Costa Mesa : Honig Calls Teachers ‘Cultural Ambassadors’
State Supt. of Public Instruction Bill Honig told an Orange County audience Friday that cultural values are very important in children’s education and that teachers are like “cultural ambassadors” who “should see themselves as being in a moral, ethical enterprise.”
Honig spoke to the Orange chapter of the American Jewish Committee at the Red Lion Inn, where nationally known education specialists discussed the topic of “Values Education.” Honig told the group that “beliefs, which we now call ‘values’ ” are an important topic in education. “Education is always tied up in ideals,” he said.
During his talk, Honig also criticized the level of state funding this year for public schools. “We got an actual 4.6% decrease per pupil this year,” Honig said. “This translated into (a school district facing) either cuts in salary or cuts in program.”
Honig also deplored the state’s decision to give taxpayers a rebate this year rather than using the budget surplus for education.
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