Sen. John Thrasher’s judgment of Senate Bill 6 for merit pay for teachers, reminds me of a plaque which read, “Which way did they go, which way did they go? Take me to them. I am their leader.”
A recent article in the newspaper verifies that Thrasher has not done his homework on the issue, something teachers face daily from their students. Guess if I were Thrasher’s teacher, I wouldn’t receive a merit increase based on his performance.
Did he do any research on the facts surrounding our teachers? Does he know what happens in the classroom? Has he talked to any teachers? Did he talk to our school board — even one member?
Thrasher’s district includes portions of five counties. He should have contacted each of these school boards and the teacher organizations for their input. These are the folks who know the system.
Thrasher should remember that he works for us and for the teachers. He should make his decisions based on fact and the voice of the people he represents — not on his limited personal knowledge. A good leader listens to those who are better informed than he.
Has Thrasher been in a classroom lately? I have — I’m a retired grandmother who sometimes volunteers at my grandson’s school. Until volunteering and witnessing first hand what is happening in our schools, I would often remark, “what are our teachers doing?”.
Tangerine, Florida 