“You drive yourself insane thinking about the what-ifs, could-haves, should-haves. To me, it’s something that could happen anywhere, any time.”
-Tim Estes, a student teacher at Santana High School in Santee, California, on being shot by student Charles Williams in March. Estes still plans to become a teacher.
“My philosophy is, I want to maintain an environment of kindness and caring. When I see something that hurts another, it’s a situation I want to correct.”
-David Yates, principal of Council Rock High School in Newton, Pennsylvania, explaining why he suspended a group of seniors in March for publishing an underground newspaper that allegedly contained hurtful comments about schoolmates. Free speech advocates question whether his action was legal.
“Our students have no trouble finding employment. The problem is, we don’t have enough graduates.”
-Michael Whitehurst, interim dean of Florida Atlantic University’s College of Education in Boca Raton. The college is considering developing a three-year, fast-track undergraduate education degree to combat Florida’s impending teacher shortage.
“I’d argue that this is the most important untapped resource, and biggest obstacle, to reforming schools.”
-Marla Ucelli, director of district redesign at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform, on the place of the central office- superintendents, school boards, and administrators-in school improvement efforts.
“Our schools may be built with the bricks of English, math, and science, but character education certainly is the mortar.”
-Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd, discussing the bill to increase funds for character education programs that he is co-sponsoring with New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici.
