Thursday, May 31, 2007
I missed a strike!
A big mea culpa to the Lake Lehman Education Association, their 150 teachers have been on strike since Tuesday! Under PA state law, it can go for a week, so long as the students get their 180 days in by June 15th. At issue? Pay raises and insurance premiums. Read more about it here or here. Big thanks to Jamie on this one!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Would Voltaire wear shorts or a nose ring?
More than likely, your contract has some kind of “professional dress” clause or item in it. Some are more specific than others; they might reference types of shoes, pants or jewelry that can or can’t be worn to work. Some contracts simply use the term “professional dress” leaving it up to interpretation.
The problem is when you get the whole “professional dress” term, you leave it up to interpretation. As we all know, interpretations of your contract by fellow teachers who consider themselves to be armchair union representatives vary widely. Some think running pants are professional dress, others think visors or ball caps are professional. Shorts are viewed by some as professional (after all, Physical Education teachers around the country do get away with wearing them) so are extreme haircuts, scraggly beards, sandals and facial piercings.
Personally, I think there’s an intangible line of good taste that teachers shouldn’t cross when it comes to dress. I think the more professional you dress, the fewer management issues you have (both in your classroom and with your administration). Generally if it’s against the student dress code, then teachers shouldn’t wear it—I won’t ask my kids to do something that I don’t do myself. However, I will be like Voltaire and say “I disapprove of what you wear, but I will defend the contract and your right to wear it.”
I’ve only worn shorts on the last day of school (a tradition I have engaged in for several years now) or on a day where we are outside for a field trip (zoo or some place like that). With the weather lately, I’ve been tempted to throw on some shorts—I’ve even tried to justify it to myself that once the temperature hits 90 degrees then it’ll be okay to put ‘em on. Luckily it hasn’t hit 90 degrees, so I haven’t had to test my resolve.
I do wear jeans, perhaps a little too much. No one’s ever said anything, but I remember during my first year of teaching, I was professionally dressed 5 days a week (and I mean truly professionally dressed). Only around the second half of the year did I wear jeans on Fridays—it felt like a guilty pleasure. I remember my mentor’s words on dress code (even though teachers in my district do not have one).
“In my first teaching job I was working in Philadelphia,” he said. “I had a Principal who told me that I should wear a coat and tie every day. He did tell me on hot days I was allowed to take the coat off, but that it should stay on the back of my chair in my room.”
What, you may ask, is the reason for my missive? A Martin County, Florida teacher was disciplined for wearing a nose ring. The 40 year old teacher got the piercing to commemorate the one year anniversary of her father’s death, but had to take it out after parents complained to an assistant principal that it was unprofessional. The union filed a grievance, and a federal arbitrator found in favor of the school district, saying it was not professional dress. You can read more about it here.
The problem is when you get the whole “professional dress” term, you leave it up to interpretation. As we all know, interpretations of your contract by fellow teachers who consider themselves to be armchair union representatives vary widely. Some think running pants are professional dress, others think visors or ball caps are professional. Shorts are viewed by some as professional (after all, Physical Education teachers around the country do get away with wearing them) so are extreme haircuts, scraggly beards, sandals and facial piercings.
Personally, I think there’s an intangible line of good taste that teachers shouldn’t cross when it comes to dress. I think the more professional you dress, the fewer management issues you have (both in your classroom and with your administration). Generally if it’s against the student dress code, then teachers shouldn’t wear it—I won’t ask my kids to do something that I don’t do myself. However, I will be like Voltaire and say “I disapprove of what you wear, but I will defend the contract and your right to wear it.”
I’ve only worn shorts on the last day of school (a tradition I have engaged in for several years now) or on a day where we are outside for a field trip (zoo or some place like that). With the weather lately, I’ve been tempted to throw on some shorts—I’ve even tried to justify it to myself that once the temperature hits 90 degrees then it’ll be okay to put ‘em on. Luckily it hasn’t hit 90 degrees, so I haven’t had to test my resolve.
