Emasontweni amathathu edlule, ngahlala egunjini lenkomfa eliminyene esikoleni esikhulu samabanga aphezulu lapho ngifundisa khona eBeaverton, Oregon. Bengilalele uthishanhloko ethula isethulo se-PowerPoint esibhalwe phansi mayelana nokushoda kwesabelomali samadola ayizigidi ezingu-35 zamaRandi esibhekene nawo esifundeni sethu onyakeni wesikole ozayo.
Othisha nabasebenzi badindilize ezihlalweni. Injabulo ewugqinsi yokudumala, ukwesula, ukuphelelwa ithemba, nentukuthelo engapheli yasinamathela. Phela sike saba khona. Siyawazi umshini wokuprakthiza: lindela ukudilizwa, osayizi beklasi bebhaluni, isikhathi sokufundisa esincishisiwe, kanye nezisetshenziswa ezanele. Yamukela ukuthi ubudlelwano phakathi kukathisha nomfundi - obunamandla okukhiqiza futhi kwesinye isikhathi nokuguqula - buzoba, kahle kakhulu, obenzekayo. Imizimba izominyana ezindaweni ezincane kakhulu, izinsiza zizoncipha, futhi ukufunda kuzolimala. Lezi zinkinga zesabelomali manje seziwumjikelezo futhi sezijwayeleke ngokuphelele. Nokho umcabango wokumelana nomunye wabo uyalimaza.
Sekungokwesithathu emsebenzini wami weminyaka engu-14 njengothisha wezobuciko sibhekana nezinxushunxushu, ukuphazamiseka, kanye nezinxushunxushu zale nkinga yesabelomali. Ngo-2012, isifunda sibe nokushoda okukhulu okwaholela ekuxoshweni kothisha abangu-344 kanye namakilasi akhukhumele thina esasala. Ngesinye isikhathi, isitudiyo sami sekilasi lokudweba i-Drawing I - esakhelwe ukunela abafundi abangaba ngu-35 - saba nabangaphezu kuka-50 babo abagxishwe kuso. Sasingenazo izihlalo ezanele, amatafula, noma izindawo zokudweba, ngakho sasebenza emahholo.
Phakathi naleyo semester ngafundisa amakilasi ahlukene ayisithupha futhi nganginomthwalo wemfanelo wabafundi abangaphezu kuka-250. Naphezu kokuzenzisa ukuthi ukufundiswa kwangempela kwakwenzeka, othisha abafana nami babematasa kakhulu ekulawuleni izixuku nokunye okwengeziwe. Zonke izingxenye ezinengqondo zomsebenzi - ukuxhumana nabafundi, ukunikeza ukwesekwa komuntu ngamunye, ukusiza amalungu ekilasi adonsa kanzima ukuba enze ukuphumelela komphakathi nokuhlakanipha, ingasaphathwa eyokwakha umphakathi wekilasi onempilo - kuvele kwawela eceleni kwendlela.
Angizange ngiwakhumbule amagama abafundi bami, angikwazanga ukuhambisana nezigaba ezivamile nokuhlola okufanele sikwenze, futhi ngangikhungethwe ukucindezeleka nokukhathazeka. Okubi nakakhulu, angikwazanga ukunikeza ukusekelwa ngokomzwelo engivame ukuzama ukukunikeza abafundi bami. Angikwazanga ukulalela ngoba sasingekho isikhathi.
Lapho ngiya emsebenzini, ngakhubazeka ngenxa yokwesaba; endleleni eya ekhaya, ebanjwe imizwa yokwehluleka. Okwenzeka ngalowo nyaka kwakudambisa futhi kululaza. Uthando lwami kubafundi bami, uthando lwami ngezifundo engizifundisayo, futhi ekugcineni ubungcweti bami konke kwasuswa kimi. Kanti yini eyalahleka kubafundi? Imfundo esezingeni eliphezulu kanye nokwelulekwa kwabantu abadala, kanye nokufinyelela ezinsizeni ezibalulekile - ingasaphathwa yokulahlekelwa ukholo kwesinye sezikhungo ezithathwa njengesisekelo saseMelika, isikole sikahulumeni.
