A Few More People Need to Be Fired in Rhode Island
In response to President Obama’s support for the firing of the entire staff of Central Falls High School in Rhode Island, the American Federation of Teachers released a joint statement by AFT President Randi Weingarten, Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals President Marcia Reback and Central Falls Teachers Union President Jane Sessums.
President Obama’s comments today condoning the mass firing of the Central Falls High School teachers do not reflect the reality on the ground and completely ignore the teachers’ significant commitment to working with others to transform this school. We know it is tempting for people in Washington to score political points by scapegoating teachers, but it does nothing to give our students and teachers the tools they need to succeed.
AFT attached an April 2009 report by a team of state and district officials who visited the school for two days to assess the literacy program. “The report reinforces the fact that, today, teachers are being blamed unfairly for the schools’ problems,” reads the joint statement.
For the record, I’m opposed to the wholesale firings. It speaks to the inability of the public school system to make any meaningful distinctions in employee performance. The report cited by AFT is not an exoneration of the Central Falls teachers, but a further indictment of the system. If AFT has a legitimate beef, it’s not that the school is improving and the teachers should keep their jobs. It’s that the school system’s method of oversight and evaluation is pathetic.
The 10-month old report is nine pages long – more than four of which simply list the members of the team, note the purpose of the visit, and describe the basics of Central Falls High School’s student body, staff and mission statement. The team included union president Jane Sessums and former NEA Rhode Island president Ronald L. DiOrio.
Here is the type of crucial insight the team provided:
* “Students read at varying levels of proficiency throughout the school.”
* “Students write in almost all classes across all grade levels…. Throughout