not propose or suggest policies that make teachers the scapegoats of all that is wrong with the educational system.

When teachers meet students at the beginning of the school year, it is for the first time, giving them little impact on what skills or deficiencies students enter the classroom with. Issues, such as attendance, family dynamics and student apathy, have as great an impact on classroom success as the actions of the teacher. Yet teachers are expected to produce regardless of the starting product and if they don't they are derided as ineffective. Additionally, policies, such as, pay for performance policies make the assumption that the problems with education lie solely with the instructor. This has to stop!! Let's make education a collaborative effort and bring parents AND students into the accountability fold.