Is A Social Worker Smarter Than Whitney Tilson?

On my radiocast Tuesday night I mentioned at the end of the show that next week's guest would be a mentally challenged gorilla that would be able to refute any and all of anything Whitney Tilson has written or said. Unfortunately, we have yet to find a translator for a gorilla and the gorilla will be unable to be interviewed.

We do however have the next best thing. A person who went to the same high school as me has gladly added her two cents into the comment Whitney Tilson made in his emailing of August 4, 2009. In this email Whitney blabbered,

"a public school system that systematically, all over the country, gives black and Latino students the very worst teachers and schools, thereby trapping black and Latino communities in multi-generational cycles of poverty, violence and despair."

Yet again, Whitney fails to see the BIG PICTURE. I could have spewed on about my opinion, and I have in the past, but I am but a lowly teacher. What do I know? So I decided to seek out an expert. The expert, Susanne Berman is a graduate of Yeshiva University/ Wurzweiler School of Social Work. Ms Berman is LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker). I shared Whitney's blabbering with her recently.For some reason, she seems to know more than a hedgefund manager. I of course was not shocked. Here now, in an exclusive to SBSB, is what she shared.

"I've worked in a school setting as well and I agree the parents need to take a much more active role in parenting their own children. Scapegoating teachers is not helping anyone in my opinion. Their are a myriad of things and people that contribute to the cycle of poverty in urban societies. While teachers are integral in the educational and some of the emotional development of children, and they are seen as role models, they are not wholly responsible for childrens behavior, successes or failures outside of school and sometimes even in school. Children need many good role models to mirror good choices from. They need a strong support system and like minded peers. While a good education is essential, it is not the teacher's fault if the child doesn't complete assignments, at all, on time, correctly or doesn't show up to class. Their must be reinforcements at home guiding and encouraging the value of a good education and making it the child's responsibility to achieve success." Cycles can be broken, but it starts here with at home rules, discipline, boundaries, support and realistic expectations for the individual. Parent counseling/education may be helpful to those who need help with creating the above."

I am sure this will be expanded on. But, as we can see there are no simple answers to complex issues.