AN OPEN LETTER TO "THE VIEW" FROM BATs!
Your recent comments, which were perceived as an attack on teachers, have caused commotion within our respective communities. In good faith we would like to believe that you did not intend to attack teachers and we would like to believe that you may actually be supportive of good teachers. However, there were several misconceptions that were expressed during these shows and we would like to address them.
First, Jenny McCarthy asked “But who is protecting the students?” We would like to make it clear that teachers are, quite often, the last line of defense for students and without our “tenure” (due process) protections, we would be unable to provide this protection without fear of termination. Another point was made regarding teachers having a union and students having no union. We would like to assure you that many of the issues our unions fight for, such as class size limits and safe working conditions are for the benefit and safety of students. The working conditions of teachers ARE the learning conditions for students. There are many other items negotiated by teachers that benefit students including preparation time for teachers. No student deserves to be taught by a teacher that does not have the necessary amount of time to prepare a quality lesson. Due process rights that protect teachers in their positions allow the students to benefit from the longevity, consistency and the experience of teachers that have a vested interest in their school and the surrounding community.
The rhetoric of “bad teachers” has become a direct campaign by the wealthy to target teacher unions. It is important to note that teaching is a predominantly female profession. The perception of “bad teachers” has been greatly exaggerated in media stories as this attack gains momentum. As our assistant manager, Melissa Tomlinson, posted on your Facebook page, “Bad teachers do not have any business being in education. But there is more to it than that. What is a bad teacher for one student, can be a wonderful teacher for another student. What may be a bad teacher could be the result of an unfair job placement because administration is trying to run that teacher out due to Badass Teachers Association: