Tens of thousands of teachers are blocking highways and seizing government buildings across Mexico to protest a federal education reform ending their longtime practice of selling their jobs or giving them to their children, the Houston Chronicle reports.
We’re fighting to guarantee jobs for our kids,” Oscar Miranda said as he helped teachers stage a protest in front of the governor’s office in Cuernavaca, the capital of Morelos. “Throughout history,” Miranda said, “the sons of carpenters have become carpenters. Even politicians’ children become politicians. Why shouldn’t our children have the same right?
Hat tip for this item to the Gadfly, which wryly notes, “As the Holy Rabbi would say, it could always be worse.”
Ha! Good to get some perspective. Maybe folks should chill about our teachers unions.
I’m in awe over this story. Shocked you could buy a teaching job for up to $6,000, and 70% of those with a state teaching college degree failed the test for hire!
Interesting that Mexico can provide textbooks to the US and world, but find their school year 50 days delayed from teacher strikes at home.
http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=fca34ed6c5a2fb5334fa0163a2fc49b1
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j1JYwgRqRCzuOCmoVnJm36N7USmgD93D8TQO0
And speaking of Mexico… as a percent of GDP—a measure of a nation’s overall wealth—the United States spends 3.8 percent primary and secondary education, the United Kingdom– which ranks third– spends 4.6 percent. Even Mexico spends 4.4 percent of their wealth on education. As a matter of fact the U.S. spends just as much as the average industrialized country.
http://boardbuzz.nsba.org/archives/025776.php