Futhi khumbula ukuthi okwenzeka esikoleni sami nasezikoleni zase-Oregon ngokuvamile kuyinto ehlukile. Ngokusho kwe-American Federation of Teachers, ukuhlukana kwezemfundo kwenzeka kuzo zonke izifundazwe esizweni, kanti izifundazwe ezingama-25 zichitha imali encane kwezemfundo kunangaphambi kokuwohloka komnotho ngo-2008. ehlongozwayo Izigidigidi eziyisi-7 zamaRandi zokuncishiswa koMnyango wezeMfundo seziqalile ukwenza isimo ezikoleni zikahulumeni zesizwe sethu singamukeleki - kubafundi nakothisha.
Ukuhlala kulelo gumbi lenkomfa, ngilalele umphathi wami onekhono futhi ozinikele echaza ukubuya kwethu okungaba khona eqinisweni elihlanekezelwe engikukhumbule kahle kwangenza ngahlehla. Ngizilungiselela ukugaya okulimaza umphefumulo kokuzama ukukholisa abafundi ukuthi bathenge ohlelweni oluzohluleka ngokwencazelo ukubhekana nezidingo zabo - ukubenza babonakale usuku nosuku nakuba zingekho izihlalo ezanele. , izinsiza, noma othisha ukwenza umsebenzi - kuwumsebenzi oyize.
Iqiniso lendaba ukuthi umphakathi owenqaba ukutshala imali ngokwanele emfundweni yezingane zawo uyenqaba ukutshala imali esikhathini esizayo. Kucabange njenge-nihilism ngezinga elikhulu.
Othisha Njengabaphenduli bokuqala
Izikole ziyizindawo ezinomsindo, ezibalulekile, neziyaluyalu, azifani nanoma iyiphi enye indawo yomphakathi eMelika. Izikole eziphakeme zomphakathi ezibanzi zibonisa ukwakheka kwezenhlalo nezomnotho, ubuhlanga, inkolo, namasiko abantu abasisebenzelayo. Isikole ngasinye sinamasiko aso athile kanye nesimiso semvelo semithetho, izakhiwo, izinkolelo eziyinhloko, kanye namagugu. Ngayinye futhi inesethi yayo yezinkinga, ethize kubantu abahamba ngeminyango yayo usuku ngalunye. Ukubhekana nobunzima nobukhulu balezo zinkinga kwenza umsebenzi wokudala uphumelele, okulinganayo, kanye nesikhala esikhiqizayo sokufunda okuthile okufana nokucabanga komlingo.
Ukusolwa okuguquguqukayo manje okuvame ukunqwabelana ezikoleni, othisha, nabafundi kulelizwe kuwukuhlanekezela iqiniso. Isizathu sangempela esiyikho shiya ngemuva ontanga yethu emhlabeni wonke uma kuziwa ekuphumeleleni komfundi kuhlobene nokungaphezulu kakhulu kokwehluleka ukwenza kahle ezivivinyweni ezijwayelekile. Izingane zethu zidonsa kanzima hhayi ngoba sizikhohliwe ukuthi sizifundise kanjani noma sezikhohliwe ukuthi zifunde kanjani, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi abantu abadala abaphethe lo mphakathi banqume ukuthi ikusasa labo ngokuhlanganyela lingabi seqhulwini. Eqinisweni, i-tattered futhi ukuwohloka ngokushesha ingqalasizinda yohlelo lwethu lukazwelonke lwezinsizakalo zezenhlalakahle ishiya izikole nothisha njengabaphenduli bokuqala kulokho engikubiza ngokuthi inkinga kazwelonke yomphefumulo.
