Teacher power: Key education votes elsewhere in America
While there’s been a lot of attention in Georgia to the charter school amendment passage, there were major education issues decided elsewhere in the country.
John I. Wilson, a long-time special education teacher and former executive director of the National Education Association, wrote about some of them in his Education Week blog.
In his essay, Wilson says these votes show that the public trusts its teachers.
Here is an excerpt but please read the full blog over at Ed Week.
To illustrate this, let’s look at one of the reddest states in America, Idaho. The voters were not fooled by misleading slogans like “Students Come First” or the rhetoric of Tom Luna, state superintendent of public instruction. They rejected three recently passed state laws that rolled back collective bargaining rights, implemented merit pay based on standardized test scores, and established laptops and online credits at the expense of teachers and reasonable class size. Voters listened to teachers’ concerns about being excluded from decision-making, using student testing inappropriately and at the expense of quality instruction, and pitting teachers against technology instead of seeing it as a teaching tool rather than a teacher replacement. Teachers exposed the shady business practices of those who were using taxpayer dollars to drive personal agendas as well as the out-of-state financiers of the proposed teacher-bashing laws. Idahoans stood by their children’s teachers.
Now let’s review the returns from one of the bluest states, California. The voters there rejected a blatant attempt to silence teachers from participating in our democracy. The billionaire Koch brothers channeled millions into supporting a proposal that would disallow teachers’ political contributions through payroll deductions. Sadly, even some folks who tout themselves as education reformers participated in the effort to silence teachers. They lost because the voters respected the teachers. Efforts to curtail political activity among teachers have usually come from politicians who didn’t receive the teachers’ political endorsements, and the public can see that. Because the public supports fairness, voters in California sided with teachers.
Finally, let’s go to Indiana. This was a stunner. Glenda Ritz, a 33-year teaching veteran and a National Board Certified Teacher, defeated Tony Bennett, State Superintendent, who had led Chiefs for Change, a conservative group that promoted anti-teacher policies. Ritz took the teacher voice to the voters. She made the case for using standardized tests appropriately rather than for high-stakes decisions on pay, evaluation, and professional development. She also promoted a great public school for every child. The voters trusted her and elected her. The new governor and legislators in Indiana would be smart to work with her on an agenda that truly advances a quality education for every student.
There were many other places where voters listened to their teachers.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
85 comments Add your comment
Top School
November 12th, 2012
4:02 pm
The Atlanta Public School’s cheating scandal was created to cover up the Atlanta’s Business Community’s involvement in the illusion of high test scores to draw business to Atlanta. Beverly Hall was their scapegoat…and teachers continue to be used to down play the REAL issues.
The Charter School movement is in the same hands that created the cheating scandal. This has been concocted by those behind the scene… Koch Brothers…and those in Atlanta’s Business Community intending to make a business out of PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION.
duke
November 12th, 2012
4:16 pm
The father of modern education was John Dewey. An international socialist and an atheist, he did not believe in absolute truth. Everything changes, so there is no point in learning things. The purpose of education is to inculcate attitudes and social skills. In my county, a schoolteacher with 21 years experience wrote that when he tried to teach children in south Fulton County to play tag together, they were soon fighting. North Fulton students had no problems. He does not compare his students’ performance in math, science, or basic literacy; he compares their social skills. That is what he is required to teach. If he insisted upon teaching a rigorous traditional curriculum, he would probably be fired.
His point was that students from different backgrounds should be taught differently. He complained that charter schools impose a one-size-fits-all curriculum. He has the argument backwards. According to Dewey, there is no absolute truth. Individuals create their own truth; ultimate truth is determined by consensus of the social group. Individual excellence is discouraged, because it separates a child from the social group. But absolute truth does exist; therefore all students should be taught the same curriculum, the true curriculum. Civilizations which abandon that curriculum soon vanish from the pages of history. But different children begin at different places, and learn at different paces. The obvious solution is to segregate children according to ability and achievement level, but today that is considered discrimination. Everyone is entitled to be in the best class; everyone is entitled to a college education. So children from substandard cultural backgrounds are assigned to classes so far above their level that they cannot learn anything; they are simply promoted up through the system. They so disrupt the system that nobody learns much. Teacher spends all his time maintaining order.
