What Can We Learn from the MTA?

Last year the MTA was determined to cut down on the enormous amount of trash accumulating in train stations. It looks bad, smells, attracts rats, flies and roaches. Most of us would probably consider more tickets, advertising and trash cans.  The MTA decided to eliminate trash cans, explaining most people would just take the trash with them http://gothamist.com/2014/01/28/removing_trash_cans_from_subway_sta.php . Last week while watching the news on TV, the reporters were all lamenting the rat population explosion in the subways. While they were filming I noticed an awaiting passenger using her foot as a broom to push a heap of trash onto the tracks so she could have a place to stand. None of the news stations mentioned  the lack of trash cans as the cause of the growing rat populations.

In recent years there has been a lot of bad and criminal behavior from the student population. It looks bad (for teachers, schools, administration, parents, and students), attracts criticism (from the media, charter schools, and those who want to sell education) and is politically inconvenient (when correlated with racial and socioeconomic factors). Many of us would consider counseling, more accountablity, and specialized schools. (Some may like the Clockwork Orange behavioral modification solution.) Now there will be basically no suspensions and/or arrests. Like taking away trash cans to eliminate trash; taking away suspensions will eliminate suspendable behavior. Try not to turn your back on the class while teaching!