[speaker002:] so what do you think of uh public schools today
[speaker001:] well the problem we're having down here in public schools is is financing for one thing
[speaker002:] uh
[speaker001:] uh and and the uh the tax districts they're in the process of of rearranging the tax tax districts
[speaker002:] so they can't decide
[speaker001:] and uh some of the more rich schools are those are those schools that are financially well off are going to have to support those are aren't especially in the minority neighborhoods neighborhoods
[speaker002:] um
[speaker001:] and uh there's a lot of problems with that
[speaker002:] oh
[speaker001:] a lot of debate going on with that
[speaker002:] and and and the restriction is it sort of
[speaker001:] yeah restructuring
[speaker002:] sort of screwing screwing around with whoever is getting what money to what school
[speaker001:] right right
[speaker002:] yeah we actually don't have we have we're having some problems of own up here with teachers
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] but um we are we are apparently I'm I'm fairly new to Rochester I've only been here a couple a few years and we are supposedly Rochester public schools are are one of the model the city schools are some of the models for the rest of the country
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] they have very specific programs that um that are being implemented at the moment that everybody is watching you know to make sure that they're all they're all working and uh for instance they have a mentor teacher program where um there are teachers who take a year off or so and gets to go around and and help other teachers learn how to teach
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] and things like that but they're having a lot of problems here because um because they also pay the teachers I think much better than others places in the country
[speaker001:] yeah that's a problem down here it's uh
[speaker002:] they they pay them well
[speaker001:] uh not no not too well
[speaker002:] oh yeah they there they pay them a little better here I think than most than than than than the national average especially these mentor teachers
[speaker001:] yeah yeah
[speaker002:] but they're having a large problem negotiating contracts they have been in contract they have been without a contract I believe for over six months or something like six months
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] and they are now putting in you know some sort of federal arbitrator I think or something because they just have a horrible time getting the you know getting their contracts straightened out they have been good and they only walked out once or twice I believe they keep getting you know they they'll go all the way to your table they'll have some proposal and then
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] someone won't like it for some reason or some of them will say vote it down and it just goes but
[speaker001:] yeah I think uh someone that really wanted it or I really don't understand or I guess I do understand people that I guess that want to teach teach it's it must be inborn in them or something because they're certainly not going into it for the for the money nor the prestige or whatever
[speaker002:] yeah so that that's that that's always I'm I'm actually I'm a PhD student at the moment
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] and um it's always occurred to me that that um you know I mean so looking at it so all so I have some bias in this
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] but it but it's always seemed to me that that those people who should be paid the most I think or paid significantly you know significantly more are are teacher types because they sort of hold for of the future in our hands than almost anyone else yet yet I don't think that uh it it it's being done I also I mean in general I think that our educational system is okay but I think we're lacking in some very specific areas
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] that that need to be worked on I will
[speaker001:] I think one thing too that's hurting the teachers as far as recruiting teachers is that the uh they've lost a lot of their their authority in the classroom
[speaker002:] yeah how what do what do you mean by that
[speaker001:] well I mean uh they no more punishment per se
[speaker002:] oh yeah
[speaker001:] I I'm speaking mostly of elementary
[speaker002:] um-hum
[speaker001:] uh you know it's if some if a teacher does anything that uh they're liable to have a law suit against them for for uh cruel and unjust punishment or whatever
[speaker002:] that's true that's true
[speaker001:] it's uh
[speaker002:] but well I think that
[speaker001:] and of course you've got the drugs and the uh other problems that you were much more prevalent than when I was going to school
[speaker002:] yeah I think actually in any there are some places where some teachers are just afraid to teach you know are they going to or they go to work where they're just baby sitters I think rather than teachers you know they're job is to make sure that no kids get killed in their classroom for that day and
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] nobody else get's out so it's hard to imagine a you know I mean I I I can't imagine teaching in a situation like that and actually trying to get anything across to a student
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] I'd be more concerned about getting myself out alive at the end of the day and just being happy so I I sit back that the that's one of the main things that sort of happens to be sure up you know in or educational system maybe I do that means you have to have a metal detector and and uh outside the school or something
