Administration silencing voices of staff
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angellad ...@my-deja.com
Hello--we are facing this year an admin. who have silenced our voices--
staff meetings we have no input to agenda--emails go unanswered--like a dictatorship--anyone have the same experince suggestions on why this may be happening and perhaps things to do to deal with--thanks.
ps--perhaps it is just their fear and egos getting in the way of us, the staff, being treated as adult professionals.
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Jim Wayne jhwa...@bigfoot.com
Transfer. It isn't worth the stress and pain.
And be sure your dues to the NEA or AFT are paid up. You may need those organizations. Jim
panther igona...@my-deja.com
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JB jerrybee...@att.net
My God. This sounds like something out of "The FBI Files".
A school?
Just gotta' ask .. what happened?
General Bubba
panther igona...@my-deja.com
MK. It's a long story. I was a teacher with seven years in the system when I wrote to the State legislature about a program, Project CALM (big write-up in NEA's Teacher Advocate), whose personnel had meen seriously misleading the press, the public, and the legislature about their project's performance. As a result of my letter, the legislature mandated changes, mainly giving the principal oversight and funding the project through the school's budget rather than by an appropriation to the project directly. The principal mandated changes, and the project people quit. The project director was the HSTA (our local NEA subsidiary) Leeward District Representative, and the social studies teacher in the project was a faculty representative, so not only did I kick the administration in the shins, but I popped the union in the nose, too. The next year, for unrelated, personal reasons, I tried to transfer to a different school. I got a very strange run-around (different stories told to different people about why I wasn't placed.
There's supposed to be a math teacher shortage). I took a year's leave of absence and attended UH. In the next transfer period, I applied to six schools. Again I wasn't placed. Again, I got a mendacious run-
around. I kept that paperwork, and can prove that six principals violated procedures. I told the union: "Grieve this". The grievance procedure took over a year, and the Uniserv rep handling the case lied about where we were in the negotiation. In the meantime, the DOE gave me six periods of remedial math at Waianae High (Think, "South Bronx NY", or "Compton, Ca"). The students weren't too bad, but I got no help from admin, the registrar was a faculty rep., and other teachers dumped their disruptive students into my cl***es. The resolution of the grievance placed me at Moanalua HS, where I got six periods of remedial math in four different cl***rooms (a new hire got Alg and Geometry in one room). The Math Dept chair was a HSTA faculty rep. I could see my future in the system. I put one more year in, then left.
PS. The Hawaii DOE food-service budget exhibits a two year cycle (higher in even-numbered (election) years). Catered fundraisers from the USDA?
Solidarity forever.
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kle ...@aol.com (Kleyle)
We owe General Bluster a debt of gratitude. After all these years we discover that "panther's" anti-education/anti-student philosophy (if you will) is nothing more than sour grapes, as Alan the Adminstrator likes to put it.
Panther perceived that he was wronged by the administration and by the teacher's representatives (hence, the anti-union junk), and he has allowed that to color his thinking all these many years. Some of us doubt that psyco-analysis should take so long, but a breakthrough like this proves otherwise. Maybe someday, panther can dig a little deeper and find out why he couldn't function as a teacher even before they "eased" him out of his position over a period of years. Seems like they gave him plenty of time to regroup and go find a job. The taxpayers were merciful.
as ever,
--------------------------
As ever,
Mark Probert markpr...@my-deja.com
In a unusual way. Now, I wish he would 'come clean.' As for Panther, well, this seems about right.
After all these years we discover
--
Mark Probert Make sure your vote counts--DO NOT vote from the Banana Republic of Florida!
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panther igona...@my-deja.com
> We owe General Bluster a debt of gratitude. After all these years...
MK. Discussion deleted.
Take care. Homeschool if you can.
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"Magi D. Shepley" ma...@catsincyberspace.concentric.net
Gee, Panther. That sounds like what I dealt with in my old school. The difference is that I didn't allow it to color my impressions of the entire system, and that I didn't allow it to drive me out of teaching. Your differences are respected as long as you don't paint with a broad brush.