Today 25% of college freshmen are illiterate. But in 1950, the US literacy rate was near 100%. You learned to read, or you sat in the second grade until doomsday. The curriculum was not tailored to suit you.
In traditional Christian America, individual excellence was admired and emulated; today it is resented and destroyed. In my day, the emphasis was on the best students; teachers pushed us as fast and as far as we could go. Slower students were assigned to slower classes, but an atmosphere of excellence pervaded everything. We were always willing to tutor our classmates, but mostly they learned by following our example. Today the emphasis is on the worst students. That hurts everyone, but especially those who struggle near the bottom. With no successful examples to emulate, they have no clue what education is about.
Rural areas, with our strong Christian family traditions, suffer less than urban areas; but our rural schools aren’t nearly as good as we think they are. A major emphasis of modern education is high self-esteem, which does not automatically translate into academic performance. Reform within the system is impossible because of the deeply ingrained, intellectually empty culture of atheistic international socialism. At this point, the only thing that can save us is a miraculous spiritual transformation- the Word of God preached with power.
mountain man
November 12th, 2012
5:46 pm
“how about getting off your high horse and vendetta against administrators. Put the blame if you must squarely where it needs to go – on the shoulders of our entitlement parents.”
I agree that entitlement parents are a big driver of issues – BUT, administrators have the choice to give in to parents’ whims or not.
Leigh
November 12th, 2012
6:16 pm
I am a teacher and a conservative. I voted for the Charter School Amendment. My jaw is hanging open at this article. What a piece of opinionated crap trying be passed off as fact.
pride and joy
November 12th, 2012
6:49 pm
GCAE President thinks that parents participating in the PTA somehow makes a difference in their child’s education.
I’m a long time active PTA member. The parents who participate LEAST in the PTA are parents who are teachers. They seem to think they are exempt from having to do the work…and let’s get really clear about what the PTA is all about — fundraising.
The PTA has no power to hire and fire staff nor teachers. We have no power to have any influence on curriculum.
All we are allowed to do is fund raise and party plan.
That’s it.
We can bake cupcakes, make copies in the photocopier, and fund raise and fund raise and fund raise — but do anything taht makes a bit of difference for our children’s education?
That’s a joke.
RCB
November 12th, 2012
7:23 pm
As soon as I read the remarks about the Koch Brothers, I stopped reading. That talking point comes from the mouths of too many others to think this piece is original or pertinent.
Jerry Eads
November 12th, 2012
7:23 pm
I took the actual conservative position – as did many others – that local government, including control of schools, should be left to the local citizens. I quoted Churchill about democracy being the worst form of government – except everything else. Amendment One repudiated local control for central nonrrepresentative control. A large majority of voters admitted that they were just incapable of governing themselves. Likely they were simply duped by egregiously misleading wording on the ballot. There are NO data suggesting central control will improve schools.
A few people not beholden to the citizenry but to the millions of dollars from outside private interests apparently now will be put in charge of taking public monies for what one might surmise will be private schools run for profit.
Now, we begin an experiment. Will authoritarian state control of local schools be an improvement over what does indeed end up to be (the way public schools are usually run these days) authoritarian local control of schools? Looks like we get to find out.
Mary Elizabeth
November 12th, 2012
7:51 pm
“There were many other places where voters listened to their teachers.”
============================================
Now is the time simply to allow the decision, regarding Amendment One, to run its course in Georgia.
