Day in the life of the teacher

Stacie Valdez September 30, 2006 · 10:14 am
I absolutely love the 90 minute periods and can’t imagine teaching in any shorter time frame, although I did for nearly twenty years. And thank you, Joe, for so eloquently describing what good teachers hope to accomplish in the classroom. I really like the distinction you make between propagandists and peacemakers. I’ve never thought of it that way before, but that is exactly what we try to accomplish as we develop critical thinkers and readers. Too bad state assessments are developed to measure those skills.
Tom Grubisich October 3, 2006 · 10:29 am
You write: “With my first phone call, I actually reach a parent. Unfortunately, Jordan’s mother tells me that they kicked him out of the house and could care less if he was in school or not. I call the attendance center to inform them of Jordan’s status and see if they can find someone to locate him.
“My next phone call reaches the student herself. Veronica tells me that she’s been sick but hopes to be back before the end of the week. I make arrangements to leave her assignments in the office for her sister to pick up after school. Three more phone calls and I leave messages.”
What did the attendance center find regarding Jordan’s whereabouts? Here’s a boy presumably a minor who may be on the street. Who, exactly, has responsibility for making sure he’s in a safe place. Can parents legally kick out a minor child? If so, does the state or the school system have any responsibillity for his welfare? Or can a minor child fall into a crack between the responsibilities of parents and state?