Up the Down Staircase

by Bel Kaufman

Even in private high schools and so-called “better” public high schools, there are many pressures: parental pressures for Ivy League colleges, School Board pressures, social pressures. The range of dull to bright kids is about the same, and if they drive their own cars to school, they—and their parents—tend to look down on the teacher’s lack of money or status.

Whatever the waste, stupidity, ineptitude, whatever the problems and frustrations of teachers and pupils, something very exciting is going on. In each of the classrooms, on each of the floors, all at the same time, education is going on. In some form or other, for all its abuses, young people are exposed to education.

“Teachers are troubled by loss of status, bureaucratic pressures, negative public image, and lack of recognition.” “Teachers should be relieved of the burden of record keeping, paperwork, security duty, and other chores.” “Teachers scrounge for chalk and paper clips while being bombarded with procedural directives.”