Private Citizen
November 12th, 2012
10:09 pm
What I learned from years of teaching in Georgia government schools is that I can make more money with a trim brush, when I get done someone usually says “Nice job!,” if I run into something from a colleague that needs fixing, I do it and no one runs around saying “that person should be fired!” I do not have to buy my own materials to do the job and Sherwin Williams has yet to send my an email on Sunday telling me what I must do before Monday, which got to be a pretty regular occurrence as a school teacher. I know of no person who occupies themselves officially or otherwise with “who is a real painter” and “who is not a real painter” and the best part is that on the most important and precious job, the boss uses irony and says “Oh it doesn’t really matter if you mess up” so then everyone chills out and does even better work. The felons, I mean fellows, I work with, there is a code of courtesy and mentoring, casually checking on one another and making positive comments and/or suggestions. If someone does not like their work environment, they can change it and there is no demerit. Basically, it pays better, I use the best supplies and do not have to pay for them myself (@ $40./gallon) and when I get done there is affirmation, something that is now pretty much non existent in teaching work. There is the matter of the $50k in tuition I paid for my own education, but I guess that is the cost of experience. Oh and another thing. Someone is always buying lunch. In school teaching, the one time a principal took the staff out for lunch the greater admin. ran the principal out of town for treating the staff like professionals or even valued workers. I guess the greater administration didn’t want to the workers to get the wrong idea. That’s what I have learned from my years as a government school teacher in Georgia.
N. GA Teacher
November 12th, 2012
11:59 pm
Any charter school can work that is given freedom to 1) remove students who are disciplinary problems; 2) require parental and student involvement and accountabilty. Gee, didn’t we have this in the 1960s?
pride and joy
November 13th, 2012
5:57 am
Private Citizen — looks like you made a wise career choice. I wish all dissatisfied teachers would do as you do — when you hit the wall and decide teaching is not for you, leave the profession. We have far too many teachers in APS who are there just getting a pay check and phoning it in.
Good job to you for doing the right thing!
pride and joy
November 13th, 2012
6:01 am
Mary Elizabeth is right. Now is the time to see what happens wiht amendment one — instead of predicting this or that we just have to wait and see.
pride and joy
November 13th, 2012
6:04 am
And in other news — the voice of Elmo is on leave from Sesame Street from havinig an innappropriate relationship with a teenager.
This is why we need the mandatory reporter law for everyone. Pedophiles and other abusers of children have to be watched by everyone. They are attracted to ALL jobs where children are found. Teachers and parents need to keep their eyes open everywhere they go where children are found. When an abuser finds his way to sesame street you know for sure he can find his way into a classroom.
Private Citizen
November 13th, 2012
9:19 am
pride and joy I didn’t decide that teaching is not right for me. I found myself working in unreasonably conditions, I had seen too much malfeasance and too many works of bad character and ill will from a cadre working in district who paid themselves highly and invented activities for themselves including targetting and harassing good teachers, literally picking people out and doing their “stand on one toe” routine on them. I also got to a point where I personally think it is unethical to test children so much and take their school time and their school years and do this to them, and I will not be the one marching the kids around and doing this to them. So, yes, I have not decided “teaching is not for me” and I said I’d wear a funny shirt and work at Circle K instead of doing some of this stuff to kids. Seriously, you ought to have a little more respect in regard what you think are “career changers” like a formula on a tv show. Yes, I am a little hot about it. There are some very dishonest crafty people making $100k salaries using the school system as their sand box. There is so much of the pompous / smooth educational “fronting” going on by management level people making $100k salaries. Maybe that is “the untold story” in Georgia. Someone should look into these persons who are in the business of telling everyone else what to do. I certainly have not forgotten them and if I see one at the grocery story I am liable to say, WELLLLL, are you STILLLL stealing money from your funny job title?…. WHO did you WORK OVER this week? Do you have your little LIST with you? And yes, I’ll just go ahead and say it. Seemed like a high percentage of white males were being targeted, that a foreigner with a master’s degree in math who was teaching math. So yes, you have people who dress is expensive dress clothes and “act like management” but are doing inappropriate unstructured targeting of people, at least where I was. And to deal with any of them, you would have to take down their whole system, which I think is doable but might take some scholarship. Meanwhile I will work with the seasons. It’s a good world out there.
Private Citizen
November 13th, 2012
9:24 am
PS I remember when one of my colleagues who was being harassed wrote up a whole week’s worth of lesson plans based on “character” themes and the fake review person who was harassing us got all excited and said it was the best thing they had ever seen.
And I’m not making this up, or making fun. This happened and I’m talking recently.
