My friend, a teacher, is losing his job

[Bluzmann57]

One of my oldest and dearest friends is a teacher in a small Wisconsin district. He has been there around 20 years and was told the other day that his contract will not be renewed. The reason given was that the powers that be "didn't like his style and that people were complaining about it." Except they're not. At least not the working people aren't. His wife, who is also a teacher in another district, was not given any termination notice. She was also not a Union activist nor did she march on Madison last winter. My friend is a strong Union activist and led several marches on Madison last winter. He's losing his job, she's not.
Not only that, he was, and is, a damn good football coach, a coach who led his team to state a few years back. I challenge anyone to tell me that Walker wasn't behind this. 20 years seniority, good reviews UNTIL THIS YEAR, and a good, moral type of football coach who taught his kids that winning is good, but as long as one gives it their all, losing can teach lessons as well.
My buddy will land a job, he has the gift of gab (he's full of shit is what I tell him) but he loves teaching Social Studies and Civics. Now he'll probably sell used cars or something. And in Wisconsin, he has no legal recourse because of walker. So I guess the moral of this story is screw walker and all others like him. They must all go.

[upaloopa]

1. Why the hell do people vote for repukes?

I don't get it. They know damn well what repukes stand for yet they seem to like getting kicked around.

[erinlough]

2. So sorry to hear this but it is what is going on.

Here in Michigan and elsewhere the push is on to get rid of experience. My bet is that it had more to do with his salary than his style. When I told my superintendent that I was retiring he said as a professional I hate to lose a great teacher, as a business manager it will be nice to lose your salary. He is a good guy and we had the type of relationship to support this conversation. It's too bad they couldn't wait for him to make the decision.

[LWolf]

4. Not style.

Salary? That's probably part of the equation. The bigger part is his activism. I'm not in Wisconsin, but my outspokenness about the current bad reforms have negatively affected my job and my career.

[Igel]

11. Sometimes.

Sometimes not.

I know good teachers who are sort of on the ropes. They teach the way they taught 15 years ago. They had good results over the years. Their results aren't so great now.

Now they have to have collaborative small groups, differentiate by teaching style, make it culturally relevant; they have to allow retesting and various other ways of "correcting" for bad grades that were justly earned.

They have to be part of a professional learning community, which means that they have to have the same test procedures and guidelines as other "team" members, they have to teach the same things at the same time, and they have to use the same lesson plans. When they say that they have their own lab that they want to do and the rest of the team says they don't like it, then they have to back down and get with the program. Otherwise they're not a team player.

It's like MBAs have read the latest schlock education research and insist that it be implemented.

[Lifelong Protester]

3. I am so sorry to hear that about your friend

I am a Wisconsin administrator, I wish I had a job opening to tell you about ( but I don't). Walker, and his cronies want to break a system that works! (If it ain't broke, fix it....and profit from it). I put in my time in Madison, too, and the whole situation breaks my heart.

[Zax2me]

5. It's tough times all around, not just for unionized teachers.

We have lost two good employees in the last couple months.
Cutting back.
They did nothing wrong.
I'm glad wall street is happy cause no one else is.

[Seedersandleechers]

6. Is your friend in a union?

[rateyes]

7. If he is in a union, he has a free union lawyer,

and should use that lawyer.

[chuckstevens]

8. Simple

It's a salary dump, pure and simple! SHAME on Wisconsin voters who elect Scott Walker and his elk.

[Honeycombe8]

9. How sad and awful and unfair. I agree it was probably his union activities.

That is a risk, when you get involved in activism. At least in some vocations/professions.

[ReRe]

10. It was also those two subjects he taught...

A good teacher who teaches Social Studies and Civics? Whack! Those would be the FIRST to go. But was he back-balled? If he cannot find another teaching job in the area, then he was.