Daphne Stanford left the following comment on the blog. Idaho, she says, doesn’t care about education. It doesn’t care about its own children.

 

 

Yes, there is a problem with education in Idaho; however, it’s not the fault of the teachers or the schools. The problem is much more complex than that. As a former high school English teacher who has also taught college-level composition, I can testify to the woeful state of education funding in Idaho: while I was teaching in Riggins, for example, the district had to pass an emergency bond levy for more school funding simply in order to keep the schools open. That’s ludicrous. I’ve also never heard of high schools actually charging students to take choir or art, for example, or to participate in team sports. It’s painfully obvious to me that part of the problem is not only that there is a lack of funding; there is also, sadly, a lack of belief or trust in education and educators–especially in rural Idaho. As one of the reddest states in the U.S., our state is especially prone to private corporations hijacking public education in the name of progress or technology. However, it’s not that simple. What is simple, however, is the formula that makes for good education: small class sizes, teachers who are adequately paid & supported, and a community that also supports and believes in education. If class sizes are bloated and overcrowded, if funding is non-existent, if teachers are overworked and underpaid–guess what? Education is going to suffer. It’s really not that complicated.