A reader in North Carolina reflects on the Legislature’s
many punishments imposed on teachers: “As a teacher in NC, I am
disappointed yet not surprised by the recent cuts. Another year
without a raise while our health insurance premiums continue to
rise, the demand increases, leadership decreases, and class size
balloons. The people who make the most money on the district and
state level are so disconnected from the daily operations of the
classroom, that they have no idea what it means to teach. I have
never been so discouraged in my professional life. If an
exceptional teacher can not earn enough income to support his or
her family, then they will undoubtedly leave the system. And then
who is left to teach the children…..NC should think about
this…”
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This is a goal of corporate reform: Kill teaching as a profession. Then it becomes more lucrative for organizations like TFA, who fulfill their own prophecy of “filling teacher shortages,” and for ed corporations concerned with a minimal “bottom line”– if charters and online schools have little to no regulation, they can bring in whomever to “teach,” pay whatever they like, and fire whenever the care to. There will always be people desperate enough to apply, and there will always be starry-eyed youth who naively believe they can “save the children” by going into a classroom for two years before launching their “real” (more prestigious and lucrative) careers.
I totally agree.
But it is not only the cost factor of using TFA kids to teach for low wages and no union affiliation nor perks, but it is even more dangerous to know that the corporatist leadership will have then have complete control over WHAT is taught, often called “mind control”.
It is the marriage of these two insidious goals that will be the death of a democratic society. The Kochs are already in the college industry to promote their own version of graduates to run Wall Street and our government. This is the same kind of business venture that the ultra religious movement has been actively fostering for years as with their cult colleges that produce lawyers like Goodling and her ilk from the Gonzalez Justice Dept. under Bush.
It is more than the profits from education investment that is the goal…but rather it is about who will lead America and how.
You are absolutely right!!! That is why we left the state all together. I am a parent of a child with Dyslexia and knew my child would never receive the services he needed. NC’s children are suffering and it seems will continue to suffer. We as a country in ten or twenty years will have less educated individuals as adults due to the stupidity of politicians and corporate greed. I hope they will be happy when they destroy the foundation of this country. Good luck to you!!!
Will TFA be willing to fill the jobs some of the students being cut out of education would have been happy to get? I wonder about nursing home care for us in the future. If we don’t educate those students, who will measure our meds and perform the more menial tasks needed? Fix our cars? We still need good basic education for everyone and that means maintaining good public schools.
I see it as part of the big scheme of things. If traditional teachers are driven out, via retirement or from the cognitive dissonance of this entire testing fiasco, then, by default, traditional teachers won’t be needed. The TFA organizers can go ahead and recruit their “best and brightest” to teach for 2 or 3 years in the tech driven “pretend schools” and there will be no such career as teacher, and there will be no such thing as a college degree that is specifically in teacher education.
It may take a few years, but their goal will be achieved. It will be two-fold. The people who gripe about paying taxes for “other people’s kids” will be satisfied. The people who want to earn private money for the pseudo-education of the masses will get their money.
When it all collapses, the “investors” will shrug their shoulders, take their money, and run, leaving kids and America holding the bag. They will have no regrets because they are in this for profit, not for education.
They spend their money on marketing b.s. and they will make their money while the “new ideas” seem plausible to the uninformed. All stability will be broken. Only this time, they are hurting children purposefully.
It is just like the other parts of our society that are being undermined. If you privatize the “service”, devalue the employees, fire them, and move on, the collateral damage doesn’t matter. It is all in the name of global profit opportunity.
It is all about the few, not the many. The sacrifice of the many for years and years means absolutely nothing to these people. It is no different from what has occurred in business after business after business. A company is scooped up for a song by some big bad Bain Capital type investment firm. The employees who actually know how to do their jobs are laid off. The stock that they had as part of their retirement investment is made valueless because it is also bought out. The workers have nothing left. The company or LLC comes in with new workers, sucks the community dry, doesn’t fulfill any obligations, and shrugs it off. They may pay a small fine. The CEOs just continue to go to other areas, doing the same, and taking the life out of the community. They are leeches. Or it is like the hedgefund managers who manipulated the stock market and the housing market. No one cares about who is stomped upon. The only thing that matters is that the few make money for their CEOs. And, it won’t be long until they are thrown to the wolves, too. There is no loyalty. There is no give and take. There is no humanity. Meanwhile, Americans are fighting over unimportant issues as the country goes down the drain.
I see no difference in this and what is happening to education in America.
“It may take a few years, but their goal will be achieved.”
Only if WE let it. Over my de-composing body.
I have no doubt that the whole point of what the conservative Republican NC legislature has done and what the “reformers” nationwide are doing is make sure that as many of us as possible leave the profession so that the NEA and AFT are ruined and, so their thinking goes, the Democratic party by extension.
