Code

Scoble has me thinking "Note to Steve Jobs: unions are only half of school's problems"  I agree with Steve "No amount of technology will improve education"  I think its insane to push computers into the class room, this device is a tool no different a hammer.  It does not help you think only help you do.  So yes you can have as many tools as you want they will not help you learn to learn.  Now Unions, I like unions and I know they have problems but they are not the root of all evil as some like to make out.

Don Doge Thinks its incentives and he is dead wrong.  Teachers don't choose to teach for the money, ideally the wages should help cover the cost of living and Unions help prevent schools from firing senor teachers to hire cheaper fresh out of college staff.

I do tend to agree with Giovanni Rodriguez Dumb Moment: Steve Jobs Demonizes Teacher Unions and Are Teachers Being Paid Adequately?

Public education is complicated, its politics at its whose, every state and every city want to do it different.  Its a  pipe dream really.  How can you offer equal education for all when we are truly not the same?  How can we do this efficiently and economically when ever school has a different set of text books and a different set of lesson plans.  That doesn't even cover the fact that most of our poor scores come from at risk schools ESL schools who's children don't stay for long or are put/promoted into grade level base on age not merit.  Don't criticize the teacher all they can do is teach the willing.  If the principle promotes the F student because, and the principle does not remove trouble makers.  How much teaching can really get done.

Update Alfred Thompson chimed in with People Who Know Nothing About Schools Telling Us How to Fix Them.  I fully agree.