Teachers and Their Credentials

I am writing in response to an article by Garry Abrams in the View section Sept. 13, “Some New Teachers Are Called ‘Unqualified.’ ”

To my knowledge this timely article is accurate and well-founded as far as it went. The problem is in the very last paragraph, which states (quote by Fred Mitchell): “I think they’re right that ideally somebody like me should not be in the classroom because I have no training,” Mitchell said. “I’m in here completely green and I don’t know what I’m doing. It would be much better if those kids had a teacher who had majored in education and knew a little more about teaching than I do. But those people aren’t around. Since they’re not, I’m willing to pitch in and help.”

Well, I have news. Those people are around--and jobless, thanks to a snarled credential system. A friend of mine, who has a degree in education from another state, was refused a teaching job ( because she had a degree in education) unless she got a second undergraduate degree outside of the field of education or a higher degree, amounting to at least 30 units of additional education.

JEANNE L. WRIGHT

North Hollywood