For one week, some Philly teachers do just their jobs
Across the city, some public-school teachers are making a point: for one week, doing exactly what their contract requires, and nothing more.
That means no before-school playground duty, tutoring on lunch breaks, nor waiting with students whose parents are late to pick them up. No buying copier paper or textbooks.
"For too long, we've been disrespected by not receiving the proper compensation for the work we do," said Jackie Monaghan, a sixth-grade teacher at Kearny Elementary in Northern Liberties. She and others are also furious with Philadelphia School District officials for moves to close some schools and give others to charter companies.
The work-to-rule actions, happening this week, dovetail with a protest Wednesday at Cooke Elementary, one of the struggling schools that the district plans to give to a charter operator. That announcement was made last week by Superintendent William R. Hite Jr., who said he had to act to get more city children into strong schools.
Many members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers said they saw another motive in Hite's announcement - further privatizing public education.
"We don't have teachers in classrooms some years, and then they tell us that we failed," Cooke teacher Christine Kolenut
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