Letter: 'Good' teachers in 'bad' schools
Photo credit: Getty Images | A file photo of a teacher in a classroom. (June 16, 2006)
As a retired New York City high school English teacher, I must take exception to the reiteration of a common misconception about how to reform failing schools ["Poverty is the problem, not the answer," Opinion, Sept. 10].
Putting "good" teachers into "bad" schools does not improve those schools, it negatively impacts the teachers. It is almost impossible to be a good teacher in a dysfunctional school.
High absenteeism, total disrespect and bad (even dangerous) behavior on the part of the majority of students in the classroom and in the halls, coupled with a lack of support from administrators and parents, leaves previously excellent educators with few alternatives. They can quit teaching, try to transfer to another, better system, or just give up and become "bad" teachers.
Nancy Lowenthal, Hicksville
