Comments

1
FYI you can find the original comments about the Merc's awful endorsement of M60 at this link. Seems that rather than add the cheat sheet to the original post they'd rather sweep those comments under the rug...

http://www.portlandmercury.com/news/its-yo…
2
I can't believe the Mercury didn't change their endorsement of Measure 60. It seems they could just accept their mistake and do the right thing. Once again I'm disappointed. They had the chance. I WISH they would have talked to a teacher or read the Oregon Education Association's website. Why does the Mercury think they know more about education than teachers?
3
I can't believe the Mercury didn't change their endorsement of Measure 60. It seems they could just accept their mistake and do the right thing. Once again I'm disappointed. They had the chance. I WISH they would have talked to a teacher or read the Oregon Education Association's website. Why does the Mercury think they know more about education than teachers?
4
I'm glad you are optimistic on this one but I'm sure the hell not. I'm not opposed to developing a system of merit pay, but I do not trust Sizemore as far as I can throw him. Vote no, let teachers and local district figure this one out without more standardized tests being hung over our head and a nut job breathing down our necks.
5
Dear Mercury,
As a teacher, I have a special loathing for Mr. Bill Sizemore and his INSANE views about education. Basically, until he (or Mercury staff for that matter) stands in a classroom of 35 teenagers, half of whom are new to the English language, many who have crack/meat head parents, most who can't read at grade level, and are suffering from the pitfalls of No Child Left Behind, he can suck it.

This measure would ensure the horrific practice of "teaching to the test." It states that teachers will be given raises, etc based on how well their students do on a standardized test. So, if your pay is based on test scores, what happens is that test becomes the focus of education. Basically- memorizing facts. It is not based on learning or knowledge; critical thinking, or understanding. FUCK standardized testing in the first place, let alone rating my pay on how well the students do on them.

Now, I am not saying that all teachers are excellent and that we shouldn't be accountable for how well students do, BUT how can one test be fair to all students? And how can you say that a student didn't do well, just because their test scores aren't good. In my classroom I had plenty of smart kids with good grades, just fill in a random bubble, just so the test would be done. I am quite positive that plenty of Mercury readers, advertisers, and employees are guilty of that one. That's what teenagers do. So don't let some fuck all bill writer, and lazy ass teenagers decide who gets to stay or go, or how much they are worth. This is just not the way to do it.

That is all,
An Actual TEACHER
6
Choose the best answer

A. The Mercury is ill-informed about measure 60
B. Measure 60 will hurt our children
C. Bill Sizemore is a hack
D. All of the above

The correct answer is D.

Expect many more instances of stupid standardized test questions in our schools if this terrible bill passes.
7
Choose the best answer

A. The Mercury is ill-informed about measure 60
B. Measure 60 will hurt our children
C. Bill Sizemore is a hack
D. All of the above

The correct answer is D.

Expect many more instances of stupid standardized test questions in our schools if this terrible bill passes.
8
I am so glad they endorsed the most qualified person for treasurer... Allen Alley!
9
WRITE IN: Frank D'Andrea
West Multnomah Soil and Water
Conservation District
Director, At Large 1
10
What's with the "hey... just our opinion" cop out? Aren't all the voting suggestions "just opinions"? If you want to endorse a shitty law, do it with some balls.
11
It is interesting that you don't have an explanation as to why you agree with Measure 60. My husband was also thinking that it might sound like a good idea because why not pay the "good" teachers better"? However it just isn't that simple. It will create a competitive divide. The "good" teachers won't feel inclined to share their techniques, lesson plans, etc. with struggling teachers. Also who and how are they going to be rated? What if you get some kids in your class that don't have any food to eat at home? What if they don't even have a home? You don't think that all of these "out-side-of-school" factors don't also play a roll in how much and how well kids learn? How is that going to be determined in order to accurately rate a teachers performance? ?What about the principals who have a lot of say in what happens in the day of a teacher? It is also unfortunate that people are looking at the school system as a business. Our students are not products to be turned out on an assembly line! Teachers don't go into for the money, so I believe regardless of how you vote our fine, great teachers will have the dignity to not participate. It would be like telling firefighters that they will get a pay raise if they save more people and cats! Who would go for such insanity? Please vote NO regardless of what the Mercury's cheat sheet tells you. If you do feel as though there needs to be more incentives for teachers then why not reward whole schools? That would at the very least create a team rather than a division. And why not just pay teachers better period?

A soon to be teacher, Justine

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