Magi Remove all Space Cats to Email.
panther igona...@my-deja.com
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Alan Lichtenstein alichtenst...@erols.com
Regardless of Malcolm's motivation, it does not detract from the substance of his positions. While motivation may be important to you, whether or not Malcolm takes his positions because of "sour grapes," has little to do with their substance. And FYI, I have read his posts for many years, and a big arguement that Malcolm makes is that his position is more student-centered than the current situation. I am surprised that you were unable to discern that from his writings. Furthermore, Malcolm does not and has never taken an anti-educational stance. He has taken an anti-PUBLIC education stance, but the two terms are not synonomous. And while his reliance on Singapore has recently come under fire, Malcolm is well-read, although he does tend to cite his references selectively and does frequently take things out of context in his snippings of posts and citations( but likely we all do some of that to a degree ). I suggest that it might be more fruitful for you to engage in a dialogue with Malcolm. He won't insult you.
Maybe someday, panther can dig a little deeper and find out why he Your rude ***ertion above is not validated by any knowledge of his teaching. You have no way of knowing whether or not he was an effective teacher, what his evaluations in that area were or that his reasons for leaving the profession where anything other than what he says. From what Malcolm posts( and all we have is Malcolm's side ), what he describes is a cl***ic example of whistle-blower syndrome. Your ***ertion above belies your own prejudice of Malcolm.
I do not share Malcolm's views. But I don't dissect his past and drag it into a substantitave discussion. There is little place for emotion in these arguements, as the subject matter raises emotional blood on both sides. Perhaps we should have left personalities out.
Alan
miller ...@webtv.net (m miller)
Well, around these parts, that's the way it's always been. That's OK...we never see our building principal....it's said, "A man like him is hard to find!!" Literally.
All I have to do is remember 2 things: That I could do his job, and he COULDN'T do mine. Matt
Alan Lichtenstein alichtenst...@erols.com
The problem is that you THINK you could do his job, when likely you really don't know exactly what his job entails. Furthermore, as most principals, supervisors and administrators have come from the teaching ranks, your second conjecture is similarly unlikely.
Alan
miller ...@webtv.net (m miller)
Alan: You are right....I probably don't know the "in's and out's" of heading a school building....I was responding to a post, that's all.
You read entirely too much into what I said. What was intended as light sarcasm was taken at full face value.
In our particular school, if NOT supporting your staff, turning a "blind eye" on some of the atrocities that take place (i.e., overlooking horrendous student behaviors), not being present in the building during all sorts of functions where the community is present...well, in those instances, yes, I could do his job. I imagine that is the point I was raising.
But any teacher worth his/her weight in manure knows that this entire system is a game....you know, "The Emperor's New Clothes"....let's all pretend that the problems DON'T exist, and perhaps they will vanish. So, as a teacher wanting to maintain a modicum of peace in his career, I make no waves. And the administration finds that highly agreeable.
I say nothing when 7th grade math students come to me with 4th grade (or less) capabilities. I will work around that somehow. It's a mystery to me how these students were able to make it out of elementary school...and I could blame those teachers...but I don't. In all honesty, all I need to remember that the squeaky wheel is the first one REPLACED. And that is a fact that I can back up on MANY occasions in our particular building. So I keep my mouth shut (like many educators), do my job to the best of my abilities, and make NO waves. That, I believe, was more to the heart of the post. Perhaps I've read into it incorrectly. It is much too much to hope for administrative backing this day and age. So, when a student tells me to **** Off when I ask for their homework ***ignment, I usually don't say too much...what's the point, when I could send them to the office, only to have that student back in my room in 15 minutes anyway? I'd call home, but the odds are this child's parents neglected to pay the phone bill, and I've no time to write a letter that will be intercepted by the child anyway before Mom, Dad, the neighbor, Grandma, a cousin, the halfway house...or someone supposedly in charge of the child...will receive my letter of grievance.
So I've just stopped caring all that much.
So, in our school (inner city), the focus is on NOT pissing off the caretakers of our students, rather than imparting any education of real value. I suggest you read Ruby Payne's "A Framework for Understanding Poverty." Then you will have a much better picture of where I teach.
One final note: considering we've had 3 principals in the past 5 years, I must have ***umed the position in our building wasn't that tough. The salary is handsome, but oddly enough, no one ever stays. I wonder.....????
Warmest Regards, Matt
toto nob...@xxozxx.com
On Thu, 25 Jan 2001 20:10:15 -0500, Alan Lichtenstein But remember that the Peter Principle works in education as well as in business. ;) Dorothy There is no sound, no cry in all the world that can be heard unless someone listens ..
source unknown
Alan Lichtenstein alichtenst...@erols.com
Yes it does, in some instances. But I find it curious that those who cannot even rise up to that level indicated by the principle are the first to criticize. Without engaging in armchair psychology, would one call that "sour grapes?" Alan
Alan Lichtenstein alichtenst...@erols.com
Well, we only have your word to take for that, and based on what you write, you can hardly be qualified as objective. In point of fact, if things were so bad, it is quite likely that your principal would have been fired by now, so possibly, there might be a bit more editorializing in your comments than actual substantitive evidence.