The sad irony is that the neo-liberals in the Democratic party are happy to help this happen; they are more than willing to trade union support for corporate and Wall Street support and let teachers and public schools die in the process and the two political parties become one party that represents the plutocracy.
My Florida school received an “F” last year on Florida’s insane School Report Card scam. We have been in session for exactly 10 days. I have been “observed” daily since the 6th day of school, as have all of my colleagues. The district and the state are sending in these “observers” to collect “data” so they can create a “reform plan” for our school (and the 9 other Title I schools in our district that received “F” grades this past year).
I can’t begin to explain how annoying, humiliating, and nerve-wracking these anonymous and silent observations become, day after day. I feel that my first graders and me are fish in an aquarium or animals in the wild while these cold, nameless “observers” appear and disappear, marking down everything we say and do on their clipboards without ever acknowledging that we are human beings and not scientific oddities.
There is no allowance for humanity at all in this system. No bad days for teacher or kids and no lousy lessons that fall flat are allowed. With the Danielson rubric it is easy to make sure that every lesson is lousy in some way. Although they delude themselves into thinking that they are there to “help” us in reality all they do is raise tensions and create animosity and fear. I guess that’s in keeping under our newly revealed surveillance society and the NSA.
I loathe these people and wonder how a teacher can abandon their original mission of educating children to become a member of the reform inquisition where they spend their days working to end the careers of their former colleagues and providing the evidence to deliver the “death penalty” as NY governor Cuomo calls it, to long-term neighborhood schools.
Although I have dearly loved my profession for nearly 2 decades now I honestly don’t know how much longer I can continue to work under these circumstances. The pressure to speak up and tell these people to get out of my room and leave me alone builds every day. My blood pressure problems and stomach ulcers are returning after a summer free from stress. I want to teach my children to pick up a clipboard and sit in a circle around these hated people to make little marks on papers while staring coldly and unfeelingly at them for 40 minutes to see how it makes them feel.
Every morning I tell myself that I’m doing it for the children but that mantra is becoming tattered and worn out and doesn’t make it any easier when I know that my classroom will be a daily exercise in humiliation, degradation, disrespect, a source of mistrust in my own professionalism and abilities and that I am forced to actively participate in my own destruction.
The people who are “observing” and controlling me all chose to leave the classroom and quite teaching for one reason or another. None of them have achieved any of the things that they claim I must now do — overcome lack of English speaking ability, physical, mental, and emotional handicaps, and extreme poverty and oftentimes neglect and abuse to produce the ever-rising test scores the state demands.
The district eliminated our school librarian’s position this year. We have little to no money to purchase materials to help these kids catch up due to an austerity budget. Seven of our colleagues were laid off last June and only three of those positions will be restored. Everything being done to us is designed to prevent us from succeeding. None of it is helpful or supportive — it is all punitive, shaming, and soul-destroying.
And still I go in every morning and smile at my six year olds and read them stories all while I am dying inside and living in fear, anxiety, and under tremendous stress. I want out and I know that’s what the reformers want most of all — for me to leave just a few years shy of a good pension that they won’t have to pay. The question has become “Is this job worth sacrificing my good health and mental stability for?” and my answer has become “No.”
I don’t want to give up and let them “win” but I don’t want to destroy myself either. This twice former “teacher of the year” and National Board Certified teacher with 2 masters degrees has just about thrown in the towel and that makes me feel even worse but I can’t maintain my best work under these circumstances and I can’t give my children 100% when the “observers” are sucking out my soul, hour by hour, either.
Why don’t you invite them to teach for a day so you can be see exactly what special magic they’re looking for.
NY teacher, we aren’t allowed to approach or speak to the observers. If we attempt to do that we are reprimanded for interfering with their “observations”. They don’t look at our lesson plans, know our children’s’ names or histories, ask us any questions about what we are doing, and it’s never the same observer twice in a row so tell me: what in the name of all that is good could they possibly think they are collecting? There is nothing scientific or systematic about what they do. I can only conclude that they know their purpose is to break the teachers and destroy our self-confidence all while collecting reasons to close our schools. They are disgusting.
This sounds like its right out of Germany circa 1939.
Chris, as part of the cultural aspect of foreign language instruction, I have taught my students to stand whenever an adult comes in the room. Does this mean that I will be penalized for having taught the cultural norm for the target language? What irony!
Chris, Bless your heart.
Perhaps you could instruct your students to turn around when someone comes into the room and say, “Welcome to our classroom.” Each could then say, “My name is Fred” etc. The last child could then ask, “and what is your name?” You would be teaching proper etiquette.
The whole thing sound horrible. I would feel as if I were in some sort of Twilight Zone episode. I hope things improve soon. I would lose my health too.
Chris, your comments are very descriptive and well-written. Your situation sounds intolerable and beyond ridiculous. Surely, you have a right to see the notes they are “silently” taking. These observers are also disrupting regular instruction and perhaps you should keep a record of this, as it may negatively impact student learning. Teaching is challenging enough without being under the microscope of automatons. ‘Tears in my eyes for you.
