Opinion
School & District Management Letter to the Editor

Teachers, Not Boards Are ‘Point of Impact’

October 15, 2010 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

In his recent Commentary, Matt Winkle suggests that authorities at the local level, as in school boards, be imbued with greater decisionmaking power to enable them to do more than simply fine-tune state and federal demands (“That’s Not the Way It Works in Education,” Sept. 29, 2010). I hope that his notion of local empowerment also extends to his district’s teachers, since the most significant “point of impact” in schooling is the relationship between student and teacher, not between the school board and the district.

Mr. Winkle notes his disdain for what he terms “education-speak.” This is a tired cliché. If you don’t understand us, just ask, as we would with you. Professional education, as a technical field of study, has its own particular language. Would you expect your physician to speak to the hospital board in monosyllables? Why, then, would you expect anything less from your colleagues in education?

While I’m on the subject of language, most educators do not think of public schooling as an “industry,” and I have to wonder how such a mechanistic perspective could lead to many humane outcomes for the students in Mr. Winkle’s district. Perhaps a conclusion he overlooked is that school board hopefuls need to do their homework and learn as much as they can about contemporary schooling before accepting their appointments.

I fear that Mr. Winkle’s willingness to “push against the brick walls” will be likely to generate more of the uninformed faddism discussed by Mike Schmoker on the facing page of the same issue (“When Pedagogic Fads Trump Priorities”). Public education is no place for hobbyists.

J. Eichinger

Claremont, Calif.

The writer is a professor of education at California State University, Los Angeles.

A version of this article appeared in the October 20, 2010 edition of Education Week as Teachers, Not Boards Are ‘Point of Impact’

Events

Student Well-Being Webinar After-School Learning Top Priority: Academics or Fun?
Join our expert panel to discuss how after-school programs and schools can work together to help students recover from pandemic-related learning loss.
Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management Data Data: How Schools Respond to Student Hunger Over the Summer
The end of pandemic-era flexibility for schools and community organizations has translated into fewer students receiving free summer meals.
1 min read
Children enjoy lunches provided by the Brownsville Independent School District on June 8, 2016, at the Olivera Park gymnasium in Brownsville, Texas. The local school district provides free lunches to any child under 18 who needs a meal, regardless of their status as a student with the school district.
Children enjoy lunches provided by the Brownsville Independent School District on June 8, 2016, at the Olivera Park gymnasium in Brownsville, Texas. School districts and other organizations can sign up as summer meal sites to continue providing meals to students once school is out of session.
Jason Hoekema/The Brownsville Herald via AP
School & District Management Online Training Program to Boost Number of Principals of Color Expands
A New York City education college is the latest to join an online principal training program for educators of color and equity-minded leaders.
4 min read
Business like setting, with Black man on a laptop in a corporate conference room or office collaborating with a Black woman
E+/Getty
School & District Management How Can You Tell What Students Need to Succeed at School? Ask Them
Some administrators let students drive purchasing decisions, shape dress code policies, and voice their concerns directly.
4 min read
051223 Lead Sym Mark L jb BS
Chris Ferenzi for Education Week
School & District Management Fewer Students Are Getting Free Summer Meals After Pandemic Waivers End
Summer meal programs are expected to serve fewer students following last summer's end of a federal waiver.
5 min read
Kids line up for lunch outside the Michigan City Area Schools' converted school bus at Weatherstone Village on U.S. 20 in Michigan City, Ind., on July 22, 2021. The bus makes four stops every weekday as part of the Summer Food Program.
Kids line up for lunch outside the Michigan City Area Schools' converted school bus at Weatherstone Village on U.S. 20 in Michigan City, Ind., on July 22, 2021. The bus makes four stops every weekday as part of the Summer Food Program. Summer meal programs are expected to serve fewer students this summer after the expiration of a pandemic-era federal waiver.
Jeff Mayes/The News Dispatch via AP