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] I'm not sure
[speaker001:] and uh also you know this is purely my my thoughts because I am I'm a Christian and I think when they took prayer out of school that uh uh I think it hurt
[speaker002:] well possibly I think it does um I'm not sure I think it does some uh it it it it may sort of lead to some uh it it it may just be another form of sort of regimenting you know in kids which I which I think is good actually to have some kids sort of sit together and you know just say things and sort of do things together so possibly
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] possibly I think that um uh I'm I'm I'm actually Jewish so I suspect that I would be more in favor of sort of nonsectarian sort of prayer
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] in school but I think some things might be a a wise idea just to give kids more of an authoritarian sort of view
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] I think a lot of kids are having a problem with that today I would would I would agree with you and uh
[speaker001:] and
[speaker002:] I think somewhat although I do understand the issue of separation of church and state somewhat so I
[speaker001:] yeah yeah I do too but uh
[speaker002:] so I don't know how you resolve that you know I also I mean I think that our I think that our schools look a lot worse nowadays
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] relative to schools sort of in other countries as well like compared to the Japanese school system I was in a panel that would that addressed the issue of you know science and how our kids they're just very very far behind of science because a lot of them just aren't going into it because they just don't know anything about it and how it's got to be upgraded now is all
[speaker001:] well I I believe in freedom of but not freedom from if you understand what I mean
[speaker002:] I think so you I I I read a little bit on that that that sounds interesting
[speaker001:] right but uh we've like I say we've been redistricting here in Dallas has been a a major issue for I guess the last year
[speaker002:] oh well hopefully they'll resolve it soon
[speaker001:] yeah they uh they the voters voted one way and it and then uh some federal judge said no that was unconstitutional and they have had two or three votes and the city council is divided over what the district should be because they divide it one way and the minorities say we're losing representation representation and uh it it's just a big battle
[speaker002:] well I hope it all works out
[speaker001:] but uh
[speaker002:] yeah I I I have I mean you say that your your kids are grown up and out of school now and I've yet to have any so
[speaker001:] yeah yeah
[speaker002:] so I'm not quite at home with the issues yet
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] but I'm sure I'll it will hit me a little harder in a couple of years
[speaker001:] yeah and also the cost of it you know not not not great not uh public school but I can't imagine having to raise a kid now and and have to look to college
[speaker002:] oh I can't even I can't imagine it
[speaker001:] uh in the next you know fifteen years or so later they go it's going up
[speaker002:] my only hope is that uh is that whatever I'm going to wined of being college faculty somewhere I think
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] and my and my only hope is that um whatever kids we have want to go to school wherever I teach
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] because that typically is very otherwise I can't imagine it
[speaker001:] yeah I I just don't see how a person could
[speaker002:] it would
[speaker001:] could put enough away enough money out of their paychecks to pay for our kids schooling within fifteen years
[speaker002:] no I I I don't I it completely beyond me I went to my under graduate uh education
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] um on a lot of financial aid and where I am now I'm I'm only in graduate school because they waive tuition and
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] they pay for school a little bit otherwise I would never
[speaker001:] yeah most kids is probably just going to have to do what I did
[speaker002:] be comfortable again
[speaker001:] either course the service I'm at I don't think gives a education uh after service
[speaker002:] well they give some some financial aid for education they they advertise that they give it you can earn up to ten or twenty thousand dollars for
[speaker001:] yeah but uh that's how I got my my education such as it was was going into it is service and then coming back coming out in three years and getting uh two years paid for
[speaker002:] that's that's actually a great way I think I know I have lots of friends who are doing things like that
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] I think it's a great way I couldn't I'm actually deaf in one ear so they wouldn't take me
[speaker001:] yeah yeah
[speaker002:] um but that is a real a real I mean that's a real good way to do it I think I think that you know these people are sort of getting the money and doing something for it so
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] I think it's real good anyway it's it's been it was nice meeting you
[speaker001:] okay and I'm I'm glad to have met you oh are are work with Texas Instruments
[speaker002:] and no I'm not I'm just like you a person on the uh phone
[speaker001:] oh okay I was wondering
[speaker002:] thing
[speaker001:] I guess this is not just Texas Instruments wide cause I worked for Texas Texas Instruments that that's
[speaker002:] oh no