Chris, I feel every bit of your pain. This treatment is abusive, ugly, and inhumane. And the silence of those who allow it to continue, absolutely criminal. I weep with you, and with every teacher whose health and soul is slowly being chipped away by heartless individuals. Their day of reckoning will come. Be proud of the life you have led and your beliefs for children. A keeper of humanity and goodness….I thank you and honor you.
Yes, Chris, many Dems are as culpable as most Repubs. Sadly let’s start with Obama appointing Duncan.
Both parties are corrupt. I boggles my mind to see how much cronyism is currently practiced at the US DOE. Your story is really sad. I know a lot of people who want to leave the profession. What on earth would any of these “observers” be able to tell you when none of them even know your children? I keep remembering the image of Obama and Jeb Bush coming together on education. It is so disgusting.
My question is, does Chris get any feedback at all from this? It is beyond creepy.
Your situation is horrible and you and your first graders have my empathy.
Parents need to hear just what these Danielson observations are doing that affects their kid’s teacher, her teaching, and their kid’s classrooms. They’d be surprised to hear of this surveillance, I bet.
Then we need to let them know the real reasons behind all this so-called “observation”! Inform parents. They wouldn’t like this on their jobs. Why only teachers being subjected to this?
I just met the social studies student teacher in the room next door to my classroom. He served two tours in Iraq and was telling me about his undergraduate experiences at Temple University. He sees himself teaching for about 5 years and then moving on. I asked him about his classmates and he reported that only about 60% or so plan to teach as a career. I imagine that the numbers will steadily drop if the reformers continue to debase our profession and plant the seeds of this kind of thinking. This young man served in Iraq twice, values civil service, and doesn’t intend on staying. So sad….and telling. Are those of you who teach college education students seeing this? Can anything be done in education training to help? Strong & dedicated professional teachers are the hope of the future.
Please don’t let these vultures win out. Hang on to that towel.
This reply was supposed to be for Chris.
There comes a time in your life when too many things have burst all the bubbles you have as a young, hopeful, idealistic teacher setting out to make the world a better place for everyone you meet. Bit by bit, they erode your confidence, laugh at your hopes, replace your idealism with cynicism, and wreck your mental and physical health.
It has just escalated at an ever-increasing speed.and technology has led the way. I know it isn’t a bold attitude, but I would not recommend that anyone invest their or their parents’ money … or take out a loan … to get a college eductation to become a teacher … or many other professions.
No one seems to want to hire anyone but those willing to do without a career, without security of any kind or WITH a desire to actually help society or children become fully functioning human beings. I am at a loss as to how to even view this. It is a massive collapse of the middle class that is crumbling right before our eyes.
And, yet we are driven to focus on things that don’t solve the problems. I feel we are in a death spiral … of common sense, of decency, of humanity, let alone of education. If the only thing that motivates people is excessive money for the few who can invest because they already have money, then there is no way to fight back. ALEC and the Koch Brothers have their dirty fingers in everything possible. They have no conscience. They don’t care about the masses, but only care about the few.
It isn’t possible to get every parent or even 75% of parents to stand up, take their kids out of school, go to all the school board meetings across the USA and say ENOUGH is ENOUGH. The expense of these tests and the money that is syphoned off to Pearson et all should be enough to make people realize that it ISN’T the teachers’ salaries that is costing them money, it is the waste on perpetually changing technology … which will CONVENIENTLY always be behind the curve.
As long as many parents, for whatever reason, view teachers as their property and servants, or who are unaware of the problems that are occurring, teachers can’t stand up. They are viewed as whining, lazy leeches. We get that kind of disrespect for the lizard of a “governor” we have in Ohio.
How in the world can the teachers currently working do anything but hang on until they have it all pulled out from beneath their feet? They can’t AFFORD to sacrifice their homes, etc. to make a stand.
Deb, I understand your desperation. But take heart. The resistance is building every day, in state after state. Bad ideas die. Common sense will return when the public realizes that this so-called reform movement is hurting their children and privatizing their schools.
Diane
I trust your judgment but what specifically do you think will have to happen for this to go away? Opting-out? Teacher rebellion?
Parent outrage? Legal action? Other?
Thank you for reading all posts, even from people as inconsequential as myself. My real frustration is for the children who are going to literally fall through the cracks … those who seem to be the ones that the reformers, in the end, don’t care about at all. Yet, they continue to “sell” their “ideas” as cures for those very children. Then, we wind up having discussions about whether public education could possibly be adequate for all students from the most gifted to the most needy.
