The "Teacher Shortage"

OK that's not really what this is about. We've all heard of the phantom "teacher shortage" and all know from friends and family that it is difficult for many well-educated, qualified people to become public school teachers. There's no shortage of teachers. There is a shortage of people willing to teach in the inner cities.

I am certain events like this are not going to help matters (from today's Columbus Dispatch):

Conference performers disrespectful to police

Tuesday, May 10, 2005


The National Conference of Black Mayors was in town last week, and it invited more than 4,000 Columbus Public Schools students to a "Youth Day" concert.

The duo Dead Prez, whose lyrics contained sexual content, gang violence, drug use and the use of guns, was appalling.

To know that the rap group broke out in a chant "F--- the police!" (inciting the kids to do the same) before the sound system was turned off is very disturbing. To allow this to happen shows the flagrant disregard the black mayors group has for law and order and police officers.

To think the next day’s conference agenda included a panel on stopping school violence when, the day before, they were promoting it!

As if it wasn’t a rough-enough week, central Ohio police officers were dealing with the loss of Chillicothe Police Officer Larry Cox, who was a school DARE officer. He spent his career trying to teach kids about respect and staying out of trouble.

Maybe the mayors group could stand for a DARE class or two.

OFFICER JIM GILBERT

Columbus Division of Police