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Editorial

As states around the country have started giving thought to a transparency bill in relation to K-12 education, it’s time to squash it before it even becomes a thought in Alabama.

The bill, which is being considered in at least 17 states at the moment, would force teachers to post lesson plans online for parents, many of them for the entire year.

Just stop.

It’s already bad enough that government leaders who have either never been in the classroom or haven’t been in years are the ones making these type of decisions, but to ask a teacher to plan out their entire year before it starts is like asking me to pick the winning lottery numbers.

Even if done on a weekly basis, knowing the obstacles that come up and force changes to lesson plans is something that makes the thought of that idea a nightmare.

Currently, most teachers are already required to send lesson plans to principals at the beginning of each week, but to do so for parents so they can determine if their child needs to skip a lesson plan or not is ludicrous.

It’s another extension of some states banning the Critical Race Theory from being taught, which if you’ve been in a classroom lately, you’d know that isn’t happening either.

The only possibility of that being taught to a student would be when they get to college and have the power to choose what kind of history course they take.

Speaking with multiple teachers since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the job is already weighing on them heavily.

Students are trying to catch up from falling behind during quarantine, teachers are having to make daily adjustments with students in and out of the classroom, more precautions are having to be taken on a daily basis, behavior issues have increased and more transparency is already in place through new online portals for teachers and parents to utilize.

There is no reason to weigh down underpaid teachers with another burden that won’t benefit anyone.

Plus, if a parent is paying attention, they already know what is being done each day through homework and messages on the online portals that are being used daily.

If a teacher is asked to put in their lesson plan for the entire year, what happens when a day or two is canceled for weather and the whole week is thrown off? What happens if any unforeseen circumstance arises that forces a change to the day or a week?

Well, that throws off the entire lesson plan for the year, and it’s back to the drawing board to do it again.

Teachers aren’t there to brainwash kids, they are there to educate them and help prepare them for the next grade level, and eventually the real world.

If you have a question about the lesson plan or what little Susie or Johnny is learning, let’s stick to asking or setting up a conference to discuss it. I guarantee you, the teacher will be accommodating.