I received an email from a DC teacher colleague, Liz Davis. Liz has formed an alliance with DC teacher Kerry Sylvia and DC parents Iris Toyer, and Margot Berkey and others asking for better bargaining for DC teachers. You may recall an editorial written in the Washington Post by Liz, Kerry and the Mooney Institute. They have created a position statement which deserves front and center. Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts ? P.S. Teachers and parents for real education reform has a new blog- I encourage you to check them out @ http://realeducationreformdc.blogspot.com/
Position Statement from Real Education Reform DC :
Well The proposed WTU contract does not address many of the problems teachers face and will not make DCPS a better place to teach or learn. Successful reform of education in DC will require more than what we've seen, and we believe you know that too.
We who chose teaching as a profession want support for teachers to improve their craft but see nothing but disrespect and blame in the proposed contract.
The proposed raises and bonuses rely on private funding, which is not guaranteed. The green and red salary tiers will result in a teacher workforce that is a revolving door of short-timers. We think this approach disrespects the profession of teaching.
We need dramatic improvement in teacher salaries and high standards for teaching quality, but this contract is not the answer. It won't work and it may bring disrespect for teachers and teaching that cannot be reversed.
Arbitrary, unaccountable power in the hands of principals to make every teacher an at will employee does not lead to better teaching. DCPS hasn't clearly defined what good teaching is, but wants teachers to put their fate in the hands of principals, or worse, unreliable student test results as the measure of school and teacher quality.
The AFT is a national leader in fixing teacher evaluation systems, support systems for new and veteran teachers, and accountability to standards of good teaching practice. Why weren't they brought in to help develop the WTU's reform proposals? It's not too late for the AFT to work with the WTU and put forward a new plan.
How do we create a stronger contract?
Demand that the WTU leadership and negotiating team bring in the expertise of the AFT to develop and bring our proposals to the table. Don't worry! Voting against the proposed contract means that the current contract remains in force. We do not lose if we work for a better approach. Learn more and join with your colleagues who see another way to reform." Posted by The Washington Teacher.
12 comments:
Hooray !
The rescue boat finally arrived ! This entire situation needs divine intervention and what took so long ? Who's getting this out to all the school buildings in DC and teacher's ? Does congress have a copy as well as all the senators ? Haven't slept well worried about these teacher's and all this twilight zone reform going on !
You guys just don't get it. They are not listening to you! They have better things to do like fire incompetent teachers and service providers as well as hire those that are vested in the education of children. Hiring those with fresh, invigorating and exciting ideas and methods.
Maybe ! That's why we'll organize a team of teacher's straight from the trenches and have them report into Congress on real reality and situations.Call Nancy Pelosi and your senators.We'll get CNN to put it on live and we dare you to fire those teachers because this team of teacher's will be represented by an attorney present.What would you tell congress about educational reform ? How many school board members are spending time in schools on a monthly basis ? How many times has the mayor been into the school buildings ?
Good luck with the health department inspection as you fire incompetent teacher's walking into dirty buildings that smell like dead rats and urine in their teacher lounges.Have the news at the school building and we'll all see who is listening and who isn't !
It's enlightening how many suffer from transmissible spongiform encephalopathy!Bio-cycle is in and haven't you heard ? It's a part of national security and so are our United States Public school buildings !
Have you ever heard the o'l saying, shoot low they're riding shetland ponies ? Automatic termination for teacher's in green and eventual temination for teacher's in the red system.No appeal rights over discrimination or failing of the process ? Take it to the Supreme Court and call Hillary Clinton's office fast !Send her a copy of this contract and Rhee's re-writing our educational laws with the help of the mayor ? It's our capital of the United States of America too !What has the re-authorization of NCLB said about this DC contract ? What does Obama say and McCain ! We the people have a right to know what position they would take !
This is a mess ! The Metropolitan Washington Council,Peter D Hart Research Associations,Forms LM2 US Attorney's on conspiracy.Take your contract to a non-bias unrelated constitutional attorney.Personally, would not trust the contract or anything going on in this reform and it's scary educationally and sad !The Mayor isn't working with the WTU and the law suits are flying. The judges and attorney generals are busy in all this. God Bless America ! Find out in all this reform and contract question if we still have the 14th Amendment working in education in the United States of America !Are they getting rid of the 14th Amendment for school teacher's and principles.How many other constitutional laws are in question as well as proceedual violations? What do other states viewing Rhee's reform think ? Have the Senators re-viewed all this and has Congress ?
We all need to thank God for Supreme Court Marshall !Is he still around or retired ? "Arrive at balance between interests...." The associations and leadership should not be entitled to harm the schools,by speech than by incompetency.Calling DC Mayor Fentry a budget-shattering,union busting,promise-breaking political boss whose performance and bad management are costing DC tax payers millions and he is at odds with the democratic party.In all the confusion in reform how does a teacher have loyality to superiors? Pickering v Board of Education and the First Amendment.Due Process for teacher's and principles being fired with no explanation in Rhee's reform ? Unfair discharge,duty of fair representation,dismissal teacher for cause,Fifth Amendment,rights of association and the 14th Amendment !We're not afraid to fight to see all American school buildings operationally meet the basic needs to be successful in business for children ! As teacher's we are loyal to our students running the business of our classrooms ! It's hard to run a business when you don't have books and copy machines working. It's difficult to run a business when you're short teacher's in critical departments because of budget or they walked out mid-year.NCLB is an unfunded law and the senators in the last nine months have some great bills moving ! We need Congress to act swiftly in review !Reform is critical but so is funding and we need balance between interests and just seeing that with Rhee's contract or reform efforts. Our new teacher's need support and instructional feedback to be effective and successful.The evaluations need revision in education and view audits and the research to confirm !Have a nice day and remember balance of interests at the top as you all move foward for the best interests of the children.Does the principle have the budget to run her business and what does she need ad well as the teacher's.Shame on you and get the teacher's and principle's what they need to run a business !
Call the edit dept for a typo revision !It's our capital of the United States of America too ! Before we start radical reform efforts, let's make sure we've met the needs in our school buildings for our students !
We need new educational law books written with Rhee's reform and with all due respect, she's never been a teacher.principle or does she have a degree in education much less experience and hope the Association of School Administrators are watching this across the country in all states !
Please stop using the word "pissed" to decribe educational concerns with the news Ms. Rhee and find a better adjective !The last we need now is a K-5 student screaming the word "pissed" in the class room or in front of mom and dad because you've fired their teacher or principle !Have some more pep to it rally's !Somebody go find Guskey and Marzano and send them to run this reform !
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