This is something I've been meaning to get off my chest for a long time. There's a rhetorical trick employed by people of all political stripes to discredit those with who them disagree, and it really should stop.
Most of us agree that in all ethnic, social, religious and political groups there are good and bad individuals. There are people who care only about themselves, some that only care about their friends and families and those that only care about people in their "group", whatever that group happens to be. Since one can't generalize about the behavior of all people in any particular group, those who do generalize are often called prejudiced, bigots, racists, etc. and their arguments are automatically discredited.
So the trick is to show that a policy that you oppose doesn't merely reflect a different perspective, but that it represents an animosity towards an entire group of people. That way it is prejudice, bigotry, etc. and you don't even have to argue the merits of the policy because it is discredited at the outset.
Hence, gun enthusiasts will oppose gun restrictions as being "anti-gun owner" rather than simply "anti-gun". Amsterdam News will label the NYPD's "stop and frisk" program as "racism" (racist in itself, mot merely in the implementation). The Jewish Voice and Opinion will label opposition to Israel's settlement policy as "anti-semitism." If you believe that life begins at conception and that therefore abortion should be illegal you must be "sexist." Opposition to gay marriage must reflect "homophobia."
And if I suggest that schools make up for days lost due to weather in the summer than I am "anti-teacher." Similarly if I suggest that teachers who don't work in the summers have an easy July and August.
If you believe in any of the above you must hate everyone the respective group. Even if you are a member of that group. You must just hate yourself. And since this is a thought crime there is no way to disprove it.
Of course everyone sees the ridiculousness in other people's hang-ups but not in their own.
Feel free to vent below. But please don't say "how can you compare x to y?" I'm comparing your faulty logic, not making any moral comparisons.
Trying to bring sanity to the discussion of Yeshiva Day School tuition in Bergen County, NJ
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
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Comments by IntenseDebate
No one is "Anti-Teacher"
2013-08-20T12:46:00-04:00
Yeshiva Dad
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End Welfare · 605 weeks ago
Yeshiva_Dad 69p · 605 weeks ago
You both make good points about scholarship abuse and the negativity directed at He'atid and Gershon but I think you should adjust your tones a bit. This should not be an US vs THEM type of debate. We are all in this together and we should discuss solutions as a group.
Really? · 605 weeks ago
Teaneck Shnuk · 605 weeks ago
Wondering · 605 weeks ago
Teaneck Shnuk · 605 weeks ago
Keep it Real · 605 weeks ago
No one is merging. HeAtid is full steam ahead.
Can you confirm that Noam and Yavneh applied too; or are you just making that up?
End Welfare · 605 weeks ago
If true, can we expect the winning schools to be lowering tuition in a meaningful way? Or, being that money is fungible, are admins going to end up with increases to their salaries?
I have no clue, just asking questions.......
Teaneck Shnuk · 605 weeks ago
Daniel Rosen · 605 weeks ago
Now, sure, you could say, you aren't talking about teachers who do work in July and August, just the ones who don't. How can I claim that someone who doesn't work doesn't have it easy? I can't. But many teachers do work over the summer -- some in the classroom, and some in other milieus. If you want to limit the scope to the very few teachers who don't work at all, feel free. I would suggest that many teachers work fewer hours than in the school year, or work very differently with different (and often lesser) types of stress. So maybe you could be more complete and say "teachers whose classroom responsibilities are replaced with other kinds often have things easier in the summer than in the school year"; that would be fine and just a touch more accurate.
Of course, what it has to do with a blog which is ostensibly about day school tuition isn't really clear but that's a separate issue.
HeAtid Fan · 605 weeks ago
End Welfare · 605 weeks ago
Really? · 605 weeks ago
The Real Steve · 605 weeks ago
If only they would admit that they offer a somewhat inferior product at a lower price, it might work. But the heatid hypesters will never get people that way.
Steve's friend · 605 weeks ago
Really? · 605 weeks ago
Keep it Real · 605 weeks ago
http://elitalks.org/yeah_but_what_if_future_educa...
He'Atid Ima · 605 weeks ago
He'Atid Ima · 605 weeks ago
Reality check · 605 weeks ago
edward · 605 weeks ago
I have no idea what the norm is in terms of salary in Bergen County, but to say that one needs to make 250k to break even is a ridiculous assertion.
This is a problem that is the responsibility of the entire Jewish community, and Heatid, like it or hate it has been a game changer, bottom line.
Everyone needs to acknowledge it and embrace the idea of lower tuition, and not fight it, because otherwise Jewish education in Bergen County will be reserved for those with incomes north of 250k, which would be the end of the community.
Boaz · 605 weeks ago
In other words, blended education is not designed to ameliorate educational deficiencies in a normative school environment. It's purpose is to constrain costs in a distressed environment. To do so effectively, therefore, the considerations are input not output related. There are at least 3 that need attention:
1. Staffing. How will a blended learning model affect student-teacher ratios overall such that teacher expenses can be reduced sufficiently to overcome the costs of implementation and sustainability?
2. Space. Will a blended learning help relieve the costs associated with operating physical space for schools? Some might suggest that effective on line tools could make much physical space unnecessary as the blended learning model moves closer to home schooling methods.
3. Technology. What type of technology is being used? Some technology is very expensive and would not help in lowering costs. So the blended learning model only works if the right technology is used.
The bigger question, of course, is whether our schools are in such distress that they are resorting to the methods of resource strapped school districts? There is a fair amount of money in the community to help maintain our schools on par with good private and public schools. That money could be used to facilitate greater scholarships or graduated tuition mechanisms based on income. Ideologues will object that such an approach is socialist but if we follow only cost cutting, we necessarily change the quality of the product.
Defending Teachers · 605 weeks ago
At our local Jewish day school, teachers are told that their salary is a 10 month salary paid over 12 months--and so their pay is affected over the summer (and reduced) if they are absent due to a maternity leave or other excused absence.
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