Sunday, February 9, 2014
Are You Ready?
If you heard the call, would you answer it?
We keep hearing that people are scared and we understand it. When you live in a climate of fear and retribution, it is often easier to do nothing than to take a stand. BUT... Imagine where we would be today if our greatest leaders had been to afraid to stand up and take a stand? Would you have the right to vote? Would you still be riding on the back of the bus? Would our nation even exist?
We have a chance to make a difference now. If we stand together in great numbers we cannot be ignored and we cannot be punished.
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I have often read this blog but have been afraid to post a comment. I have admired those who are willing to take a stand. Those who voluntarily risk retribution to advocate for the needs, and rights, of our students. The people who write into the newspapers, question policies of the current administration and speak up at board meetings. However, I never viewed it as something I was capable of myself. I was and continue to be afraid of retribution, afraid of losing my job. Today as I spend my Sunday writing pages of plans, most of which I probably will never get to teach because of the daily disruptions taking place in and around my classroom, I had to ask myself, what is it exactly that I am afraid of losing? I have already lost the ability to effectively do my job as a teacher, to teach children, to provide them with a safe environment, to instill in them a lifelong love of learning. These things are no longer a part of my job description, so why should I continue to be afraid? Now, I dread going to school. Every day I hear students and colleagues expressing the same feelings. There is always fear, fear of physical harm to myself or my coworkers, and more importantly fear that someday a child will get seriously injured on my watch because I am unable to protect my students from other children in the building. There is also the fear for the students who are being taught that they have no accountability for their behavior. School is supposed to teach children how to function in the world as adults, to prepare them for college and careers. Teaching kids they are free to physically harm others without consequences, and oftentimes even reinforcing and rewarding that behavior, is not teaching them a lesson that will help them function in the world outside of school. I have seen the data indicating that high suspension rates are resulting in a school to prison pipeline. I have to ask, if that is the case, then what effect are we having on the lives of these children, and our future society, by providing students with candy rather than consequences when they assault their peers, or adults in the building? If I cannot go to school each morning knowing that I will be able to teach my students, confident that I can keep them safe, what is it that I feel I am in danger of losing? The children that we teach, the ones who we are supposed to advocate for do not deserve adults who are afraid. They deserve an education, they deserve the counseling and therapy they need, they deserve to be safe at school. For the sake of our children, do not be afraid. We need to be heard, if you can’t justify taking a stand for yourself are you willing to take a stand for your students? An opportunity has arisen. We have to answer the call. As a wise friend has advised me, if you fail to be a part of the solution, you become a part of the problem.
ReplyDeleteAmazing Post! I am doing and feeling the same thing right now!
DeleteAWESOME!!!!!!! As someone who HAS spoken out - using my name..I applaud you.....I've been waiting for this......let's follow the lead of Rochester, Chicago and other districts who stood up and said "NO MORE - YOU HAVE TO GO" - let's take our district (and city) back!!!!!!
DeleteThe administrator in our building is very vindictive. Does anyone have any suggestions how to combat this situation! There are many administrators that are bullies. They will get us back during our evaluations or when we write a referral!
ReplyDeleteStanding up for what you believe in will always be scary, especially with the evaluation system we currently have in place. That is a realistic pressure that all teachers are currently facing. However, you have to ask yourself, which poses a greater risk speaking up or staying silent? For me, personally, I believe that at this point given the severity of everything taking place within our schools remaining silent is a risk I am no longer willing to take. The current administration is using this fear to silence people. We can not allow it any longer. As for suggestions, make sure you document everything and keep records of the progress your students have made, PD you have attended, etc. Keep records of past evaluations. How would it look if you suddenly went from receiving a positive evaluation to a negative one after you attended a meeting? There is also an appeals process available. People fearing bullying is what allows bullies to retain their power. The culture of fear and retribution combined with the current evaluation system is what is allowing our current district level administrators to get away with these unacceptable discipline policies in the first place. Also, consider this, is the request for a safe work environment is really so unreasonable? Are people in other professions judged, belittled and disciplined for requesting that they not be assaulted at work? We have the right to work in a safe environment. Children have the right to attend school in a safe environment. It is the responsibility of our administration and union leadership to ensure this is taking place. They have failed. We have to take action.
DeleteBravo! The only thing that will affect change is for people who know what is right to stand up and say no. When one person speaks, it emboldens others to do so also. The climate in the SCSD is a total disaster. If it weren't so serious, one could use the old joke that "the inmates are running the asylum." As far as retribution goes, when you stand up publicly, how will it look if you are punished for doing so? The queen only cares about appearances, not facts, and her vindictiveness should be exposed for what it is. And it would be if she went after people. Her job is to create disruption and failure in the district, so she can "rebuild." Her disastrous policies are doing this. Look at what she has done to Special Ed and ESL, as only 2 examples. Go for it.
ReplyDeleteFormer SCSD student:Police: Gun-wielding boy, 13, stole car; three teens tied to robberies near Le Moyne College
ReplyDeletePrint By Jeff Stein | jstein@syracuse.com
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on January 09, 2014 at 5:20 PM, updated January 09, 2014 at 5:31 PM
0
Syracuse, N.Y. -- On Dec. 23, a woman was approached on East Division Street by a 13-year-old boy.
The teenager pulled out a gun and stole her car. The carjacking was one of four robberies the 13-year-old committed in December.
That's according to Syracuse police Sgt. Tom Connellan, who confirmed that authorities have arrested the 13-year-old boy and two other teenagers in connection with four robberies.
The 13-year-old's name is not being released because of his age. He was the only one involved in all four robberies -- a 15-year-old, whose name is also not being released, and Kyire Burgess, 17, have each been connected to only some of them.
The 15-year-old and 13-year-old will be tried in family court.
The first two robberies occurred near Le Moyne College -- the first on Dec. 3 and the second several days later, Connellan said.
In the first robbery, a male student at Le Moyne had his property stolen on Audubon Parkway. In the second, two female students were threatened with a gun and robbed.
The third was on Dec. 18, on Madison Street. A Syracuse University student was assaulted and robbed. The fourth was the carjacking on East Division Street.
I have heard that some people who would like to attend the Thursday meeting are concerned that the meeting will be just another complaining or blaming session. The meeting will not be about criticizing the superintendent or district leadership. It will not be an attempt to work around STA’s role in protecting teacher’s rights.
ReplyDeleteWe are making the assumption that there is the need for immediate action to make our schools safe and that there is no plan for this. We are filling that vacuum. We are concentrating on one single issue as stated in my commentary: Making buildings physically safe for students and teachers.
This will be a proactive meeting intended to develop the framework of a plan that will be submitted through established channels to be considered by the SCSD Board of Education. However, the process will provide for a safe way for participants to let their need for such a plan be known. If you participate, you will become part of the solution to a very serious problem.
Be comforted by the fact that I am too old to lead a revolution. I will leave that to others. What I do, and have done is lead groups large and small to solutions for some big problems.
My question about taking the superintendent off the table as a point for discussion is this: Aren't her policies directly responsible for the much of the disciplinary problems in the district? I don't see how you can discuss one without the other.
ReplyDelete