The 2011 PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools is out. The prize for the worst question goes to the following: “Generally speaking, do you hear more good stories or bad stories about teachers in the news media?” Approximately 68 percent of respondents said “yes” and 29 percent said “no.”
Nevertheless, their answers have little to do with the way the media portrays the teaching profession. It is a comment on media content and practice generally. I am confident that respondents would answer the same way if the question asked them to evaluate the content of their evening news broadcast or daily newspaper.