I do wear jeans, perhaps a little too much. No one’s ever said anything, but I remember during my first year of teaching, I was professionally dressed 5 days a week (and I mean truly professionally dressed). Only around the second half of the year did I wear jeans on Fridays—it felt like a guilty pleasure. I remember my mentor’s words on dress code (even though teachers in my district do not have one).
“In my first teaching job I was working in Philadelphia,” he said. “I had a Principal who told me that I should wear a coat and tie every day. He did tell me on hot days I was allowed to take the coat off, but that it should stay on the back of my chair in my room.”
What, you may ask, is the reason for my missive? A Martin County, Florida teacher was disciplined for wearing a nose ring. The 40 year old teacher got the piercing to commemorate the one year anniversary of her father’s death, but had to take it out after parents complained to an assistant principal that it was unprofessional. The union filed a grievance, and a federal arbitrator found in favor of the school district, saying it was not professional dress. You can read more about it here.
Monday, May 28, 2007
What's on Internet TV?
Berryessa schools rally over a bargaining impasse.
Debbie Lynch, the loser to Marilyn Stewart in the Chicago Teachers' Union election earlier this month.
Columbus Teachers' Union video via Google.
Missouri Senator Jeff Smith gets challenged by a St. Louis school teacher/ union member in a public speaking engagement. Worth the watch.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Bits and pieces from the past week...
Looks like Lake-Lehman School District in PA might be going on strike.
San Francisco schools say they'll strike starting next school year if this contract isn't handled now.
This union is working to the rule because of contract negotiations-- what's interesting (depressing) is the vandalism their cars have received because of their union involvement.
San Francisco schools say they'll strike starting next school year if this contract isn't handled now.
This union is working to the rule because of contract negotiations-- what's interesting (depressing) is the vandalism their cars have received because of their union involvement.
Chicago Teacher's Union Marilyn Stewart just got relected and is bringing pressure to bear on the district to get a new contract. Here's a look at why Stewart won over her opponent, Debbie Lynch over at Mike Klonsky's blog, the small school guru.
In Hayward, California the Hayward Education Association took and released a no-confidence vote in the Superintendent and demands that he not be given another contract.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Strike in less than 2 hours....
Ambridge Area Education Association in PA will be on strike tomorrow. I have it on good authority they're painting their strike signs as I type this. Their local represents the teachers (about 200) and the support staff (about 50) in a district of about 2,000 students.
Missed a Strike, Mea Culpa. (Pennsylvania)
Read about it here.
Also, I've deleted all of my entries on Strikewatch. I'll put a few things back up as they pop up, it was just looking so cluttered.
Also, I've deleted all of my entries on Strikewatch. I'll put a few things back up as they pop up, it was just looking so cluttered.
Stewart claims victory in Chicago
Incumbent Chicago Teachers' Union President Marilyn Stewart beat Debbie Lynch 76% to 24% in the recent election. Turnout was down over the last election (a disturbing trend in big urban local presidential elections). What's interesting is that the last presidential election saw a 566 vote difference between Lynch and Stewart (Stewart actually won) and it got ugly with the term "voter fraud" being thrown around and everything. This time with a 76/24 split, I'd say Lynch has been relegated to the Ross Perot "spoiler role" for CTU presidential candidacies in the future. Read more here.
Do you know who my father is? Do you know who my mother is?
Or used to be? Or is?
At least that's what one New Mexico (formerly) non-graduating senior had to say. His F in English was changed to a D after his father, a former school board member and his mother, the current county commissioner appealed the grade. His original teacher and the principal of the high school said no. Unsatisfied, the couple continued to appeal the grade-- both the senior teacher and the head principal were then overruled and the grade was changed from an F to a D. The union has filed a grievance, though even if they win the school board has said the grade will not be changed back to an F.
