All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

Sorry if its a repost.

Wow

What do you think?

The story


(CNN) -- A school board in Rhode Island has voted to fire all teachers at a struggling high school, a dramatic and controversial plan aimed at shoring up education in a poverty-ridden school district.

In a 5-2 vote Tuesday night, the board approved the plan by Frances Gallo, superintendent at Central Falls School District, to discharge the teachers at Central Falls High School.


ETA: the topic is the CNN story line not mine.

Message edited 2/24/2010 2:50:20 PM.

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

Your post is a little misleading. It seems like more of a formality. It says they can hire up to 50% of them back under this plan they chose....

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

The school I work out falls under the same federal parameters as that one: we are getting visited by NYS in April to decide whether we will be transformed - like this school - or just shut down.

As a teacher, it saddens me. There are many of us that bust our butts everyday for our kids and many sadly who do not. To blanket fire everyone. I feel so badly for those students. They'll come into a school next year and no adults to turn to, to trust, to depend on. And for some of those kids, the only adults they can depend on are the ones that work in their schools.

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

I just want to say CNN is crazy. its not all must almost all.

I'm not a teacher. I have friends/family who are teachers but I dont 'understand' the environment enough in my own opinion.

But for that kinda money I think putting in a little extra time and effort isnt asking for the end of the world. Especially given the median income. Frankly I've gone three years without a raise, a huge decrease in income to move to TX and put in extra hours but at least its a JOB.

I think its a good start. For the moment with the angle they give on this story and from my very limited point of view. I think she should be applauded for taking the big step.

My HS is closed due to the same problems. Altho they say its due to a flood they couldnt afford to fix - now they have 65M they can't move since the residents won't allow them to send it since they lost their HS. My old school USED to be a great school. It hit some rough times and went bad very quickly. when I went to school I was taught my Drs in their fields. Now it gone completely. I wonder if this wouldnt have fixed things.

*shrug*

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

personally i think individuals should be held accountable for their grades and their jobs. Job security to the extent that some teachers have is ridiculous BUT students need to put the work in to get good grades. To ask teachers to take lunch with a student i think is unfair - everyone gets a break or deserves a break during the day!

As far as working longer hours to "help" out - then why not hire part time temp employees "helpers" who do not get benefits that are teacher aids, etc to tutor?

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

I work in education and I think some of these actions are extreme.

Many of the conditions in these schools have little if anything to do with the teachers. When you combine overcrowding, lack of resources, disaffected youth, and lack of parental involvement, along with high percentages of students with special needs, it is bound to result in less than stellar results.

They can close the school down and hire all new teachers but unless they address the social emotional and leraning needs of these students the results will remain the same.

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

Teachers are edcuators NOT miracle workers!
Yes, there are bad teachers who need to retire or find a better line of work, but in all fairness, there are students who come from broken families, who are abused, who have problems in their life some of us can't imagine. Teachers can only do so much to help some of these children or in this case they are young adults. To fire everyone (and then hire back up to 50%) is wrong, I am sure the problems in the school run much deeper than any school board can begin to repair.

Message edited 2/24/2010 8:50:05 PM.

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

I am a teacher in NYC.

My view: many people look at education in terms of what the TEACHERS do. No one ever really analyzes/looks at what parents, kids, admins and communities do. As long as most of the emphasis is on the teachers, and not on ALL the stakeholders, nothing will improve.

For example, there is a teacher in my school who treats a few of my former students (great kids) like crap-giving unfair grades, saying very mean things. I have actually broken ranks and complained to the principal, who's doing little (unless a paper trail is in the works and I'm not privy- I hope). That's a problem. But the parents of these kids need to speak up, they are not, and that's also a problem. There is a lot of complacency.


Less than half of my class did the homework I assigned over vacation. That's a regular thing. How many times can I call the parents, realistically? I am like a broken record sometimes.

