The Districts Response to Upset Teachers

Evelyn Oates-Samples and downtown administration continues to insult us as professionals. In the paper she said teachers may not understand the new model. We are professionals who can read! We understand the model because we took the time to figure it out for ourselves. The district didn’t take the time to explain it and the Union officials were hoping we wouldn’t so they could pass the contract through with no ruffles. We realize the potential negative ramifications these turnaround schools may have on already struggling communities that need our support not our experimentation.

Successful March!!!

While our numbers were small our hearts were in the right place! It felt good as a teacher to have a chance to voice our frustration over the lack of teacher input in the Renaissance Schools and to show our opposition. The newspaper reporters who were there seemed very interested in hearing what teachers had to say. I have to say that is what I enjoyed most, real educators who care about kids being able to voice their concerns. There was definitely talk of doing another march on a larger scale. In our next march we could give it a little more time to organize, plan better, and get out more teachers, parents, and students. Talking with teachers I really believe we could get large numbers to take a stand! Thanks to the two or three teachers who organized today's march!

Please give some feedback on your thoughts for a future march. If you are interested send your email or contact info to phillyteachertalks@gmail.com, I would love to chat.

Why Ackerman was forced out of San Francisco.

Hey, I just read an interesting article a friend sent to me from a San Francisco newspaper about Ackerman's firing in San Francisco. I will post it the link below if you are interested. A few highlights.

It seemed like Ackerman could not get along with their School Board. She often bickered with them or accused folks of being racist when they didn't agree with her. It seems as if she didn't have the rubber stamp that she has hear in Philadelphia. The board questioned her when she recommended just shutting down "failing" schools, in fact they refused to let her do it. My favorite quote from this Article, "Lipson Mar and Sanchez -- along with leadership of the teachers' union -- have fought the reapplication requirement saying it is a slap in the face to educators who have dedicated their careers to working in difficult schools." I wish our Union and SRC gave the teachers who care deeply the same respect that they did in San Francisco.

Any way I recommend checking it out. I would love to hear your comments.

ps- here is the link to the article- http://articles.sfgate.com/2005-09-07/bay-area/17392646_1_school-board-public-school-san-francisco-ackerman

Please Join the March Tommorow, see earlier blog for details.

Check Out This Article About the Shortcomings of Chicago's Renaissance Schools

Click on the link, it is an old article so search Archives; "Daley School Plan Fails to Make the Grade"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/chi-renaissance-2010-17

How Renaissance Schools Will Hurt Our Children

What is a Renaissance School (Skip this paragraph if you know)? As I understand it (based on the Philadelphia teachers contract and news reports) a Renaissance will be a reconstituted school. Schools that have been persistently failing are eligible. I recently heard this is 95 Philadelphia schools including every neighborhood high school. The first step in the process will be the initial clearing out of all staff and administration. The school building will then be handed over to some outside manager; charter or for profit Educational Management Organization. The new administration can re-hire up to 50% of the former staff of the school, if those teachers decide to re-apply for their former positions. Teachers at these new Renaissance schools will work an extra hour a day at school, two Saturdays a month, and from my understanding there will be an option to work in July.

So why am I against these Renaissance schools? In some ways it sounds good, right, more time equals more results. If I only believed that would be true in these new schools, then I would adamantly support them. The new Renaissance schools don’t deal with the issues that persistently plague our city schools; lack of quality resources, overcrowded classrooms, serious discipline issues (i.e. South Philly High), truancy, and a lack of sufficient staff. Adding more time to the day and year isn’t going to be the silver bullet politicians are hoping for. In many cases it will likely exacerbate these issues.

Many of the best teachers are going to leave! Shouldn’t this concern us? There are teachers who are the very fabric holding many of these schools together, barely yes, but still together. Quality teachers want to be treated like professionals and under this contract it is not happening. People are human, if they can work one-third less the time and make more money elsewhere they are going to do it. Not to mention many teachers don’t want to sacrifice their home and family life for the ten thousand extra dollars a teacher might be able to earn in the Renaissance model. I have talked to many good teachers who said they will go if their school become Renaissance.

So when the good teachers leave what will happen? I believe you will be left with a very young, and overworked group of people. These are teachers who might last one or two years at the school. The rest of the teachers will be people either in it for the money or folks who could not find jobs anywhere else. Please remember every year Philadelphia has a shortage of over one hundred teachers, often more. People aren’t going to be lining up to teach in these schools that are not sustainable.

Who suffers? The kids, the kids, the kids!!! Yet again, they will feel the blow of another political experiment. They will lose many of the teachers who care deeply for them. For many of our students school is one of the few places that offers stability and now that will be taken as well. The issues that hold back their schools will continue to go unaddressed. When I think about this I get sad and angry. People tout themselves as reformers and advocates for these children. The children they claim to help, they will hurt!

Teacher March Tuesday

I got this email from a friend. I decided to change the guys name who wrote the email, although it does not seem as if he minds people knowing his name. For more info I would email him. Personally I plan to march!

Fellow Teachers,

My name is John Smith. I recently spoke at the PFT meeting last Thursday. I expressed my opinion, and I believe the opinion of many others, that these new Renaissance schools will not be in the best interest of our students. I do not feel that our Union represented those of us who felt this way. The media seems to have only heard reports praising our new contract. I truly believe these Renaissance schools will drive away many of the teachers our students need the most. I also believe they will create schools that have a revolving teaching staff of very young teachers who will not last. How can this be in the best interest of our students?

I would like to make our voice heard! I would like to make a public response to let parents know what the implications of these new Renaissance schools will likely be. Please join me in marching this Tuesday outside of 440 N. Broad to let out opinion be heard. For those of you who wish to march join me at Broad and Spring Garden at 3:30, marching will being around 4:00 and go until 5:30. Come bringing signs and posters expressing frustration with the school district’s new plan! For questions or a confirmation email just email me at fifelus@aol.com, I will hit reply as a confirmation.

Ps- Please pass this along to as many other teachers as you know within the district as well as parents who may be concerned as to the impact these Renaissance schools may have on their own children.