Ngakho-ke akumangazi ukuthi othisha, ngisho nasezifundeni ezibomvu, baye baba ephuma zamakilasi abo futhi bafuna ushintsho. Ukuhamba okunjalo e-Arizona, California, Colorado, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Washington, naseWest Virginia kubonise izikhalazo ezihlanganisa konke kunezicelo zokukhokhelwa okuphezulu okuke kwaba sematheni. (Futhi ezifundeni eziningi, zisekhona ikhokhwe kancane kuneholo eliphilayo.) Izidingo zesinxephezelo esifanele ziwuphawu futhi kulula ngomphakathi ukuziqonda. Iholo eliphezulu elizuzwe ngokunye kwalezo zinsuku zokuphuma limele ukuvuma ukuthi othisha bayacelwa ukuthi benze umsebenzi obonakala ungenakwenzeka emphakathini okubaluleke kakhulu kuwo okuya ngokungahambi kahle, phakathi kwengqalasizinda ewohlokayo yohlelo lwezikole zikahulumeni ngokwalo.
Umbono wokuthi umhlaba wangempela ngandlela thize uhlukile emhlabeni osezikoleni zethu nokuthi izindaba zokungalingani, ubumpofu, impilo yengqondo, ukulutheka, kanye nokucwasa ngeke kube nomthelela emandleni abafundi bethu phumelela ngokwemfundo ibeka isibonelo esiyingozi sokulinganisa impumelelo. Uma kucatshangwa ukuthi umfundi ohlala emotweni, hhayi ekhaya, kufanele akwazi ukuhlala ephapheme ngesikhathi sokufunda, ukuthi lowo obuya ngesonto egunjini labagula ngengqondo kufanele akwazi ukubhekana ngokushesha nesivivinyo sezibalo esinzima, futhi lowo Ubaba ongenazo izincwadi usanda kulandwa ngabakwaImmigration kanye nabeCustoms Enforcement akumele babe nenkinga yokugxilisa ingqondo njengoba uthisha wakhe edweba imisho ngesiNgisi iyinkohliso enkulu.
Eqinisweni, phakathi kweziningi izimfuno zothisha nezinyunyana zabo ngesikhathi seziteleka zonyaka odlule izingcingo ukuze uthole ukusekelwa okwengeziwe kwezezimali kwezinsiza ezibanzi zezenhlalakahle zabafundi. ELos Angeles, othisha babelwela ukusekelwa kwezomthetho kubafundi abasengozini yokuxoshwa. ENorth Carolina, othisha bahlela umjikelezo omusha weziteleka, phakathi kwezinye izinto, bafuna ukunwetshwa kokufakwa kwe-Medicaid okuhloswe ngayo ukuthuthukisa impilo yabafundi. E-Chicago, othisha bahlanganisa a biza izindlu ezithengekayo ezingxoxweni zabo ngakho-ke wagcizelela ukubaluleka kokweseka abafundi ngaphakathi nangaphandle kwekilasi.
Uma izikole zilindeleke ukuthi zithathele phezulu izimbobo ezivulekile kunethiwekhi yethu yokuphepha komphakathi, lokhu kulandela ukuthi kufanele ziklanywe futhi zixhaswe ngaleyo njongo engqondweni. Uma othisha kungafanele bafundise nje kuphela kodwa basebenze njengabaluleki, abelapha, nosonhlalakahle, kufanele bakhokhelwe amaholo abonisa lezi zidingo ezinzima futhi kufanele bathole izinsiza ezisekela umsebenzi onjalo.
Kungani Kubaluleke Kakhulu Uxhaso Lwesikole
Kukhona enkulu nqamula phakathi kosizo lomlomo olukhokhelwa ukweseka izikole zikahulumeni kanye nothisha kanye nokubanda okubonakalayo ukuze bazixhase ngokwanele. Buza cishe noma ubani โ gcina uNobhala Wezemfundo Betsy DeVos - uma besekela othisha nezikole futhi impendulo kungenzeka ukuthi "yebo." Veza umbuzo wokuthi unganikeza kanjani ukusekelwa okwanele kwezezimali kwezemfundo, noma kunjalo, futhi uzozithola usungene ezingxoxweni mayelana nokumosha imali yesikole, izikhwama zempesheni ezidonsa izinsiza, othisha abancane, kanye ne-bureaucratic bloat, kanye uthi awukwazi ukuqhubeka nokuphonsa imali enkingeni, ukuthi imali ayisona isixazululo.
Ngingaphikisa ngokuthi imali ngokuqinisekile iyingxenye yesixazululo. Emphakathini wonxiwankulu, imali imele ukubaluleka namandla. EMelika, uma ufaka imali kokuthile, unikeza incazelo. Abafundi bangaphezu kwamandla abo okuqonda ukuthi uma uxhaso lwesikole luncishiswa, yingoba singumphakathi sinqume ukuthi ukutshala imali emfundweni yomphakathi akulethi inani elanele noma incazelo.
The ukubeka phambili yokusebenzisa imali kwezempi, kanye nokugcizelelwa kokuphatha kukaTrump kanye namaRepublican eCongress ukwehliswa kwentela okumangazayo kwabacebile, intela yebhizinisi ukugwema, kanye nokuqedwa kwalokho okusele kunethiwekhi yokuphepha komphakathi akukwazanga ukuthumela umlayezo ozwakalayo mayelana nokuthi ibaluleke kangakanani inhlalakahle yeningi lezingane zalesi sizwe. Isabelomali sombuso sika-2019 izimali U-$716 billion kwezokuphepha kuzwelonke, u-$686 billion wawo ubekelwe uMnyango Wezokuvikela (noma okumangazayo izibalo ezilindeleke ngonyaka ozayo). Qhathanisa lokho namabhiliyoni angama-59.9 wesabelomali soMnyango wezeMfundo kanye nokwehliswa okulindelwe kwesabelomali sawo esikhathini esizayo. Iphuzu elenziwe, cha?
Kodwa-ke, njengoba iminikelo yesikole sikahulumeni ihlanganisa amaphesenti amancane kuphela esabelomali semfundo yasekhaya neyesifundazwe, wonke amacala angeke aye lapho. E-Oregon, ngokwesibonelo, imikhawulo ezikhokhiswa intela yezakhiwo ngeminyaka yawo-1990s zanciphisa imali engenayo ngendlela engafanele, okwaphoqa umbuso ukuthi uqale ukuthembela kakhulu enteleni yemali engenayo ukuze izikole ziqhubeke zisebenza. Izinkampani ziwumthombo obalulekile wemali engenayo ezifundazweni. Nokho, nakuba inzuzo yebhizinisi e-US ikhuphuke ngo-$69.3 billion ukuze ukuphakama kwesikhathi sonke engaphezu kwezigidigidi ezimbili zamaRandi engxenyeni yesithathu yonyaka wezi-2018, eminyakeni engama-40 edlule isabelo sezifundazwe semali engenayo yentela sehle safinyelela kuhhafu kunalokho esasiyikho ngeminyaka yawo-1970.
Thatha iNike, indlunkulu yayo yomhlaba wonke iqhele ngamakhilomitha ambalwa ukusuka esikoleni esiphakeme engifundisa kuso. Ima njenge isibonelo esikhanyayo yenkampani ezuze kahle kuyo ukukhoselisa imali engenayo phesheya ngenkathi ubalekela izibopho zentela yendawo. I-Nike inobudlelwano obukhethekile nesifunda sase-Oregon, esikhokhisa kuphela inzuzo yasendaweni yenkampani, hhayi leyo etholwe kwenye indawo. Ukwengeza inhlamba ekulimaleni, ngokusho The Oregonian, ekupheleni kuka-2017, i-Nike yayifake amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-12.2 yenzuzo yayo izindawo zokukhosela zentela zasolwandle. Ukube leyo mali ibibuyiselwe ekhaya, inkampani ibingakweleta imali efinyelela ku-$4.1 billion yentela yase-US, okusho ukuthi inesandla esincane ekushodeleni kwezimali okushiya izikole ezinjengesami zisebunzimeni obukhulu.
