AFT statement on Central Falls High School negotiations

[ProSense]

Statement by Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers, On Central Falls High School Negotiations

WASHINGTON—We are pleased that Central Falls (R.I.) Schools Superintendent Frances Gallo has agreed to go back to the table and work with the Central Falls Teachers Union on implementing a comprehensive education plan focused on giving the students and teachers of Central Falls High School the tools they need to succeed. The dedicated teachers and staff want nothing more than to continue and improve upon the progress they have made. Real, sustainable change will only happen when all stakeholders work together.

The AFT is committed to supporting Central Falls Teachers Union President Jane Sessums, the students of Central Falls High School and our members, the educators of Central Falls, throughout the negotiations and process of transforming the school.

[ProSense]

1. No comment? n/t

[Peace Patriot]

2. Could you give us some background? nt

[hayu_lol]

3. A nice friendly and amiable statement that could well...

be hiding the fact that the Union told the school super and board that you will reopen negotiations or face an immediate walkout of all the teachers in your system.

Hmmm...both sides coyly smile and the only teeth being gnashed are those of the super and board. LOL.

Hope that that is the case...that is what unions are good at.

[ProSense]

5. Here

Another chance for Central Falls teachers

(NECN: Jennifer Eagan, Central Falls, R.I.) - Mass firings may not be the solution after all in the Central Falls school district.

The superintendent of schools did not close the door on taking back the pink slips sent to the faculty of underperforming Central Falls High School, if there is progress made at the negotiating table with the teachers' union.

The two sides plan to restart negotiations soon, in an effort to avoid the mass firings that quickly grabbed national attention.

"I very willingly welcome everybody back. This is a chance to really hit a home run with the students," Superintendent Frances Gallo said Wednesday.

"We're cautiously optimistic. If we can get back to the table, we can settle this and start looking at what's in the best interest of the kids," teachers' union president Jane Sessums said.

<...>

[Peace Patriot]

6. Thanks! I understand the OP better now. This crap is coming from the top of our society

--the rich, the corporate, the Pentagon--nearly to the bottom--teachers: Teach to standardized tests, and manufacture robots, or get fired!

Teaching to standardized tests destroys both critical and creative thinking. Taking standardized tests makes many critical and/or creative thinkers angry and even crazy. Most teachers know this and they have fought this dictate but it is hard to fight when funding depends on standardized test scores. In the 1950s and 1960s, this country educated millions of engineers and top professionals and created an engaged, literate, progressive populace, NOT teaching to standardized tests--and merely giving college-bound students an overview and a brief rehearsal of tests like the SAT late in their educations in the humanities and sciences. First, you get educated, then you take a standardized test as one step in applying for college. Colleges were meanwhile discovering that tests like the SAT were a poor predictors of success in college (and life). The desire to learn far, far outweighs any standardized measure of what has been learned, as to creating successful, well-educated people. Kill the desire to learn and your society will fail. Teaching to standardize tests kills the desire to learn and should be banned from the educational system.

And if this is what this dispute is about--that this high school has poor standardized test scores--I am totally on the teachers' and the students' side as to resisting the teachers being fired. It's not altogether clear that standardized test scores was the criterion being used. But that is certainly what has been happening in this country and I totally oppose teachers and schools being judged--and being funded--on this basis.

[donco6]

4. Kind of a blah press release. Is there something more there we're supposed to see?

Please enlighten.