As a former teacher, I have written op-ed columns and letters expressing concern about the teaching profession. And there are others who have written. Occasionally, it is the practice of teacher bashing.
But more often than not, it is not attacking teachers-- as I know many in the profession work hard and care deeply about their students. No, we are concerned about a system that has been weakened by a powerful union, economic realities and the status quo.
Let us explore each of these areas:
--Powerful union: Theoretically, a union is most important for workers as protection against unfair management. And in the teaching profession, unions work when the rights of teachers are balanced against their responsibilities. Currently, unions operate for the rights of teachers without a balance for its responsibilities for the kids.
Case in point: There are tenured teachers who are mediocre and incompetent enjoying "on the job" retirement at the expense of the kids. In these cases, there are teachers with 30 years in the classroom with one year of experience 30 times over.
The School Boards Association reports that the average increase in 2009 for teachers was 4.5 percent. That is high to begin with, but what other professions besides those on Wall Street that reward incompetence? I will fully support the union when their leadership demonstrates the courage to adopt a modified form of tenure every 3 to 5 years. I taught in five public schools and it is rare for tenured teachers to be observed!
--Economic Realities: The first settled contract for 2009 was in Roxbury rewarding teachers an astronomical increase of over 19 percent for the next four years. Earth to the School Board: Are the taxpayers in Roxbury exempt from economic conditions that are borderline catastrophic?
At one time, teachers were low paid. I started in Leonia High School in 1972 for $9,000. Today, there are teachers at the top of the scale earning in excess of $80,000 and in some cases over $100,000. This is an excellent salary for summers off, tenure, no management bottom line accountability and no need to prove merit.
In order to reach salary equity, unions will claim their teachers earn less than other districts. Did not these teachers choose to work for this district? Professionals are not paid the same salary for the same job title in the profit sector. Is the union claim then valid or will continued increases of 4.5 percent will always leave some district below the average?
--Status Quo: On the local level, don't be fooled into thinking that school boards and unions are natural enemies. Both leadership groups honor "group think" honoring uniformity and not independence. I hope this perspective is wrong in that one of the missions of education is to teach students "how" and not "what" to think.
On the state level, why not require new teachers to work in industry for two years? This experience will provide the knowledge of the economic realities faced by the people who are paying their salaries
Please consider these points and connect them to the upcoming school elections. The following are examples of questions to ask before voting responsibly:
In contested elections, which candidate best understand the pulse of the community balancing educational excellence with fiscal responsibility?
Is the school budget responsible by exploring to what degree the board is cutting non-essential spending? Although teacher salaries are an essential budget line item, the amount of that line is determined by the percent of increase tying it in the importance of fiscal responsibility.
In the five public schools I've taught in, I have been honored and privileged to teach with outstanding teachers in all the schools. But it's the current system in public education that is preventing our kids from experiencing a quality education!
Joseph Wardy is a former teacher living in Randolph