After decades of excuses we are finally seeing leaders put the interest of children ahead of the staff paid to teach them. We don't need to keep employees with poor performance in the public or private sector when there are those who can do the job better left unemployed. If we have to layoff teachers, then let us keep the best and not just those who had the job longer.
Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee announced Friday that she has fired 241 teachers, including 165 who received poor appraisals under a new evaluation system that, for the first time, holds some educators accountable for student growth on standardized test scores.
I think it was a good move for many reasons. First the teachers were fired based on performance including student improvement. Second seniority was not the main factor, they simply did not fire the newest hires like New York City and other school systems who had layoffs. This has the added benefit of reducing the total number of teachers being dismissed because of the salary difference between senior teachers and new hires.
Michelle Rhee put children before teachers, she refused to let children suffer so that adults could keep jobs they are not qualified to perform. She and Obama should be applauded creating incentives and actions to get us this far. Let us hope that one day our children will only be taught by those who have the talent, ability, and the motivation to get the job done.
June 30, 2010
The D.C. Council officially closed the books Tuesday on more than 2 1/2 years of hard bargaining and political tumult by unanimously approving a contract with the Washington Teachers' Union that promises significantly higher pay for educators who demonstrate results in the classroom. Washing ton Post
The excuses have not saved us from educational Armageddon but they have resulted in a lot of wasted time as precious youth were being herded through a system with incompetent adults at the helm. The culture of achievement is not fostered by adults addicted to excusing their poor performance by blaming everyone but themselves.
Last month, union members and the D.C. Council approved a new contract that raises educators' salaries by 21.6 percent but diminishes traditional seniority protections in favor of personnel decisions based on results in the classroom. The pact also provides for a "performance pay" system with bonuses of $20,000 to $30,000 annually for teachers who meet certain benchmarks, including growth in test scores. Washington Post
The children were not being inspired by people who did not practice what they preach. Instead they were taught a lesson in hypocrisy, and those who learned well would learn to work the system that discouraged a majority that would accept under achievement while waiting for better prospects on the outside.
On the outside they hoped to see a place where those in charge earned their position and were held accountable for failures. Where employees did not blame the customer for an inability to produce satisfactory results. Where inspiration is found beyond simple slogans that ring hollow to those that don't see hard work and dedication beyond a distinct few. The real world they were told of beyond the drudgery of early academic life. In this real world people are paid and promoted for performance. Those who do a job well get paid more than those who don't. A world in which accountability went beyond just what they did, but extended to all those they did it with.
On CNN Mark Sanchez said in 2006 no teachers were fired for poor performance and 95% got glowing reviews. That is the place Michelle Rhee started, in a system where nobody was held accountable and nobody was fired. She is standing up for children. She won't let children suffer so that adults can fail at a job that is critical to children's lives. I support unions but not every goal of every union on earth. I don't support the unions push to retain these teachers.
Imperfect evaluation systems are not an excuse not to use them. Differences in student performance are no excuse not to use that factor in evaluating teacher performance. We don't need to hear whining from adults about life not being fair, we need to see the courage to face change head on and rise to the challenges put before them, just as students are asked to do everyday in school.