At the center of the issue is the failure of the teacher(s) at the high school to notify parents of seniors that the students are failing. Those of you who teach seniors (as I do from time to time) are familiar with this concern. I mail letters, make calls and document them to make sure every one's on the same page. What do you do? I've never had a grade overturned in any of my classes-- at least not that they've told me about.
I for one applaud the actions of the parents. I think both of them being involved at some point in their lives as politicians explains why they don't want to leave any child behind (including their own). I think the two of them made AYP for influence peddling this year.
Read more about the story here. This student (from the same high school, in the same situation) could graduate if he was given the same treatment as the politician's kid. More about lack of senior notification at the high school here. The Albuquerque Tribune ran an editorial that supported the teachers and the original decision by the administration.
The best line: "There would have been no dishonor in having the student make the grade during summer school and graduate a bit late. There is much dishonor in the contortions everybody is performing to make this grade change work."
More about the grievance here. Another article about the situation/ grievance here. Joanne Jacobs also blogged about it here.
At least that's what one New Mexico (formerly) non-graduating senior had to say. His F in English was changed to a D after his father, a former school board member and his mother, the current county commissioner appealed the grade. His original teacher and the principal of the high school said no. Unsatisfied, the couple continued to appeal the grade-- both the senior teacher and the head principal were then overruled and the grade was changed from an F to a D. The union has filed a grievance, though even if they win the school board has said the grade will not be changed back to an F.
At the center of the issue is the failure of the teacher(s) at the high school to notify parents of seniors that the students are failing. Those of you who teach seniors (as I do from time to time) are familiar with this concern. I mail letters, make calls and document them to make sure every one's on the same page. What do you do? I've never had a grade overturned in any of my classes-- at least not that they've told me about.
I for one applaud the actions of the parents. I think both of them being involved at some point in their lives as politicians explains why they don't want to leave any child behind (including their own). I think the two of them made AYP for influence peddling this year.
Read more about the story here. This student (from the same high school, in the same situation) could graduate if he was given the same treatment as the politician's kid. More about lack of senior notification at the high school here. The Albuquerque Tribune ran an editorial that supported the teachers and the original decision by the administration.
The best line: "There would have been no dishonor in having the student make the grade during summer school and graduate a bit late. There is much dishonor in the contortions everybody is performing to make this grade change work."
More about the grievance here. Another article about the situation/ grievance here. Joanne Jacobs also blogged about it here.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Locke Seceeds From Union: Rebs To Fly Green Dot Flag
By now, you've probably heard about the secession in LAUSD started by over forty teachers at Locke High School in the heart of Watts. If you haven't, over forty teachers signed a petition to disassociate themselves with LAUSD and their union, UTLA and join Green Dot. This comes roughly a month or so after the LA School Board voted against allowing Green Dot come in to take over Locke. You can read a Green Dot board member's thoughts on it here, while you can read my take on it here.
In California, state law allows this and the LA school board would basically have to approve the change for the 2008 school year, says this LA Time article. It shouldn't have come as a surprise to those who read this LA Times article six days earlier, where the writing was on the wall as to what was going to happen.
Here is a brief "bio" on the school, as most articles/ commentary on this issue simply label the school as "bad":
Locke High School is a large, urban school in the heart of south central Los Angeles, where the median household income is $26,449 and half of the population speaks Spanish as their primary home language. Less than six percent of adults in the surrounding community possess a college degree, and less than 50 percent of adults hold a high school diploma. The demographic profile of the school reflects the impact of immigrant families who have settled in south central Los Angeles during the last decade. Its student body is 63 percent Latino and 37 percent African American. Approximately 33 percent of Locke High School students are identified as English Language Learners.