Unfortunately, many of the problems that are evident are not the doing of the school or its leadership. Many( if not all ) are problems created by befuddled liberal judges who handed down ridiculous court decisions that in fact tie the hands of school leadership. Now, don't get me wrong. The public contributes to them also with their desires to hold their kids harmelss for their personal failures and to blame the school. This we all know as well. so taken in total, schools are whipping posts for society's problems. But don't blame that on your school leadership.
Here is the first point you have. Social promotion has been the result of education's adoption of the tenets of the SEL movement. And those tenets were embraced by the public, because it gave the public a way out for their children's failure. But here, the education establishment did have a hand in this.
If I had any respect for your integrity, I lost it with your above post. If you won't say those things publically, then perhaps you should not say them here. A good rationalization is nothing more than an excuse. It appears that you are far better at making excuses and blaming others for probably what is your shortcoming. Tell me, is there one teacher in your school who does not have these problems? Perhaps you ought to find out why.
And please don't tell me that everyone has them, because you know that's not true. I've taught in some of the worst schools imaginable, and even there, there were a substantial number of teachers who had none of the problems that you cite, while in other, supposedly good schools, some teachers did. It seems that perhaps you might want to look at other variables, considering that.
I would suggest that you rid yourself of your preconceived notions.
Your attitude does not bode well for your students.
As I said initially, it is likely that you do not understand the magnitude of the job. And given conditions which you ***ert, such would only add to the burden, thus proving that your principal's job is not so easy, and very likely, YOU could not do it.
Alan
kle ...@aol.com (Kleyle)
Some people think that going from teacher to administrator is "up." As ever,
miller ...@webtv.net (m miller)
Alan: Oddly enough, much wisdom comes through in your reply posts. It's an interesting mix of (attacking?) what I think and who I am. However, one thing I always keep in mind...I, too, am learning, and want to always keep an open mind. I don't expect you to fully agree with all that I say...that would be odd. One thing keeps me where I teach...I told Connie, our English department chair that perhaps another school would be better suited to my teaching style. To which she replied: "If you do, the hole left in your heart would never heal." Wow. That said it to me, so while I may bitch about the conditions on occasion (and who doesn't?), I do love the kids I teach. I hate their behaviors, but love them as individuals...and the hardest of the hardcore kids know I want them to succeed.
Perhaps you see me as uncaring by my first and second posts. I can understand that. But, as you take what I cite at face value, I am doing the same with what you offer to me. Yes...I would make a lousy principal. But, after winning Teacher of the Year after only 4 years of service, I know what I am cut out to do.....
Warmest Wishes, Matt
"Cate Sarraille" sarrail...@home.com
The problem stems from the fact that Alan responds to all such posts from his own point of view, as though we are all employed in his school district and under his administration.
Well, you can raise any point that you feel is appropriate. The problem is (IMO) that Alan will apply his own ***essment,based on his own experience and knowledge. He will cite some authority, who backs up his opinion, and tell you, in some way or another, that your knowledge, your experience and the studies you've read about do not apply.
In my district, the Emperor's New Clothes is so much more agreeable than reality. At one high school, there is no drug problem. Students are not using drugs, nor are they buying drugs. At the same high school, there are no racial problems. The students at the "other" high school are all high achieving students, taking rigouroius cl***es and they are meeting the requirements at the local community colleges and state universities. My site, sadly, isn't doing so well. We have students who sell drugs to other students. We have a problem with racism...so much so that students of color feel they are har***ed. Many of our students aren't taking cl***es which enable them to get into 4 year colleges. Our cl***es aren't as rigourous.
The obvious implication is that our students aren't as intelligent and our teachers aren't as qualfied.
It's all about accountability. Your district, obviously, doesn't believe in accountability. Neither did mine, until recently.
Up until now, the squeaky teacher was the one who was replaced. Now that my district has decided that students who have not achieved minimal requirements will not be promoted, the squeaky teacher gets more respect.
I am so sorry for you that you teach at a school where it is acceptable for a student to tell you to **** off. This is not tolerated in my school. I have never had a student tell me that to my face. They may think it, but they don't say it.
