I went to a Hougton Mifflin (publisher) Science inservice a couple days ago. HM had to pay a former teacher millions because they used "her" patented idea for something she calls "Foldables". Foldables are something most every teacher knows how to do but never thought anyone would patent it... folding paper in various ways for diagrams, layouts... it's a crime how much money is spent on stupid curriculums and publishers... I just thought it was one more example of laughable shit tax payers have to pay for. The real crime is how much money is spent on development and textbooks that are shit.... the money publishers and so called experts (endless bullshit inservices) that dept of eds spend money on is a crime.
Public Education is supposed to be the big leveler. Even a child that comes from poverty gets an "equal" education... but I have to face it. If you come from a high economic area school then they just do endless fundraisers and get huge money for their schools... poor district? ha, try getting parents to even join the pta. i give up ... but not quite. oh wellz, I just sent home a poor little girl from a huge family because she was infested with lice... no way the family couldn't know ... poor little girl... her brother, in my class, who was held back in kindergarten because he was so low, (two years of kinder!!! and now in first) knows 7 consonant sounds...ya, blame the teachers, right. I don't care how much money you throw at that kid, he is not learning up to par.
Yes, rambling and contrariness up the ass... there are no easy answers... money matters, but then again it doesn't.