Last week, some teachers addressed my Oct. 12 “destructive letter to the editor.” Although not my intent, I’ll take credit in dismantling the notion that individual teachers and/or the WTA have a place of priority over the success of our students. It laughable that they chose to quote Michelle Obama’s motto “When they go low, we go high.” I am confident that the First Lady was not referencing student scores going low while teacher pay goes high, which is an issue of concern.
As to my being misinformed: If the WTA had a point-by-point response, they should have constructively addressed my letter. The WTA chose instead to buy ad space for putting forth dubious information. So let’s randomly audit their truthfulness: The District (not the WTA) compensates teachers to provide extra help to our students. There is a defined distinction between teachers and the WTA bargaining unit. Teachers (not the WTA) have customarily assisted students with their college and scholarship applications and preparation for the SAT and ACT. I do not recall any donations from the WTA to fulfill those student needs. When has the WTA spent time, helped with funds, ensured opportunities that was not directly attributed to a contractual provision in their agreements with the district, that is to their credit rather than to the credit of individual teachers under a personal obligation and/or compensation?
Ms. Sabella appears to believe that the 5-10 teachers that generally attend Board of Education meetings (out of the approximate 400 teachers employed) is a significant showing of teacher attendance. The WTA President, Christine Corbett, continually browbeat board members and involved parents of the district for sending their children to private/parochial schools, yet Sabella and Corbett sent their children to private high schools. Sabella may feign being offended for her president but her leader’s personal choice warrants scrutiny. Corbett’s belief of the public school system in educating her children has tremendous support value, especially when too often in our school district, her colleagues communicate that our children can’t learn or instruction is a waste of time.
Ms. Harris incorrectly believes that the real problem is not in the classroom and that all district teachers are dedicated highly qualified professionals. Stop implying that the real problem is in the home! Her opinion would have more validity if she focused on teachers that were a better fit for our students. By law, teachers are accountable and if teacher responsibility towards student learning exceeds their capacity to instruct in our schools, then that teacher is not a good fit for our district.
Sabella and Harris are correct in their respective statements “that most teachers…spend far more than the hours contractually required” and “that the hours of service cannot be measured.” The average Total Cost of Compensation (TCC) for a full-time educator in the district is more than $153,000 and more importantly the TCC of the three teachers mentioned is worth more than half a million taxpayer dollars. Teachers here are well compensated to the extent that their focus has to be on the ticking clock of our students’ educational lives in our schools versus the educators’ clock ticking towards tenure, retirement and a lucrative pension. Rather than awarding teachers when not meeting the expectations of the community, try earning compensation as a reward for a job well done.
A thriving school system is a district that have student outcomes that are at, or exceeds, the community expectations of success.
—Larry Kirton