Private Citizen
November 13th, 2012
9:48 am
true / funny story: my undergraduate degree “sheepskin” is about 4x the size of the “sheepskin” from the local state university down the street. In document size, it closer to what I’ve seen on French culinary school degrees. I’ve never framed it, just kept it in a document tube. So one day I got a bright idea to make a same-size color photocopy, laminate it, and post it on the wall at my desk, thinking I might “inspire a student.” Well, I might as well have put a marker flag on my door because after that the local management crowd who do little, who never even apply to to top universities to be accepted or rejected, who stay close to home where they were born, get their schooling close to home where they were born, and exploit their local government close to home where they were born, they absolutely came after me with pitchforks starting with then I post that degree document. It is like you are supposed to act like a little mouse and follow their system. The managers are control freaks and can’t handle anything outside of their comfort zone, which is pretty comfortable since so few of them have gone anywhere. Weird system, where achievement is looked down upon. In the work environment I pretty much stay out of everyone else’s business. It would be nice if I had such autonomy to do my work, but that is not how it is. And when I got the high results for my students, this just came and went as if no one noticed. Maybe it, too, was a bad thing is this age of “levelling.” Weird stuff – all the way around. It’s like we’re really at an apex of control march and obey weirdities, so many of them fully-matured, fully-realized, and fully-implemented. It can’t help but get better from here. The glare is just a little too bright. And if you post a university degree on the wall, make sure it is the size of a post card or 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper, like from the local university down the street. if you’re degree doesn’t fit in the oak frame from the Dollar Store, you’re going to get cooked come Thanksgiving.
Dr. John Trotter
November 13th, 2012
10:15 am
@ Top School: MACE just doesn’t “make a scene.” MACE protects and empowers teachers…one Member at a time. You have to be a Member, however, to enjoy this protection and empowerment. I doubt, Top School, that when you were undergoing your problems in the Buckhead scene that you were a Member of MACE. If you had been, we would have raised some hell and your principal probably would have backed off of you — and if not, we would have really poured it on. They simply do the math. They calucutate what it will cost them to continue to harass or mistreat a teachers.
Go to our Testimonial Section, and you will see that MACE does much more than just “cause a scene.”
http://www.theteachersadvocate.com
By the way, yes, we will “make a scene” today — and the teachers will love it because it will bring this principal in check. Later in the week, we have another “scene to make.” Ha!
HS Public Teacher
November 13th, 2012
4:03 pm
Dr. Trotter – I used to be a member of MACE. However, you and your organization focus primarily on Clayton County and a tad on DeKalb County and some of the others. So, I stopped paying dues.
There are abuses all over…. in APS, in South Fulton, in North Fulton, in Cobb, in Gwinett.
The bottom line is that Georgia really does need a REAL teacher union with collective bargining rights. Until the State law is changed, teachers and education are totally messed up! The administrators get the really big bucks and bully teachers into doing whatever which takes AWAY from classroom instruction. Administrators continue to hire/promote their friends and relatives. There is absolutely no checks and balances in Georgia education.
Dr. Trotter, you can ‘make a scene’ but really, that is about all you can do. And, that ’scene’ may or may not make one ounce of difference. You know it and so does everyone else.
What is so wrong is that you fake people, including teachers, into thinking that you and your organization can make any real difference. It cannot. Not as long as the State law remains.
If you wanted to really do something, you and MACE need to work like dogs to change the State law and allow teachers to form/join a real union! MACE could then become part of that organization and then make a real difference. Until then, you are little more than a side show.
Pride and Joy
November 13th, 2012
7:02 pm
HS Public Teacher, I agree we should have unions in GA, including teacher unions, but i want you to look at what you just wrote “If you wanted to really do something, you and MACE need to work like dogs to change the State law and allow teachers to form/join a real union!”
What about TEACHERS working like dogs to change the State law?
There are tens of thousands of you in Georgia. Why aren’t YOU picketing, demonstrating, writing editorials, lobbying and wORKING to change the law/
why is it someone else’s job to ensure you have one?
That’s the part of education that makes my skin crawl, the entitlement teachers like you feel. I don’t look to others to make things better for me and for others in my profession. I don’t blame others and tell them they should make my job better. It’s up to me.
It’s also up to you, HS Public Teacher. If you want to unionize, YOU should work to change the law to allow unions. YOU should work. It’s YOUR job. DO something, other than complain.
