Let’s Stop Bashing the PSS By: Anthony Pellegrino

Let’s stop bashing the Public School System for the lessons that our children do not learn in school. Every time our children do not perform to our expectations, we lambaste the PSS. Always its the inadequacy of the PSS. It’s time we awaken to the reality.

Most of us are graduates of the PSS. I know I am and am proud of it. I cannot understand why we turn our backs on a system that has and is trying so hard against overwhelming odds to preform its duties. The PSS is only a reflection of who we are and what we believe in.

In first grade, we were exposed to the skills of reading, writing and computation. For the next eleven years teachers kept repeating and encouraging us to master these basic skills. Yet how many of us today as adults are literate in reading, writing, and computation? Is it the schools fault that we didn’t master what was taught to us?

We were taught health hygiene and the value of nutritious food. Are we practicing proper health hygiene and eating nutritious food as adults? We were also inspired to to keep improving ourselves. Is it the schools fault we don’t practice what we were taught?

Why have we relegated our ownership of the public schools to the politicians thereby allowing the PSS to become a political football? Why do we simply drop our children off at the school door and callously demand that the teacher take full responsibility for the child’s behavior and education without any cooperation from us?

Why don’t we also rile at the churches for not preventing us from committing immorality daily? Why don’t we effuse the same arrogant attitude towards the medical, legal, religious or other professions? Is it because the schools are such easy targets?

When a child lacks selfdiscipline, why do we blame teachers instead of ourselves for not disciplining our children? While as a student in school, my father repeatedly warned me that any time I was reprimanded by a teacher, he would double the punishment when I got home. Boy, did that put the fear of the Lord in me.

Let’s change our biased and totally unfair attitude that we harbor towards the PSS. I know well many of the teachers, principals, staff, the COE, and my fellow Board members, and I truly believe that they are sincere and honest with an undying devotion to the betterment of our children. I feel their anguish and their frustration at much of the unfounded criticism hurled at them.

I sympathize with the Parent Teacher Associations as they plead with us to attend the meetings and participate actively in educating our children. Is it the schools fault that we don’t participate in our children’s education?

Truthfully, before I become a Board member, I too felt as many of you do I also thought that the PSS was doing a rather shoddy job. However after 1 1/2 years of being closely aligned with the system and after obtaining a much better understanding of it, I have changed my mind and heart. I believe in the PSS and believe that it is doing the best it can despite the obstacles hurled at it.

I am proud of an educational system that is fulfilling the needs of all children without discrimination. I believe in its objectives and vision. Become proud of the public school system that helped you as a child and is now helping your child! When you start believing, the PSS will become what you believe it should be. Let us search together for a better solution. After all, we are the PSS and the PSS is us!