The high school’s graduation rate is 44 percent, below the district-wide graduation rate reported by the Los Angeles Unified School District and consistent with recent findings by the Civil Rights Project of Harvard University of the significant statewide dropout rates of Latino and African American students in California. Standardized test scores are also below reported state averages, and in 2004 the school did not achieve “adequate yearly progress,” as defined by No Child Left Behind Act guidelines. Attendance rates have since increased by 15 percent, indicating that Locke High School is moving toward improving its graduation rate. Its student enrollment is approximately 3,400. (Source)
Thoughts:
This is a school in trouble-- the grad rate for LAUSD (47%) is dismal, and this school is below that pitiful benchmark.
I wonder what precipitated the petition signing in the building. If you read the latest article, you'll notice that the principal was escorted from the building after the results were announced, so clearly the administration holds him responsible. Was it the principal who encouraged it? Was this a teacher-driven action, completely independent of the principal?
What is troubling about this incident is so for two reasons:
1) This is a wake-up call from teachers that they have completely abandoned LAUSD. There is nothing left; to these teachers the district is done, worthless.
2) This is a wake-up call from teachers that they have completely abandoned their union. The fact that UTLA was unable create alternatives for the teachers of Locke High School to believe in does not bode well for the future of their organization, nor does the fact that they did not have a finger on the pulse of the building to be aware of what was happening. While Green Dot is unionized and does have a published salary schedule, these teachers are leaving a lot of contractual "goodies" behind.
These actions speak louder than any rhetoric.
What next for UTLA and LAUSD?
Hopefully you "got" my historical reference in the post title. I believe this is the modern-day attack on Fort Sumter, the event that officially started the Civil War for the United States. Casualties were light in that attack, only one Union soldier was killed (and not even during the fighting, as he was part of a gun crew that was killed/ injured as they were firing a salute to the southern forces to whom they were transferring control of the fort) and a handful were wounded; it was an inauspicious start to a very bloody war. Slightly more than forty teachers can be considered "casualties" in this very minor skirmish-- greater battles have yet to be fought.
In California, state law allows this and the LA school board would basically have to approve the change for the 2008 school year, says this LA Time article. It shouldn't have come as a surprise to those who read this LA Times article six days earlier, where the writing was on the wall as to what was going to happen.
Here is a brief "bio" on the school, as most articles/ commentary on this issue simply label the school as "bad":
Locke High School is a large, urban school in the heart of south central Los Angeles, where the median household income is $26,449 and half of the population speaks Spanish as their primary home language. Less than six percent of adults in the surrounding community possess a college degree, and less than 50 percent of adults hold a high school diploma. The demographic profile of the school reflects the impact of immigrant families who have settled in south central Los Angeles during the last decade. Its student body is 63 percent Latino and 37 percent African American. Approximately 33 percent of Locke High School students are identified as English Language Learners.
The high school’s graduation rate is 44 percent, below the district-wide graduation rate reported by the Los Angeles Unified School District and consistent with recent findings by the Civil Rights Project of Harvard University of the significant statewide dropout rates of Latino and African American students in California. Standardized test scores are also below reported state averages, and in 2004 the school did not achieve “adequate yearly progress,” as defined by No Child Left Behind Act guidelines. Attendance rates have since increased by 15 percent, indicating that Locke High School is moving toward improving its graduation rate. Its student enrollment is approximately 3,400. (Source)
Thoughts:
This is a school in trouble-- the grad rate for LAUSD (47%) is dismal, and this school is below that pitiful benchmark.
I wonder what precipitated the petition signing in the building. If you read the latest article, you'll notice that the principal was escorted from the building after the results were announced, so clearly the administration holds him responsible. Was it the principal who encouraged it? Was this a teacher-driven action, completely independent of the principal?
What is troubling about this incident is so for two reasons:
1) This is a wake-up call from teachers that they have completely abandoned LAUSD. There is nothing left; to these teachers the district is done, worthless.
2) This is a wake-up call from teachers that they have completely abandoned their union. The fact that UTLA was unable create alternatives for the teachers of Locke High School to believe in does not bode well for the future of their organization, nor does the fact that they did not have a finger on the pulse of the building to be aware of what was happening. While Green Dot is unionized and does have a published salary schedule, these teachers are leaving a lot of contractual "goodies" behind.