Why is it that if you work in an inner city school, it is okay for a student to be disrespectful? Please don't see me as naive. Although I work in a suburban/rural school I taught at a school with a significant number of "inner city" students. I never let any one of them get away with telling me to "**** off" Don't get me wrong. They said it to me. I held them accountable and the administration backed me up. Why is it okay for students who have grown up in poverty to tell a teacher they should "**** off"? Even if they learned, in their environment, that this is an acceptable means of expression, why shouldn't we be teaching them that this is not an acceptable means of expression in other environments? If you tell your boss to "**** off" you're going to lose your job. If you tell you're co-worker that he/she is an "***hole" you're going to be in big trouble.
You wonder? No one ever stays. Perhaps the job is more difficult than you thought.
Cate
"Cate Sarraille" sarrail...@home.com
Dorothy, I think that is unfair. It is very difficult to be a principal. I wouldn't want the job. It is too much work.
Cate ...
"Magi D. Shepley" ma...@catsincyberspace.concentric.net
Your department chair has an interesting way of treating her staff. I certainly wouldn't appreciate somebody laying a guilt trip on me in order to get me to stay in a poorly run school. I've had it done... In fact, I just left a school like that after 3 years of tearing my hair out, crying into my tea, and spending 1/4 of my salary on the kids and getting NOWHERE with the administration. I have a supportive administration this year, and teach the same type of kids... We have about 50% on a free/reduced price lunch, lots of minority students, lots of limited english proficiency students, lots of special education in self-contained. But, there is a HUGE difference apparent: the copiers work, the floors are clean, the lights work in the halls, the doors lock, the windows aren't broken, there is hot water, soap, and toilet paper in the bathrooms... which are also clean enough to be used. The cafeteria is clean. The statistics are the same in my other school... but you stick to the floors there, we have no books or pencils, no hot water, paper or soap in the restrooms, no doors, toilets don't work, windows are broken, doors don't lock. There is no discipline. Do I miss the kids I left? You bet I do... but I've done more in the 6 months I've been in my new school than I did in 3 years at my old school because there is support and the appropriate materials for what needs to be done.
Magi Remove all Space Cats to Email.
rshel ...@sisnet.ssku.k12.ca.us (wyvern)
Though the situation where I work is not as severe as the one you describe, I have to say that our staff meetings have become much less "inter-active" as of late. The principal sets the agenda and doesn't leave much time for imput by the staff. He keeps trying to ram through new programs - piling more and more bureaucratic paperwork upon the huge pile we're already smothered under. It has caused resentment and even resistance to the changes the administration wants to implement. What was once collegial has now taken on the look of a state ruled by decree.
Sometimes I just want to move to New Zealand and live in a tree.
*:|
--
"Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell." (Edward Abbey)
elques ...@aol.commitment (Samuel Waters)
Go the p***ive aggressive route. Don't question the "program" or the demands that the "program" asks of you. Jump right into the "program" with both feet.
All you need is about 10 staff members to make your point. Here's how it goes.
1. Stop spending your money on cl***room supplies or school activities.
2. Remove all material from the cl***room you own.
3. Arrive at school at exactly the time you are supposed to arrive +1minute.
Hang out in your car and grade papers or whatever. Don't congregate in front of the building. Walk in on time just like it was all normal for you to do this.
4. Leave your school grounds exactly one time. This means leaving staff meetings that go over the contracted time. If the admin has a fit as you get up to walk out the door, say," time's up, send me a memo." Then ask for an e-mail memo from the staff admin and CC to all his/her higher ups.
4.1 Leave ALL meeting--even parent teacher meetings--when the contracted school day is over. That's right. When the minute hand hits the right number, you politely get up; inform everybody that you are no longer being paid for this time, and leave.
4.2. All IEPs require that ALL teachers of a child have a hand in writing the IEP for a student. Request IEPs for all your students. If your input is not on an IEP, request (not demand, keep everything very polite) to have a new IEP meeting for all students with IEPs. CC to the head of Special Education in your system. Again, keep mum.
5. Complain in a memo to the admin and cc to all higher ups that you are not receiving information that will allow you to "be onboard" and "with the program." 6. When, during a meeting, it becomes obvious that money will be needed for the program, DON'T SAY A WORD. After the meeting, if contracted time still exists or the next morning, submit requisition requests to the appropriate personnel. CC to admin and all higher ups. Say, "we need this money or supply so that we can successfully implement the program. We think its a wonderful program and we want it to work." 6.1. When the admin have a fit and refuse the requests, call up your personnel department for a review of your personnel record. Use your rights to have the request and denial put in your file. Check your file every 2 months. Repeat additions as needed.
