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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"we have not spoken earlier, as we are a staff that exists in fear of bullying, retaliation...
and losing our jobs."
These are the words of the teachers from a San Diego charter school in March on the loss of a fellow teacher. They were asked not to discuss the circumstances with parents or students. They decided to speak out.
Another great post from Anthony Cody at Education Week.
San Diego Charter Teachers: Bullying Contributed to Death of Colleague
At a San Diego school board meeting on Tuesday, March 11, dramatic testimony from teachers and parents uncovered serious questions about the way their charter school has been run. Harriet Tubman Village Charter School is known for high test scores, but the death of a first year teacher has contributed to a sense of deep concern. Maggie Kuhn, founder of the Grey Panthers, once said: "Dare to stand before those you fear and speak your mind, even if your voice shakes." The testimony at this meeting is riveting. And the discussion that follows is disturbing.
And the teachers spoke.
We apologize that we have not spoken earlier, as we are a staff that exists in fear of bullying, retaliation and losing our jobs.
We have concerns regarding the protection of our students, the success of our school and the integrity of the charter. Our charter requires us to follow the credentialing requirements of the Education Code. Several teachers this year and last year taught without proper credentials in the subjects they were teaching. In fact, this is the case for two teachers at the moment. One teacher, when initially stating she was not qualified to teach a subject, and felt uncomfortable teaching the subject, was told she could do it, she was capable, and to do it "until we get caught, and then we have a year to fix it." We also have questions regarding whether one of our administrators actually holds an admin credential, as there is no record of it with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
....I want to tell you the story of Sarah Jenkins. Sarah was a young, bright, dedicated, caring first year teacher at Tubman. When administration had concerns about Sarah's abilities and performance they did not provide support for her or guidance. Instead they piled more and more work on, called her names, and criticized her at every single turn. On October 24th, Sarah wrote an email to the administration informing them that she had a medical condition that made it difficult to meet their excessive demands. She ended the email by begging for positive support, writing "being kind, helpful and specific helps me better myself. But calling me incompetent is not helpful but rude and unprofessional." The next day, Sarah was terminated, which I believe is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Sarah passed away three weeks ago from complications of stress-related seizures. When administrators found out we did not receive support or compassion. Instead we were told to not share this information with students, not with parents, that Sarah was only at our school for two months, and at the end of the day she didn't make an impact.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)In a few districts, and we have the second threat of strike in less than a year. Oh and an ugly divorce...
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)FL teachers are usually more accepting than most, just the way things are here. But I still have enough contacts and friends in the workplace from my teaching days....to feel the lay of the land.
I don't know if Democrats are just unaware of the building outrage....or if they are aware and don't think it matters.
Warpy
(111,255 posts)I fully agree with your assessment, from the Danielson Framework to outright hostility from MBA school officials, teachers all over the country have just about had it.
If the party as a whole is unaware of it, they're going to get a swift and difficult lesson in the not too distant future.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)Covering local politics, which apparently is what the penny saver does, has made me fully aware of the dysfunction. It is not pretty. People who care need to take over local boards of education, the party (at least locally, and I suspect locally is everywhere) want the big apple.
The dems abandoned planning groups, education, fire boards a while back. They sort of pay attention to city councils, and only in major cities. I don't think this is lack of understanding, but quite on purpose.
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)was Dean's emphasis on the most local contests...school boards, city councils. When we were active with DFA we donated often to such candidates. He said it built a "farm team". I don't think it is emphasized anymore. We do need to build from the ground up.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)that policy come down, trickle down like, from the heights of Olympus...err DC. I know, I am a cynic.
malthaussen
(17,193 posts)As it implies that such government is important only as a basis for the "Big leagues."
Government that matters is local, and affects us every day. It's kind of amazing that a supposedly populist party like the Dems pays so little attention to local government. Whereas the far Right has it as a major platform of the Master Plan to seize school boards, townships, and other local agencies.
-- Mal
Fla Dem
(23,656 posts)They are infiltrating local governments, city councils, school boards, planning boards, anything that has an affect on our lives and interacts with big businesses. Between ALEC and the Koch brothers they are buying local, state and city governments. They're turning our public schools over to for profit charter school businesses. State correctional facilities are run by big business and in order to turn a profit they have to keep those prisons filled. Some state highways and toll roads are going to big business. Our waterways are becoming sludge ponds for big business's toxic run off and no one does anything at the state level because they are paid flunkies of agribusiness and the oil business.
Pretty soon the street you live on will be owned by a big business and you will be directly charged for any maintenance and usage. Ok that hasn't happened yet, but the way things are going I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen in my lifetime.
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)they're pro-corporation, union-busting thugs just like their peers on the "other side of the aisle". In profitized health "care", care is delivered only when it doesn't interfere with profits. Profitized education works the same way. The education is an afterthought, coming in a distant 2nd (or third or so) to profits. The president and his pals Duncan and Rhee (and all the Repukes and many Dems) would like US education to be like its health care - expensive, low-quality, and a huge money-maker for the already filthy rich. And the entire government is keeping the labor market at a level at which if these teachers begin to discuss striking, they will be fired and replaced with even more desperate people. Outrage is healthy, but only if it can be harnessed toward a solution.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)how else do people like Arne Duncan get their jobs? The rich want public education in this country killed, and both sides are trying mightily to make that happen.
sulphurdunn
(6,891 posts)certainly at the federal level, have sold out K-12 education in this country for Wall Street and private foundation bribes. As regards public education in general, they are no better than republicans and are by far the bigger hypocrites.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,173 posts)And say that the beginning of the teacher/parent group that speaks on this starts about 1:54:30.
snot
(10,524 posts)FloriTexan
(838 posts)madfloridian
(88,117 posts)Appreciated...