Eqinisweni, umnotho wase-Oregon unjalo ephumelelayo futhi nokho ukuthi kuncane kangakanani konke okubalulekile, njengoba silapha futhi esicongweni senye inkinga.
Ngo-1999, uhulumeni wezwe wakha ikomiti elakhiwe othisha, izishayamthetho, abaholi bamabhizinisi, nabazali ukuze bakhe ithuluzi lesabelomali elithembekile elizohlobanisa izidingo zokuxhaswa kwesikole nokusebenza kwabafundi. Le โQuality Education Modelโ yabeka indinganiso yokuthi imfundo โyekhwalithiโ izobukeka kanjani kuwo wonke umfundi e-Oregon. Eminyakeni engu-20 kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, isishayamthetho sezwe sehlulekile ngokuthembekile ukuhlangabezana nezinhloso zoxhaso ezibekwe yilowo modeli. Kulo nyaka, ibiza ama-dollar ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-10.7 ekusetshenzisweni kwezemfundo, kanti ikomidi lezindlela nezindlela zesishayamthetho sombuso muva nje. ukhiphe ibhajethi okuhlanganisa nokuchithwa kwezigidigidi ezingu-8.87 zamarandi ohlelweni lwesikole. Ukushoda okunjalo kwezimali kwaminyaka yonke, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, kusize ukudala igebe elikhona ohlelweni lwethu lwemfundo yomphakathi. Futhi unyaka ngamunye lowo mgodi ukhula ube mkhulu.
Ukubuyisela Ukukholwa Ezikhungweni Zesizwe Sakithi
Izikole zomphakathi zimele esinye sezikhungo eziyisisekelo zentando yeningi yaseMelika. Nokho njengomphakathi siye sama eceleni njengoba zona kanye izikhungo ezenze iMelika yaba yinhle kakhulu zacekelwa phansi futhi zabukelwa phansi ukucabanga kwesikhashana, ukuhaha kwezinkampani, kanye nokungahloniphi ngokungenanembeza ngekusasa lethu sihlangene.
Iqiniso liwukuthi lapho is imali yemfundo, eyezikole, yothisha neyabafundi. Asikhethi ukubeka eqhulwini ukusetshenziswa kwemali kwezemfundo ngakho-ke sithumela umlayezo ozwakalayo nocacile kubafundi wokuthi imfundo ayinandaba ngempela. Futhi uma ukhipha imali yokufunda iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-40, ushiya izingane nazo ukholo luncipha njalo ezikhungweni zaseMelika, okuyinhlekelele yangempela.
NgoMeyi 8, othisha esifundazweni sase-Oregon bahlela ukuphuma ezikoleni. Isenzo, esiyisandulela sesiteleka, siyimpendulo eqondile yokuxhaswa ngezimali okunganele esabelweni sezimali sikahulumeni esizayo kanye nenhlolovo mayelana nokwehlukana okuqhubekayo kwezemfundo yomphakathi. Othisha abafana nami bazobe bephuma emakilasini ethu hhayi ngoba singafuni ukufundisa, kodwa ngoba senza.
Belle Chesler, a TomDispatch Njalo, unguthisha wezobuciko obubonwayo e-Beaverton, e-Oregon.
Lesi sihloko sivele okokuqala ku-TomDispatch.com, i-weblog ye-Nation Institute, enikeza ukugeleza okuqhubekayo kweminye imithombo, izindaba, kanye nemibono evela ku-Tom Engelhardt, umhleli wesikhathi eside ekushicileleni, umsunguli we-American Empire Project, umbhali we Ukuphela Kwesiko Lokunqoba, njengenoveli, Izinsuku Zokugcina Zokushicilela. Incwadi yakhe yakamuva ithi, A Isizwe Esingenziwanga Ngempi (Haymarket Books).
I-ZNetwork ixhaswa kuphela ngokuphana kwabafundi bayo.
Nikela