6.2. Always be nice and respectful to the admin. Say nice things about the program they are ramming down your throat.
6.3. Politely refuse any extra duties that are not in the contract. Withdraw from duties not in your contract. Make excuses that your husband/wife/children/elderly aunt needs more home care and you can't afford to pay for that care or whatever similar story that makes them look like an ahole for trying to push new duties on you.
7. When directly ordered to do a duty that you know is not required of you, DO NOT ARGUE at that time (do not argue ever!). Politely say okay and go to that duty, then at your next convenience file a grievance. NEVER SHOW YOUR HAND!
NEVER SAY WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO!
8. Get you a good pocket tape recorder. Record every meeting. You cannot be legally forced to not tape record your meetings. Be very polite even when threatened with action if you don't stop. Let the admin try and punish you in any way. You will have the union in this at this point. Tell the UniServ rep that if the union does not take the contracted legal action to stop, then you and your group will move to get an employment law attorney (you already did before you dropped this bomb on your UniServ rep). If you have noticed, unions tend to back management. If the union does not move, take legal action on your own. Make sure the board is served with a summons at he next board meeting on which you have reserved time to speak. Talk about BS so that your submitted speech is accepted. Keep to the speech and do not deviate from it while you have your process servers drop serve the BOE.
7.1. If the admin berates you, calls you names, says they are going to get you, etc. you will make a full complaint with the tape to your employment attorney. DO NOT TELL YOUR UNION! When you have the formal meeting with your admin's superiors, let the admin person who behaved badly or threatened you lie. LET THEM LIE. DO NOT SHOW YOUR HAND until the bad admin person has repeatedly lied. Then pull out the recorder, and ask the person directing the meeting to listen to the tape that will impeach the bad admin guy's statements.
Give the bad Admin guy a chance to change his story or play it showing him to be a liar. With your best professional voice inform the superiors that they are now *ON NOTICE* that the bad admin guy will lie to his superiors. Use the words *ON NOTICE* they have very specific legal meanings and consequences.
8.1. If the union did not take any action for you, cut them out of the loop.
DO NOT INFORM THE UNION WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO! They WILL tell the BOE.
8.2. You have your employment attorney (who will now more than likely take your group's case on contingency fee basis) sue the union for failure to perform it fiduciary and legal duties. Upon a hearing, the court will more than likely give your group a summary judgment for your legal costs.
8.3. The union may demand to take presidency over any other legal actions your group wants to take. Let them. Keep you employment attorney informed of the actions they take. Have you employment attorney tell them in a formal letter what the actions are they are supposed to take and that he will take over from them WITHOUT NOTICE if they do not follow the proper responses to admin actions.
9. The admin more than likely are the people who sit in you cl*** for evaluations. It is very important that you have grievances file against all admin who would likely do a formal cl***room observation and who would likely write your evaluation. You file a complaint with the union and your employment attorney claiming a *conflict of interest* in the admin of your school doing any evaluation of you BEFORE you get a formal write up. 10. If a student threatens you, hits you, pushes you, inform the Admin as required. Ask for ***ault leave at that moment. Respectfully demand proper emergency transport to the hospital. That very day, file criminal charges against the student. Inform the media. DO NOT TELL THE ADMIN WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO! If at all possible, have the student arrested at the school. If the admin refused to call for emergency transport, use you cell phone to call it yourself. Let the admin rip the phone from your hand. Do not struggle.
You have just been ***aulted by admin.
If you would like more, just let me know. I have single handedly brought several admins to their knees. You will keep them in their offices just doing the incredible amount of paperwork involved in your workman's comp claim. If no injury is visible, claim Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, and anything else the doctor will go for .
mark_prob ...@hotmail.com (Mark Probert)
Excellent post, Sam. Let's see: You advocate abusing the special ed system, which will just make it even more difficult for the kids who truly need help to get it.
You advocate that teachers file fraudulent workers' compensation claims. In most jurisdictions, that is a felony. I know, because I own a business that investigates these claims for the insurance industry, that such cases are often identified and tossed out.
And, BTW, in my industry, I am recognized as an expert in investigating 'occupational stress' claims. I am also pretty good at giving occupational stress.
One more thing. You said...
So, you have trouble holding a job? Perhaps your problem with chronic unemployment is cause by the fact that you bought the book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and then proceeded to attempt to absorb the information contained therein by osmosis, i.e. by sitting on it.
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