LETTER: Hold teachers accountable

I would like to offer some observations concerning the sad state of the Clark County School District. I taught 44 years, 26 of which were in this district.

1. How many superintendents have served as leaders in the past 30 years? Most hang around for five years so they can become vested in the state retirement system and get a nice pension.

2. How many made any significant impact?

3. The current school board votes as a 4-3 bloc on issues. There is little effort to work together to make necessary improvements.

4. The state needs legislation to mandate proficiency exams at the fifth-, eighth- and 12-grade levels before students can advance to the next level or receive a high school diploma.

5. Don’t spend money on programs that don’t work.

6. Don’t be afraid to discipline students. Get the distractions, such as cellphones, out of the classroom. If students can’t function in a normal school environment, create alternative sites for their education.

7. Hold teachers accountable for student learning. In 44 years of teaching, I observed that there were teachers who should never have been in the classroom. There should be no more excuses, such as students can’t learn, they are disruptive, there is no parental support, they’re from impoverished backgrounds, etc.

I hope we can work together and demand accountability from all employees in the Clark County School District.