Do Teachers In Oaxaca Teach?

"None of their protests ever had anything to do with improving the quality of education for their students".

Rob, you shouldn't be surprised. This would apply to teachers in the US as well. Heck, even our universities are using the promise of "less time teaching classes" as a carrot to retain or lure professors. As Mr. Wonderful on Shark Tank says, "at the end of day, it's all about the MONEY". It's a big reason why in the US , the best educations still come out of parochial schools where dedicated teachers are there to teach. Certainly not for the pay which is so much lower than public schools. And you never hear of private school teachers going on strike.

Now I know that some teacher or ex teacher here is going to go all nuts and argue that they aren't paid enough for working 9 months a year and all, but remember, you weren't sentenced to a teaching profession, it was your choice. Problem is that most teachers, like politicians, start out with good intentions, thinking they can made a difference, until reality sets in and human nature takes over.

I fail to see any connection to the USA. I am damn grateful for the high quality of the elementary and jr. high public schools I attended in Kentucky and Massachusetts before moving to the U.S. Virgin Islands where a private school was indeed pretty much mandatory.

But your lack of compassion and empathy for public school teachers in the USA (or pretty much anyone besides yourself) is duly noted.

I don't recall U.S. teachers ever going on strike for the right to collect a paycheck without having to work, or passing on their teacher position via inheritance or sale to someone with no teaching experience. As a matter of fact, teachers here from around 1989 until the recent reform didn't even have to have the equivalent of a high school education or any experience at all. As the reform gets implemented state by state teachers are now being tested. After the first test here in Guerrero over 80% of the teachers flunked (which explains a lot about Guerrero right there). If they don't pass their competency exam they are offered free training until they are brought up to speed.

It took a lot of political prowess for our presidente to pass this reform that addresses a problem crucial to Mexico's immediate and long-term future. The fallout of going against such a powerful union will be felt for years to come. But the benefits will be worth it a hundredfold once the dust settles.

Now if only I could convince foreigners to quit adding to our local problems by allowing themselves to be manipulated to support all the unnecessary and counterproductive tiny schools within Zihuatanejo proper that only serve to help thieves steal our lands and dilute scarce resources from the public education system.