Troops to teach?
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Troops to teach?
| Sat, 10-18-2008 - 10:41pm |
Did anyone hear on the final president debate, McCain talk about the Troops-to-Teach program? He stated that it was a program placing troops in teaching jobs, without having to go through the examinations and certifications.
WTF? Can this be right? I looked into the program a little bit online, and it looks like an alternative certification type process. So McCain was misinformed, (or misinforming us, maybe) about the fact that they don't have to go through certifications. But still. How does being a soldier qualify you to be a teacher? Does the reverse apply, so since I'm a teacher am I automatically qualified to be a member of the armed forces? How are the two really connected? What type of training, interning, student teaching, etc. would they have to go through, or not go through? I have nothing against members of the armed forces -- they represent our country heroically. But that does not qualify them to be a teacher, any more than it qualifies them to be a doctor, or a lawyer. Why teachers? Are teachers that expendable, that ANYONE can replace them as long as they're patriotic or can fire a weapon? I do not understand this at all, and as a public school teacher I am completely offended. As a mom, I'm worried about a war veteran who may have made a great soldier but that hasn't been trained to work with children, teaching my child as a "fall-back" job after he/she is out of the military. What do you think about this?
WTF? Can this be right? I looked into the program a little bit online, and it looks like an alternative certification type process. So McCain was misinformed, (or misinforming us, maybe) about the fact that they don't have to go through certifications. But still. How does being a soldier qualify you to be a teacher? Does the reverse apply, so since I'm a teacher am I automatically qualified to be a member of the armed forces? How are the two really connected? What type of training, interning, student teaching, etc. would they have to go through, or not go through? I have nothing against members of the armed forces -- they represent our country heroically. But that does not qualify them to be a teacher, any more than it qualifies them to be a doctor, or a lawyer. Why teachers? Are teachers that expendable, that ANYONE can replace them as long as they're patriotic or can fire a weapon? I do not understand this at all, and as a public school teacher I am completely offended. As a mom, I'm worried about a war veteran who may have made a great soldier but that hasn't been trained to work with children, teaching my child as a "fall-back" job after he/she is out of the military. What do you think about this?

Yes, McCain did misspeak about the Troops to Teachers program.
Vetting seems a bit of a bugaboo for Sen. McCain.
I truly think that McCain misspoke in this instance. From everything I've read about TTT, there's a clear path to certification and troops must meet certain eligibility requirements.
-Michelle
sherilc is right. It's a wonderful program. What has been our experience is that many who opt to go in to Troops to Teachers are many times sent to schools that have a difficult time retaining teachers due to high
"It's time to put the election behind us and the country in front of us. Barack Obama wasn't my choice, but come January 20th, he will be MY President.... I will not seek to see all
How does being a soldier qualify you to be a teacher?
I was a member of the armed forces for twenty-five years and technically still serve in the Retired Reserve.
Now, now.....LOL
I didn't catch what he said about Troops to Teachers? It really is good, you just need to WANT to teach in the rough schools.
Annette
Acorn - they're
"It's time to put the election behind us and the country in front of us. Barack Obama wasn't my choice, but come January 20th, he will be MY President.... I will not seek to see all