Teachers’ role limited

With public schools struggling, it has become common practice to blame the teachers for every ill that exists. This morning’s editorial (July 14) stated, “The No. 1 factor for a student’s success is the quality of the teachers.”

This is overly simplistic and wrong. The factors for student success are complex and numerous. At the very top are the socioeconomic status of the family, the role of the parents and then the role of the teacher.

If we hope to improve our schools it will take a collective effort from all parties. Education is not a race; it is a commitment that we should hold to strongly. If it is important for our nation, the government should find a way to fund it. We should not have to compete for dollars to provide needed services.

Let’s face it: There are some teachers, administrators and parents who are not doing their jobs. Our economy has placed many families in tough situations, and yet it has become sport to blame just the teachers. We need to spend our energies working together to improve education. Blaming parents or administrators will not help. The Spokesman-Review has chosen to blame the teachers.

Richard O’Brien

Spokane