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A rarity in his field

by Prometheus 6
September 8, 2003 - 8:59am.

Since I've already shown myself to be tacky in the commentary to the piece about that report on NY's economic development plans, I thought I'd include the thumbnail of the columnist because she's kinda fine.

New teacher left corporate job for 'important work'
Dawn Turner Trice

Two weeks ago, my friend Paul Miller began his new job as an 8th-grade algebra teacher at a south suburban middle school.

Last year, Paul, 44, who has a wife and three children, left a corporate job making a six-figure salary and decided to pursue a teaching career. For several years he had been contemplating changing professions.

I thought about him when I read a recently released study from the National Education Association that said only 2 in 10 teachers in America's classrooms are men. That's the lowest ratio in 40 years. The study also said that just 1 in 10 teachers is from a minority group.

According to the Illinois State Board of Education's 2002 teachers service record data, 77 percent of Illinois teachers are women and 23 percent are men. In terms of diversity, only 15 percent are minorities, including African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians and American Indians.

Paul, an African-American man, is a rarity in his field

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Submitted by mark safranski (not verified) on September 9, 2003 - 7:30pm.

If you think those figures are bad ( ratio of men to women or minorities to whites in education) try controlling for administrative positions or separate elementary and secondary levels and run the same figures. The data will look even more ridiculously lopsided. The reason for this is that Illinois has an archaic system for school districts that allows elementary, high school and unit districts. High School districts invariably pay the best having very few schools but a large geographical tax base and tend to " cream off " the talent pool of prospective job applicants. Elementary districts, whose borders often exclude them from the lucrative industrial parks and shopping centers ( Illinois schools are heavily funded by property tax levies)are joining the state's financial watch list in increasing numbers. The structure in short, is highly irrational.Young boys need to see a male in their building who is someone other than the custodian ( assuming they have custodians)