Of course you can’t tarnish a whole profession because of the misdeeds of one or even a very few, but when you look overall at the poor results of education in this country, one can only wonder….
For 15 years, teachers in three Southern states paid Clarence Mumford Sr. — himself a longtime educator — to send someone else to take the tests in their place, authorities said. Each time, Mumford received a fee of between $1,500 and $3,000 to send one of his test ringers with fake identification to the Praxis exam. In return, his customers got a passing grade and began their careers as cheaters, according to federal prosecutors in Memphis. Authorities say the scheme affected hundreds — if not thousands — of public school students who ended up being taught by unqualified instructors.
This raises a justified red flag as teachers nationally resist competence tests and even go as far as threatening to strike if they are imposed. If they are indeed qualified, what’s there to hide? If they are really do a good job, why are our kids doing so dismally after receiving a product they deliver. While you can’t paint with a broad brush, it’s not unreasonable to have questions about the competency of some teachers after we find out many cheated to get their jobs.
