- System is set up to support promotion within the county, which is good if you want a job, but causes favors to be asked, poor administrators to have too much job security, and pressure from top down because administrators want to have a positive image.
- Competition with other counties has ruined the academic success. They want the highest scores, most technology, etc., but the prerequisites for teachers and students haven't been thought of.
- Teachers are pressured/forced to use technology and classroom practices, when they aren't the best for a certain subject or certain group of students. Again, pressure from top down creates a "my hands are tied" environment, creating low morale when teachers are overwhelmed.
- Parents are allowed to bully teachers in some schools. Admin is supportive by mediating meetings, but lack of follow through with school-wide discipline plans causes the blame to go back to the teacher as being "strict" when he or she is one of the few implementing rules. Understandably, though, large class sizes make following through with any discipline plan difficult.
- Lack of vertical alignment causes students to receive redundant instruction in subsequent years.
- state salary is not worth the time required of this job.
- Elementary Teachers have very little planning time, and no "duty free lunch." Teacher assistants have been all but stripped from schools b/c of state budget cuts.
- Teachers have no voice in decisions. If they do, it's a hand-picked few who are consulted. I've seen many co-workers get a "hand-slap" after questioning a policy.
