As I sit here attempting to write this blog entry, I am at a loss for words. There are so many worthy topics, however the one which keeps coming to the surface is the sadness which I am feeling. This week, one of my co-workers, a promising first year teacher, and a colleague
who has become a good friend, was informed that her position has been eliminated. Eliminated because the Board of Ed decided that her position was where a cut should be made. I understand that the current financial crisis (which by the way, my district will begin 2010-11 $900,000 in the hole) requires that cuts be made, however a promising first year teacher is a cut which will negatively impact the district for years to come. Why not cut something like the textbook fund...I mean come on all 7th and 8th grade students have a laptop; make teachers use them the way for which they were meant. I know, I know teachers come with a big price tag, even at a starting salary of $30K or so, but teachers, at least hard working, quality ones can not be replaced by anything else. Really at a loss for words....
4 weeks ago
We have been struggling with budget issues as well, and in our small cluster of coworkers we've been wondering why it is that sometimes great teachers get cut when there are plenty of miserable teachers left behind. Seniority is comforting, it's true, yet is it best for our students? I have a daugther entering Kindergarten this year and I can only hope that the teacher she gets is a good one. I sit through classes every day where the teacher is a very nice, wonderful person but one that should be teaching a college level course, not a middle school language arts class. As a parent and a taxpayer, it irritates me that she will stay because she's been there forever, yet these fantastic new teachers never get a chance because of the budget.
ReplyDeleteOur Supt. came out and stated that all teacher cuts (when possible) would come from probationary teachers. To be honest I felt 1/2 relief and 1/2 stress at that declaration. On the one hand...I'm still working. Yay. On the other hand, we have a few very good new teachers in the system...and fortunately it doesn't look RIGHT NOW like they will be 'riffed', but that can all change in a budgetary blink of an eye.
ReplyDeleteAnd now we're looking like a game of roulette...Why? Because were it not for the retirement of a LONG TIME foreign language teacher (whose position probably cost $90,000 in salary and benefits), we would have been looking at 2 or 3 $47,000 in salary and benefits teachers being riffed.
Add to that we are in a negotiation year AND this year we are working on combining three teacher contracts into one as we are now an RSU and nobody feels any job security...AND stimulus money is gone...AND we are looking at a 2 million shortfall next year...AND the other high school we combined with to form an RSU is on the 'lowest performing school' list (and in two years I firmly believe my school will be in the exact same place if nothing changes...Sigh......................
Our newly formed RSU is also looking at budget cuts and this is a negotiation year as well. It is very tense.....even though I am HQ and certified in three areas, have my masters, and am working on my CAS the other person who was hired at the same time is higher on the ladder than I am because she has 3 years experience at another school. Never mind that she only has her undergrad or that it has been reported to administration about her favoring girls over boys it doesn't matter. So yes, let's see how this plays out.
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