These actions speak louder than any rhetoric.
What next for UTLA and LAUSD?
Hopefully you "got" my historical reference in the post title. I believe this is the modern-day attack on Fort Sumter, the event that officially started the Civil War for the United States. Casualties were light in that attack, only one Union soldier was killed (and not even during the fighting, as he was part of a gun crew that was killed/ injured as they were firing a salute to the southern forces to whom they were transferring control of the fort) and a handful were wounded; it was an inauspicious start to a very bloody war. Slightly more than forty teachers can be considered "casualties" in this very minor skirmish-- greater battles have yet to be fought.
Still here, I promise.
Sorry folks, I've kind of dropped off of the face of the earth. For those of you who have never hosted The Carnival of Education, it's quite an undertaking and has the effect of leaving me "blogged out" for a while after. I guess nine days without a post is a good enough vacation from blogging, right?
In the meantime I've been teaching, going to meetings and fielding emails from the sons, daughters and former business partners of prominent former African dictators and politicians who have been eager to share forthwith in earnest the proceeds of their completely legal transactions.
In the meantime I've been teaching, going to meetings and fielding emails from the sons, daughters and former business partners of prominent former African dictators and politicians who have been eager to share forthwith in earnest the proceeds of their completely legal transactions.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
The 117th Carnival of Education: The Carnival of One Liners
Howdy! Below is the 117th Carnival of Education, but I tried something different when writing it out. In the interest of fairness, impartiality, brevity and wit each blog descriptor is only one sentence long, hence the title of "one liners". Happy reading!
I Thought A Think gives us a week in the life as a Teacher Union Vice-President.
JD2718 exposes the serious problems in the recent NYC "budget" salary seniority transfers.
NYC Educator attempts to "cash in" on the preponderance of reorganizations in city schools.
DY/Dan gives us a visual guide of why teaching is hard.
Mrs. H shares her class rules for first graders...which are longer than mine for high school students.
We all cringe when we hear a student say "But the principal said I could wear it!" when it comes to dress code violations-- just like Chanman does.
GrrlScientist ponders what the effect of the VT shootings will have on the application of the term "disturbing writings" on undisturbed students.
Joanne Jacobs chronicles a "violently disturbing" writing assignment that got a senior arrested and his armed forces enlistment cancelled.
Denise shares her math board quotes from the school year; even I, the anti-math might find something useful there.
Be a guest of ICE/ TJC at a recent UFT Delegate Assembly in New York, courtesy of Ednotes Online.
Ms. Q shares her labor-intensive but fruitful way of answering questions in her class.
Lennie puts his ideas on teacher pay into writing; Reg Weaver is sure to disagree.
May your day be a Shay Day.
Mat explores the idea whether online attendance/ grade reporting programs (like Edline) might encourage or develop helicopterism in parents.
Right Wing Prof pulls out line graphs, charts and a bar graph to explain his rebuttal of the theories that A) teachers are leaving the profession or that B) numbers of new teachers are declining.
Me-ander didn't have the best day.
NCLB might not be perfect, writes Brett, but it is a start.
The venerable Mamacita shares some of her more interesting statistics from her adult classes.
This administrator logs a minute-by-minute account of their day; all I can say is "Whew!".
An extremely quick read, but an essential question.
SAT and ACT scores aren't good benchmarks for college admission, says Meera.
Learn how Super ScienceGoddess perseveres and has a successful day dispatching the evil calendar and its meeting minions!
"I am not feeling the free expression youth movement," says Miss Profe.
Mrs. Bluebird muses about how overnight field trips helped change teachers and students in her school for the better.
Colleen has a second life; she's a techno-math teacher.
The Tempered Radical explores potential flaws in the NAEP.
Linda says rocking the boat is a good thing.
Ms_Teacher notices that the staff at her middle school are acting almost as bad (okay, maybe a bit worse) than the kids.
