As CPS prepares to close a record number of schools, the fate of students and communities is in question.
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In the News: Longer day could drive out teachers
By: Cassandra West / April 13, 2012
One education advocate believes that Mayor Emanuel's drive to lengthen the school day "is going to create a situation where more and more teachers are going to leave Chicago over time.”
That's the believe expressed by Don Moore, executive director of Designs for Change, which aims to improve urban public schools. But Mary Anderson, executive director of Illinois’ Stand for Children, thinks otherwise. She said extending the school day will provide more opportunities for teachers to prepare lesson plans and collaborate with other teachers, among more advantages. (Progress Illinois)
Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright, co-chair of the NATO host committee, announced this week that CPS students will get a specialized curriculum, complete with lesson plans, in the first week of May to correlate with the NATO summit May 20-21. Representatives from NATO and the State Department will also be visiting schools across the city and sharing insights and experiences. (Tribune)
IN THE STATE
Some part-time or non-tenured teachers will be given pink slips this spring following a Wednesday night vote by the Wheaton Warrenville District 200 school board. (Trib Local)
IN THE NATION
A pair of bills championed by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, which he is expected to sign into law, will expand a state-run private-school-voucher program beyond New Orleans to other academically struggling schools around the state, give superintendents and principals direct control over personnel decisions, and set much higher standards for awarding teachers tenure. (Education Week)
A policy paper released Tuesday discusses how Illinois changed its laws in 2008 to provide its state-funded preschoolers with English-Language learner services, leading to new rules concerning teacher preparation and classroom instruction that are to be implemented by 2014, according to the report. The report describes Illinois' approach as "cutting edge," noting that "no other state has gone this far in implementing a comprehensive plan for educating English-Language learners in state-funded pre-K." (Education Week)
A grand jury on Thursday indicted the founder and chief executive of a troubled network of charter high schools in Brooklyn on 11 felony counts, including tax fraud, grand larceny and falsifying business records. (The New York Times)
D.C. Public Schools central office gets low grades for work environment, job satisfaction. (The Washington Post)
Sixty-seven educators accused of cheating in Atlanta Public Schools lost their certification to work in a classroom Thursday. (Atlantic Journal Constitution)
In my case, Don Moore is
In my case, Don Moore is right. I will leave CPS. I'm typical in that my departure has nothing to do with students and everything to do with the district and the system. Here are my reasons, in no particular order:
1) The longer unfunded day.
2) The longer unfunded year.
3) Track E without air conditioning.
4) Dilapidated and crumbling facilities.
5) Mandated and scripted curricula.
6) Obsession over teaching to the test.
7) High principal turnover and poor principal leadership.
8) New teacher pay in CPS is competitive; veteran pay is not.
9) Fundamental disrespect and attacks from my employer.
10) Poor parental involvement and poor CPS support to improve it.
11) Class sizes over 40.
12) The 20th day rule resulting in 5 weeks of lost instruction.
13) Final exams and grades due a full week before school is "out".
14) Increased segregation due to magnet schools and selective charters.
15) Poor CPS technology support and implementation.
16) The residency requirement.
17) Decrease in support for neighborhood schools.
18) Job security. (My school will be closed in the next 10 years.)
19) Privatization.
20) Constantly changing education initiatives and mandates.
I have personally experienced and tolerated all of these things for ten years now. A decade is long enough to be crapped on, attacked, blamed, forced into inappropriate pedagogical models, etc. only to have it all happen all over again with a new CEO or new area officer or new network chief or new principal at which time it will happen again...and again...and again. I don't know how some people put up with this for 35 years.
It is time to find work where I am supported in my job, respected by my employer and supervisors, embraced for my expertise, trusted for my training, provided professional autonomy, or at least left the heck alone to do my job without destructive interference.
Bill you are my heroe!
Bill,
You have conveyed exactly my sentiments exactly. It is actually quite scary, you are not alone. Unfortunately, I gotta pay for this house I was forced to buy in the city..well I could have rented, but I wanted something more permanent. However, now I regret it completely and I feel trapped! You are good man! I hope you find something better....I think you are one of thousands of teachers who have given up hope at CPS. To be honest, the longer day and cut in salary bother me....but it's the other stuff you mentioned that makes me more disillusioned with teaching. Especially since it stems all the way from the Democrat president I thought was going to make education better, but only made it worse! And with all this insanity, it's we that "need a new evaluation system" that is just a guaranteed way to get rid of anyone!!
Good luck and thanks for the AWESOME letter! Hate to see a fellow male teacher leave!! It's very sad! However, I don't blame you!!
oops i meant
I meant dear Don Moore ...
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