Although education dates to cave drawing, theories, models and methods continue to be advanced about the best ways to teach.
A new entry - certified as Constitutional Amendment 3 on the November ballot - would eliminate tenure and establish statewide teaching standards, to be measured based on "quantifiable student performance data."
As we wrote in the forum Saturday, our initial reaction is mixed.
We believe tenure is an outdated and unfair concept. It was introduced largely to protect teachers from retaliation for freedom of thought within an academic environment designed to nurture and encourage creative thinking. Now, it largely affords job protection to a singular group of employees - protections not extended to other professionals.
The proposed state standards, however, are troublesome.
We align with opponents who contend the statewide mandate will undermine local control.
Standards, as a rule, reflect what consensus has determined is best. Educational standards, however, remain in flux. New methods of teaching continually are being introduced and modified.
We agree that teaching, like any job, requires a specified level of ability and competence.
We expect the people who design, assemble and inspect our vehicles to provide a safe product. The production analogy, however, is insufficient. Children are not products.
Even an analogy to service workers fails to hold up, because customers communicate what they want and expect.
Students may suffer behavioral, psychological or medical conditions that impede their ability to concentrate and learn. Some may not want to learn or, for that matter, even attend school.
Education has two components - teaching and learning. But the former does not guarantee the latter.
The best teacher using the best method cannot teach a student who is unable or unwilling to learn.
Although we may require teachers to attain and display specified levels of competence and ability, we're not convinced it is fair to evaluate them based on student performance.
Education occurs when a teacher and student connect and a spark of learning is transferred. Building principals know their teachers, students, parents and patrons. They are positioned to evaluate learning and advance those evaluations to local school district administrators and board of educations.
Is the system perfect?
No, but unless and until we are convinced otherwise, we believe local evaluation and adaptation remain the best method of education.