FloriTexan
(838 posts)daleanime
(17,796 posts)mountain grammy
(26,620 posts)DebJ
(7,699 posts)A young, popular and successful teacher in his late 30s was taken to the hospital after he collapsed in class. They kept him in the hospital for a week. It was 'just' stress.
The stuff that is being done is almost incomprehensible.
The strategy is clearly to remove all teachers with more than maybe 2-3 years of service, because that's how they will
save money on the budget.
It makes me so sick to my stomach I can't even talk about it anymore.
Samantha
(9,314 posts)It is a lot easier than letting them go. No threat of a lawsuit or complaints to government agencies. I have seen this many times during my various jobs. I have also observed people in authority starting a quarrel with an employee, saying very insulting things, very loudly. This is to embarrass the employee and hopefully bait them into retorting in anger. Hopefully, the situation will escalate and the employee will just walk off the job.
It is amazing the techniques now in place that a few years ago would never have been condoned in organizations that prized their reputation.
Sam
passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)if the employee quits, with notice, and doesn't file a claim against the company for mistreatment.
Sooo true.
DeSwiss
(27,137 posts)Samantha
(9,314 posts)The teachers who spoke out are indeed people of courage. I hope something good comes from this, but the only thing that seems to matter today is profit. I strongly support public education, and having observed Rhee in DC, I have zero respect for her.
Sam
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)Our last principal before I retired was a major bully. If anyone stood up against her coldhearted policies, the rest of the staff shunned them for fear of being persecuted.
I am glad to see groups of teachers having courage like this.
steve2470
(37,457 posts)bbgrunt
(5,281 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Thank you, madfloridian.
Orrex
(63,208 posts)After all, we're told that they're models of efficiency and integrity.
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)thanks to the "reformers". It angers me so.
Orrex
(63,208 posts)This sort of "competition" for "rewards" is a Libertarian wet dream and has worked so well in practice for such institutions as Sears...
CrispyQ
(36,461 posts)Now they show it with pride, all the while wallowing in self-righteousness.
tclambert
(11,085 posts)If flogging a few teachers will increase the students' test scores . . . well, the administrators have a duty to their shareholders to commence flogging.
Sad but true.
nikto
(3,284 posts)I'd prefer drawing and quartering, but
I always was an idealist.
tclambert
(11,085 posts)It applies only to students, of course, and contains a star athlete exemption. You can't let unpopular weaklings try to get your starting quarterback or the center of your basketball team in trouble.
cate94
(2,810 posts)jopacaco
(133 posts)Thanks to these teachers for speaking out. They are courageous.
Nothing will change for public schools in this administration until Arne Duncan is gone. He has made a bad situation in education worse. We just gave the pilot test for the Common Core Curriculum. I think that the hidden purpose is to make public schools look bad (follow the money). 4th grade students are not developmentally ready to change fractions into decimals, do equations, or identify angles. When the test is implemented next year, our students will do badly and the push for more charter schools will accelerate.
nikto
(3,284 posts)The Public School deformers could be imprisoned for their crimes against America's children and families.
But no, they'll walk away with wad$ of ca$h while millions (who trusted the "deformers" suffer.
It's the American way.
Now.
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)can take over. Before you can destroy a great American institution like public schools, you have to make them look bad.
Arne's policies have permitted it.
AnotherMother4Peace
(4,243 posts)Math might not be for them & old enough to start disliking Math - Never even suspecting that they are being set up for failure. Thanks for nothing Arne
LiberalLovinLug
(14,173 posts)sad
90-percent
(6,829 posts)Last edited Sat Apr 19, 2014, 01:14 PM - Edit history (1)
These teachers show the power and strength of acting collectively. The American workplace is one of the most undemocratic on the planet. It's amazing how this system makes people treat other people like animals.
So much of American Management Practice makes me ask; Do these people think it is their job to be as mean to employees as humanly possible? Would anybody be proud of running a company that as part of it's management practices, tried to make people unhappy and miserable as possible? Why do they torture the people who's labor makes them money?
-90% Jimmy
PS - thanks for the term in the title, Noam!
nikto
(3,284 posts)In many, many cases...True.
Unequivocal.
Unless you're an investor or fund manager.
If the #1 goal of the "school reform movement" was to weaken America from the inside,
it has succeeded brilliantly.
People who think high test scores = a great education, are profoundly naive,
and deserve the poor results they will have to live with, with their own children.
russspeakeasy
(6,539 posts)chervilant
(8,267 posts)That sounds EXACTLY like the treatment I got in my first year of teaching after completing my accelerated certification!!!!!!
WHY do school administrators think that it's appropriate to treat a teacher this way?!?!
I am so sad for the family of this teacher, and for all her colleagues, whose courage I find awe-inspiring.
Thanks for posting this, mad. (I miss teaching so much!)
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)It's not okay to treat students like that. This has become a mean society.
Iris
(15,653 posts)sulphurdunn
(6,891 posts)that are willing to fight for the interests of their members, are so necessary to any profession.
thucythucy
(8,048 posts)K & R.
Stuart G
(38,421 posts)alfredo
(60,071 posts)AnotherMother4Peace
(4,243 posts)This principal is no role model to our children. She is mean, vindictive and not what we want our children to become. She should do the right thing and resign.
aquart
(69,014 posts)Another privatization failure.
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)Not sure about their union, but many have not stood firmly against the charter onslaught. Some have even made bargains with the reformers that the teachers found out about later.