Frustrated (KC) Teachers Carol at Board VP Benson’s Home

[proud2BlibKansan]

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
….On the twelfth day of Christmas,
The School Board gave to us
Overwhelming stress,
No fair transfers,
Longevity pay gone,
Educational Research & Development axed,
Public criticisms,
Seven days of working,
No appreciation,
Reduced planning time,
Few school supplies,
Arthur Benson,
No respect,
And no fair and just contract.

Three days before Christmas, about 60 Kansas City School District teachers rode a school bus on a bitterly cold, icy night to the Janssen Place mansion of attorney and School Board Vice President Arthur Benson to sing Carols on the sidewalk in front of the house, carols about Benson and what the teachers see as his determined effort to break their union.

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Anne Pritchett, a special education teacher, was asked about the effect on teacher morale of working without a contract and, currently, without a Superintendent of Schools.

“There’s a couple of things,” Pritchett said. “I’ve been in the district 25 years and we’re seeing new teachers come and then leave the district within a couple of years because of all the chaos. It’s hard to get hired because the bureaucracy is dysfunctional, and I don’t know any other way to describe it.

“If you were a brand new teacher and come to work in a district where there is no contract, I think that’s one of the biggest problems we’re facing right now,” Pritchett said. “One of the main annoyances is there’s no rules—the people we work for just make it up as they go along.”

more . . .
http://kctribune.com/article.cfm?articleID=18583

[SheilaT]

1. Sometimes I think that

more teachers need to be willing to walk away from teaching, because too many people just don't get it about what the job is really like, and what kind of support for the teachers is really needed.

Of course I understand that many teachers truly love what they are doing, and even many of those who don't love the job are also fond of getting a regular paycheck. And, of course, my suggestion doesn't deal with how we'd actually solve the problems that exist in the school systems.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Too many teachers are just teachers

What goes on in that classroom is their whole life. They choose to not take the time to understand the politics of education and end up getting screwed.

[Omaha Steve]

3. Teachers have a very hard job

I used to loose my temper when I had just 3 kids at home. How somebody with 20-40 keeps from going insane, I have no idea. I don't believe there are many there just to get a check in any school. Based on my education and being a parent for my 3 kids.

The no contract part would be a mental drain. My contract expires Wednesday night at midnight. The state outlawed a strike by public servants many years ago. So even though I can't strike or be locked out, I know some of the strain of no contract.

I applaud the action taken by the teachers in singing modified carols at Benson's home.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. When you are barred from striking you have to get creative

And teachers tend to be very creative. :)

Thanks for your support. That means a lot :hi:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. Work to rule seems to be effective where I have been

All of us with tenure do it and there is little the district can do.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. We are working on convincing our members to do that

It's a tough one. A lot of our teachers work after school and think they can't live without that extra income.

[Hissyspit]

5. Kick nt