I feel for these teachers. They are working in a struggling community. I'm sure there are bad eggs but I have a feeling that most of them are doing what they can in a difficult situation. As soon as the economy improves, I really think I am going to quit because I am sick of not gettin what *I* need to do the best job I can and sick of my performance being evaluated based on TWO days out of the whole school year (tests).

Message edited 2/24/2010 8:57:04 PM.

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

I've never been a fan of any scorched earth methods.

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

I am a NYC teacher as well and we are currently in a transformation model. We were given a new principal with new ideas and made a commitment to "move the school".

I can tell you that it doesn't matter how much time, effort, love, or care you give these students...unless they want an education you could pay them (which my school has done) and it still won't make a difference.

There is no support from the administration and definitely not from Bloomberg. Everything is our fault. In my 1st period I have 34 students and 15 show up on a daily basis. I call parents, involve guidance, have grade conference after grade conference and nothing changes. So what should I do? Short of going to their homes and escorting them to school, tell me how to get these kids come to class. My school has the same demographics as the school that was closed in Rhode Island.

It is easy to say when you are not in education that the teachers should work harder, put more hours in, not ask for raises.

I feel bad for those teachers and like a previous poster said,I am sure there are some bad eggs but for everyone to lose their jobs in this economy? I think it is awful.

Message edited 2/24/2010 9:39:46 PM.

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

Don't even get me started with this!
Teachers and administrators don't make the school alone. But, yet, we are blamed for everything. All stakeholders need to be held accountable for their actions or inactions.

I currently teach in the NYC DOE and I have to tell you, there are days when I have classes with less then 50% of the students. For example, if it rains, I can count on one hand how many of my students come to school.

I called 7 parents this afternoon, and 10 more on my way home. On my cell, on my time. I come home and plan at least 90 minutes per night for the next day. I differentiate for my entire class. And the papers I have to grade and the late work I have to accept. The pressure for scholarship numbers and exam pass rates. It is overwhelming at times.

And the students, most of them don't give a crap about being in school. They come for the metrocard and a place to see their friends. They complain about everything but don't want to contribute anything to the school community.

And parents....well, that is another story all together. We have 4 members on the PTA (580 students)

It is just sad!

I have said it once before, and I will say it again...Public Education is the downfall of this country. Make people pay for it and you will see a difference.

Re: All teachers fired at Rhode Island School (CNN Story)

I worked in HS in NYC that this happened to.

I reapplyed and was hired.

It is all very politcal, they kept the newer people (me) and lost some WONDERFUL teachers who had been there for 10-30 yrs!.

When you work in a school that is poverty ridden, has a very large ELL (ESL) population and a very large spec ed population it is very hard to get scores that the state/mayor wants.

OF COURSE teachers want their kids to suceed! it is not as if the teachers are not teaching.

I dare say having worked in this school and now in the "best" school in my area--I worked much harder in the bad school--the kids just needed me more--I was their counselor, teacher, role model--they depended on me for things that my students now dont need me for--bc they have families that love and care for them (thank god)

I watched wonderful teachers be asked to leave (they got jobs elsewhere--by union contract you just change schools , teachers are not hurt--well their morale is hurt and they feel bad but often they end up in better schools! Their job is not at risk)

The only one who suffers are the students..these kids (many of them) have very little parental guidance--their teachers, counselors etc are really their rock, their only "steady, sure thing"--they were robbed of this as well...

(side note) I left after a cple yrs. bc the state decided to close the school, slowly get rid of all the staff (who went to other NYC schools) and totally rehire and start small academies. Like getting new teachers is going to solve the fact that these kids have to worry about their basic needs food, shelter and safety--and bc of that school takes a back seat.

So I left, my kids had some counselor they did not know--i still email many of them--but they can't come see me, its not the same, and I feel so guilty (eventhough I had no control over leaving)--it makes me so sad.

I am now in one of the best schools in NYC--go figure


It is so complicated and sad, I hate even talking about it

Message edited 2/24/2010 10:04:49 PM.