I think you, Diane, have done wonders, in bringing this issue to the forefront, but it is not yet in the local newspapers in Ohio. I have to wonder if that is because the newspapers and other media outlets are owned by those who actually agree with this “reform”. I even saw Charlie Rose discussing it as if it is a wonderful change coming to America. I thought he was a “thinker” who actually investigates thoroughly before supporting things. After that interview, I am not so sure.
I am glad to see that Bill Phillis is on board with this effort. We have respected his stance for 20 years, but have seen this state legislature put blinders on and ignore his efforts. Yet, they continue to put forth mandates that local districts cannot afford to put in place without increasing class size, encouraging retirement and cutting busing, sports, and even the arts. All the while, state aid to local districts is decreasing.
My own district has continued to hang in there, despite all these things. We had a great grade letter ranking this past year. But, we haven’t actually started the CC tests. We are still in transition. The current “as if” report card does NOT include the CC tests of the future. If Ohio implements anything similar to the NY curricula, I can say this … our first graders could not by any stretch of the imagination do well with those misplaced 6-7th grade objectives. Our 4th graders could not. In fact, I’d have doubts about the ability of our 6-7th graders being highly successful with those! I am not insulting our students. That is how absurd this entire issue has become.
I get frustrated easily when I see the discussion derailed by questions that have nothing to do with the problems at hand or by comments that defend these decisions made by those who do NOT know children. Where do they live? Where did they go to school? Why do they wan to tear down schools? How will they personally benefit? What will become of the kids who are even more likely to give up, not be “challenged” by this absurd batch of “expectations”? I guess the real question is, “How long will this take to fix, if ever?” I am sorry for the negativity, but there is a microcosm of “the problem” that shows up on this board with increasing frequency. Nothing seems to quell the pursuit of tangential thoughts that won’t fix the problem.
And now I have been called a “Utopian Idealist” … smh
I would like to see student activism surge on all levels and let this movement to save true education be in “the mouths of babes” who have every vested interest to want to be free from being treated like widgets… do they want test prep for “learning pseudo math” or do they want real applications like… pretending they have to order shades for windows in the school. Do they want recess?Or do they want to stay in at recess and get extra test prep help?Do they want a new curriculum every year to go with a brand new teacher with 5 weeks of “experience”? Or do they want teachers who have experience and use their own brains and humanity to teach their students? Do they want more test prep or do they want time for physical activity? Art? Social studies?Do they want summer vacation where they learn by doing self-directed activities? Or do they want test prep academies year round. How about their Christmas vacation. Do the want to read a book of their choosing or do they want a large test prep packet to complete? Imagine what it would be like if all the students across this land formed a movement and revolted loud and clear about the violation of their Civil Rights… and just who will this youthful leader(s) be? I think title one students would have a sense of empowerment – finally! There is power in numbers. Just thinking here…. When I read all the above comments and what is happening in CA and for that matter just everywhere… it makes my blood boil. This is NOT WHAT DEMOCRACY IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE. Teachers are in a strangle-hold but what about the students? And now with higher ed under attack (grading schools … really???? Ughh) maybe university students will get the ball rolling. This is appalling.
I am a native of NC since the age of 6, and my mother before me and my great grandparents since at least mid-19th Century. We are connected to the land at the coast, the Piedmont and the Mountains. We are connected to people in this way as well.
I am a music teacher in NC, and I am also certified in five areas. I graduated from one of NC’s top colleges and I will say this: public schools will not crumble from under North Carolinians. I am not going to quit. I will speak reason while I earnestly teach and seek what is right and positive for the 680 students I teach. I will talk to people at church, at the club, at work and at social events. Our economy and times have removed people from ties to their land and its people, understanding our resources, being satisfied with what they have, and finding common ground. I will not let the short sightedness of either political party make the state I grew up in a less desirable place to be than it was when I was growing up. I had a wonderful childhood and attended public schools.
While I am concerned about what is going on, I am not intimidated. I will continue to do everything I can to help our leaders see themselves and their actions for what they are. More importantly, I will continue to give my work in the public schools every bit of creativity, respect, wisdom and perseverance that I can find within myself to give.
We cannot give up on our children–black, white, Hispanic, Indian etc.
Come on ya’ll–we can do this. Tar Heels, remember?
Marvelous. True spunk and grit.
Joanna,
Thanks for your dedication. I am a relative newbie to NC, I’ve been here since 2004 and I want to stay. I know my child is taught by dedicated teachers like you. Stay strong and let us know what we can do.
Why are “Tar Heels” called tar heels?
There are a couple myths rxplaining it. Google it. ☺
As a teacher in California, I sympathize with my colleagues in North Carolina and feel fortunate that California Teachers Association is strong enough to have blocked many of these assaults so far.
None of the comments mentioned that public education is under attack worldwide. The movement to deskill teaching and turn it into “casual” labor, with standardized test scores as the pretext and weapon for eliminating job security, is backed by global billionaires like Rupert Murdoch, who make no secret of their loathing for unions.