I've got to admit I'm with Darren on this one when it comes to the use of bathroom passes during class.
The Education Wonks give the Red Apple Salute to the national teacher of the year.
Matt Tabor, the blogging school board candidate, offers up thoughts on why everyone (principals, teachers and board members) should blog.
IB A Math Teacher over at Three Standard Deviations to the Left weighs the intricacies and permutations of assigning teaching schedules next year as part of their department chair responsibilities-- and comes up with some pretty interesting thoughts.
That's it. Entries for the 118th midway of The Carnival Of Education (hosted next week over at NYC Educator) are due today. Please email them to: NYCeducator [at] gmail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 6:00 PM (Eastern) 3:00 PM (Pacific). Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if possible.
I Thought A Think gives us a week in the life as a Teacher Union Vice-President.
JD2718 exposes the serious problems in the recent NYC "budget" salary seniority transfers.
NYC Educator attempts to "cash in" on the preponderance of reorganizations in city schools.
DY/Dan gives us a visual guide of why teaching is hard.
Mrs. H shares her class rules for first graders...which are longer than mine for high school students.
We all cringe when we hear a student say "But the principal said I could wear it!" when it comes to dress code violations-- just like Chanman does.
GrrlScientist ponders what the effect of the VT shootings will have on the application of the term "disturbing writings" on undisturbed students.
Joanne Jacobs chronicles a "violently disturbing" writing assignment that got a senior arrested and his armed forces enlistment cancelled.
Denise shares her math board quotes from the school year; even I, the anti-math might find something useful there.
Be a guest of ICE/ TJC at a recent UFT Delegate Assembly in New York, courtesy of Ednotes Online.
Ms. Q shares her labor-intensive but fruitful way of answering questions in her class.
Lennie puts his ideas on teacher pay into writing; Reg Weaver is sure to disagree.
May your day be a Shay Day.
Mat explores the idea whether online attendance/ grade reporting programs (like Edline) might encourage or develop helicopterism in parents.
Right Wing Prof pulls out line graphs, charts and a bar graph to explain his rebuttal of the theories that A) teachers are leaving the profession or that B) numbers of new teachers are declining.
Me-ander didn't have the best day.
NCLB might not be perfect, writes Brett, but it is a start.
The venerable Mamacita shares some of her more interesting statistics from her adult classes.
This administrator logs a minute-by-minute account of their day; all I can say is "Whew!".
An extremely quick read, but an essential question.
SAT and ACT scores aren't good benchmarks for college admission, says Meera.
Learn how Super ScienceGoddess perseveres and has a successful day dispatching the evil calendar and its meeting minions!
"I am not feeling the free expression youth movement," says Miss Profe.
Mrs. Bluebird muses about how overnight field trips helped change teachers and students in her school for the better.
Colleen has a second life; she's a techno-math teacher.
The Tempered Radical explores potential flaws in the NAEP.
Linda says rocking the boat is a good thing.
Ms_Teacher notices that the staff at her middle school are acting almost as bad (okay, maybe a bit worse) than the kids.
I've got to admit I'm with Darren on this one when it comes to the use of bathroom passes during class.
The Education Wonks give the Red Apple Salute to the national teacher of the year.
Matt Tabor, the blogging school board candidate, offers up thoughts on why everyone (principals, teachers and board members) should blog.
IB A Math Teacher over at Three Standard Deviations to the Left weighs the intricacies and permutations of assigning teaching schedules next year as part of their department chair responsibilities-- and comes up with some pretty interesting thoughts.
That's it. Entries for the 118th midway of The Carnival Of Education (hosted next week over at NYC Educator) are due today. Please email them to: NYCeducator [at] gmail [dot] com . (Or, easier yet, use this handy submission form.) Submissions should be received no later than 6:00 PM (Eastern) 3:00 PM (Pacific). Contributions should include your site's name, the title of the post, and the post's URL if possible.
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