The Democrats on the school board are good people. They do everything they can. The problems that emerge in the schools are not well understood in some ways. We need to look at the whole and realize we have to change course. But recriminations are not the path to the new course.
Total factor productivity and wages are an indicator that we are off course. They tell us the school system needs adjustments. These need to focus on academics and the means to academics, school management to create an environment focused on academics.
We can not refight the old battles and keep relitigating these old issues. We have to refocus on academics and on a safe and civil environment for students, faculty, bus drivers, administrative staff, kitchen and janitorial staff and so on. This will happen because it must.
The only way to raise wages, especially for those who don’t go onto college, fund social security and Medicare, state and local pensions, federal and military pensions, is to work together on total factor productivity. Which for schools means sound academics and a safe place to learn and work.
