TREND Fall 2016 | Page 13

ector of Schools Donna Wright but something society needs to determine - what happens when these professions become scarce and nonexistent? As to accountability measures, there is not one educator that does not understand the value and importance of having valid assessment measures. We continue to add punitive measures and wonder why we are seeing educators rethink their career. We have placed such stringent measures on the classroom, with limited time and resources, but still expect all teachers to hit the highest marks. We have taken the joy out of teaching and it makes me very sad. And finally, we need to pay attention to the distractors, those with the most strident voices, hammering public education as a failing enterprise. Really? My response is, what do they propose will replace public education as we know it? Private schools? Charter schools that have a less than stellar track record? My concern for public education parallels my concern for the future of this country. continued on page 21