RI school district agrees to rehire fired teachers

[cal04]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100516/ap_on_re_us/us_entire_school_fired

A school district that gained the support of President Barack Obama for promoting accountability after it fired all its teachers from a struggling school announced on Sunday it had reached an agreement with the union to return all the current staffers to their jobs.

The two sides said a so-called transformation plan for Central Falls High School for the coming school year would allow the 87 teachers, guidance counselors, librarians and other staffers who were to lose their jobs at the end of this year to return without having to reapply. More than 700 people had already applied for the positions.

The agreement also imposes a longer school day, more after-school tutoring and other changes.

(snip)
Under the deal, teachers will need to recommit to their jobs and interview with the new principal. Other changes aimed at increasing student achievement include: a new evaluation system designed to inform teaching and learning, and targeted and embedded professional development.

[Bluebear]

1. This will displease the President. :(

[mzteris]

2. why would you think that?

The President will be pleased that positive steps are being taken, period.

It really IS all about the children, you know.

[depakid]

7. Maybe because he went before the Chamber of Commerce and made a comment in support of firing them?

:think:

[harkadog]

16. The union gave into the district's demands

That what Obama and the district wanted.

[mzteris]

17. I don't think the "firing" made him happy...

anyone who thinks that just doesn't like the man and is just looking for an excuse to to say anything to discredit him.

[Hannah Bell]

20. oh, bullshit.

[Hannah Bell]

19. oh, bullshit.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. New principal?

Now that's a victory.

[msongs]

4. principals are now CEO's, teachers r office managers, kids r workers... at least in this model

"teachers" can now fire underperforming students...right? right? oh no, gotta keep underperformers and blame the teachers for the bad results of the 'office' and the CEO's will just get raises and bonuses no matter how bad things get lol

msongs

[tonysam]

5. Most principals don't belong in schools in the first place, let alone head them.

Take it from somebody with experience in this.

[Bluebear]

6. Where do they come from tonysam?

Are principals usually former teachers or do they come from other disciplines like public admin?

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. They used to be former teachers

But now there is a desire to hire future CEOs. :)

[Ishoutandscream2]

9. In Texas, quite a few of them in the secondary level are ex coaches

A few are very good. But only a few.

[tonysam]

10. They are typically former teachers.

It used to be principals were long-time master teachers who took the jobs only a few years before they retired. One principal I used to have, who I am still in contact with, told me a major reason for doing so was that it increased their pension in the final years of their employment.

Nowadays, principals tend to take these jobs either because they couldn't cut it as teachers or they are materialistic types who see the principalship as a rung in the career ladder rather than an end in itself. More and more of these people are young, under forty, which is way, way, way too young to take on a job with an obscene amount of power.

THOSE are the ones teachers need to be scared of, the careerists, for if you get in their way, they can destroy you and your career.

[demtenjeep]

12. could not cut it in the classroom is EXACTLY right

then they do a 5 minute walk through and tell you that you are not giving the studnets enough rigor?

[Bluebear]

15. Thank you for answers, all!

[demtenjeep]

11. In our building which will be zero based next year, the current principal has assured us HE will be

returning


and that we will have to please him.

We made AYP 2 years ago before he came. All but 6 of us are the same staff and we did not make ayp this time around...hummmm one of us is not like the other

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. Our superintendent fired all of the principals

They have to reapply for their jobs. And about half the teachers are being moved from buildings that are being closed. So the majority of us have no idea where we will be working in the fall.

It's a mess right now.

[demtenjeep]

14. I am sorry

I know where I will be at least for next year

[Freddie Stubbs]

18. Sounds like a win-win