KANSAS CITY TEACHERS TALK BACK!!!



The following is an excerpt from an e-mail sent to TKC which asserts that the current slapfight between teachers and the Kansas City School Board is not just about 5 minutes of extra lunch time.

I've highlighted the interesting passages:
Teachers’ plates have become platters, and if they are expected to be the professionals who impact student achievement, quality planning time is key. When the Union negotiators asked District negotiators what would be done with the 40 minutes of planning time taken from teachers, the District responded that they had not really thought this out, but suggested: helping in other teachers’ classrooms, watching unruly students, and supervision. These and any other activities during the 40 minutes of planning time would be at the sole discretion of the school site administrator.

Although the district would like for the community to believe they are still negotiating with our union, the fact is they have not met since July 31.

As we all know, the KCMSD school baord is a joke. They do not have the faintest idea of what teachers do in the classroom on a daily basis, all of the work they do on their own time, and the amount of their own money they spend each year because 1211 McGee and the school board are so incompetent with the district's budget.

I have been in education for 36 years. I have been a teacher with the KCMSD for six years. Previously, I was a principal for 15 years in another city. I cannot believe the heinous disrespect and hostility that this administration and school board have for the teachers who are the heart and soul of our schools.
And all of this simply demonstrates to me that . . . .

A TEACHERS STRIKE IN KANSAS CITY IS NEARLY INEVITABLE!!!

Unfortunately, the result isn't going to be catastrophic and result in change . . . I think that IF the strike happens both parties will be surprised that the only result will be even more disillusionment with Kansas City's public education disaster.

Comments

  1. Any more photos from that series Tony?
    I could sure use the "release" after the day I've had.

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  2. Let them strike. The sooner the teachers union is busted the better.

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  3. I think they should strike and that will be the end of this district as we know it. The remaining students who have caring parents (those in the college prep., performing arts, Af-centered and a few others) will put their kids in charter schools, private schools or move to other districts. The good teachers will follow. Then the state can swoop in and take over what's left and hire qualified educators (some from the old group but hopefully a lot of newbies)to provide basic, remedial, special education and alternative education for the mostly hard to teach kids they will have left.

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  4. Hopefully the strike will be a wake up call to the parents who do care. maybe they will think harder when they vote for board members.

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  5. This blog gets no activity. Every post has no or just a few comments, lol. Bout time to shut this mutha fucka down.

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  6. I take it the last post was from the acting superintendent. He just doesn't like you. And what's not to like.

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  7. Sometimes you just gotta say, "what the fuck."

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  8. Has the Star covered this at all? A search on kansascity.com didn't show anything.

    I know some teachers in the district and TKC is correct about a possible strike.

    Why would the Star be burying the story?

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  9. The Star doesn't cover the story because nobody cares one way or another. It's a gigantic cluster fuck and people just want out.

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  10. At least throw in a few facts. Anyone can check this out.

    Teachers in area schools all have "planning time" in their contracts. But the time enjoyed by KCMO teachers is as much as 2 to 3 times the amount that is customary in surrounding school districts. These other districts are superior districts, award winning districts, "with distinction" districts. All accredited. In many top notch school districts, 30 minutes planning time for teachers is typical.

    The KCMO teachers need to show some RESULTS with their students - test scores, ACT scores, MAP test scores, real achievement, ... full accreditation. Spending more time actually teaching would be a good first step.

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  11. blah blah blah...this is bullshit

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  12. 10:21
    I can't speak for the elementary level, but do the other high schools work on block scheduling? 90 min periods take a lot of planning and ALL of the high school teachers I know (18 cities, 4 states) who are on block scheduling get 90 planning periods.

    You want test results, let the teachers teach. Last year my husband gave several standardized tests that took several weeks out of teaching time.

    You want better test results, make the administration do things in a way that makes sense. It was 6 weeks into the school year before all of my husband's students had been issued their books.

    You want better test results, convince parents to buy school supplies. Last year we spent a lot of money on school supplies for kids that are not our own. Even better, convince parents to come to school and take an interest. At open house if my husband has 8 parents show up he's lucky. He has 90 + students at any given time.

    You can't put the test scores on the teachers. They do the best with what they have to work with.

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