Pride and Joy
November 13th, 2012
7:06 pm
Private Citizen, you don’t need to post your degree on the wall to inspire a student.
Show them you care, act like a professional, speak respectfully.
Teach.
Pride and Joy
November 13th, 2012
7:11 pm
My point still stands, Private Citizen. You got fed up — and left.
Good for you.
I don’t want unhappy teachers “teaching” my kids. The anger and vitriole is harmful.
Either work to change the system or get out of it.
Don’t linger on and hate your job and complain, complain, complain.
That’s my message to unhappy teachers.
Change it or get out.
Don’t stay around and be angry and poison the kids.
Dr. John Trotter
November 13th, 2012
8:39 pm
@ HS Public Teacher: I doubt very seriously that you have ever been a Member of MACE. You would realize that we might spend 10% of our time on Clayton. We are highly focused on the other Metro Atlanta systems and systems all over Georgia. I personally was dealing with Harris County yesterday. Mr. Haynes made a trip to Rome, Georgia yesterday. We had seven of us picketing at a high school in Gwinnett today. If you really wanted to know this, you could easily see this.
You have been beating this dead dog about collective bargaining for three or four years here on GetSchooled. Have you ever even been part of a collective bargaining unit. I have. It’s not near what it is made out to be. We were discussing this ate supper after the picket today. Another person at the table had also been part of a collective bargaining unit. We were both laughing about how the shop stewards are almost invariably co-opted by management.
Regardless of your banter about “real unions,” we protect and empower our Members at MACE. I can’t say that about all of the other organizations. In fact, another of our picketers who is retired from APS was talking this evening about how when is was a member of anohter group and called them for help against his principal in Atlanta, the leader of the other organization said: “The principal can do anything he or she wants.” He stopped his membership and joined MACE!
I again direct your attention to our website…and go to Teacher Testimonial Section and read what MACE does. These are real live testimonials of teachers who were very happy in MACE’s performance for them.
http://www.theteachersadvocate.com
I know that the performance of MACE must blow a hole in your ever-present narrative that “Georgia needs real unions.” Ha!
Private Citizen
November 14th, 2012
5:10 am
Show them you care, act like a professional, speak respectfully.
Teach.
Do you go around to everyone with this type of advice? Teaching is not a religion. It is not some culty magic. Do you tell the car mechanic “adjust” “repair.” Do you tell the stocking person at the grocer “place the foods.” Do you tell the dentist, “fix the teeth.” ?
The best teacher I’ve had did not get in my business and had better boundaries than to think my emotional well being depended on them. To be frank and sort of return the “advice,” I think your approach is inappropriate and capricious. You are power-trippin’ to the Moon, Alice with your grand declarations. Go tell an attorney who is charging $250./hr, tell them, “talk” “bill.”
Seriously, your kid (so to speak) ought to have a little more mettle than to care what any teacher tells them. They’re supposed to get their learning and move on. The whole “sanctity” “feelings” movement means you make the rules and teacher is your emotional caretaker, is that it? I teaches kids to attend the top universities, sorry if that is not good enough for you. Maybe we should sit around a gypsy campfire and telling spooky stories while our teeth are falling out. This is the result of the deluded “feelings” crowd. In fact, the more I think about it, there is nothing I like more than a GOOD MEAN TEACHER who delivers the goods. And no, I do not want to counsel with you on the telephone about your kid, which is now a required duty under this RTTT garbage.
Private Citizen
November 14th, 2012
5:12 am
I know that the performance of MACE must blow a hole in your ever-present narrative that “Georgia needs real unions.” Ha!
Trotter, get real. MACE does not represent “Georgia.” Your organization operates in maybe 1/20th of the state.
Top School
November 14th, 2012
7:13 am
@ Dr. Trotter…
You are right…
Let me know the next time you need some help with making a scene. I’ll be happy to march outside the door. Not employed by any school system…so I have nothing to fear.
Also….GAE…Michael McGonigle said the same to me…“The principal can do anything he or she wants.” He offered to write a letter to the Superintendent and the Principal. He did…They laughed.
And as for John Wilson…I called him on the telephone while attending a meeting with GAE…basically he said …you are in one of the worst states in the US for worker’s rights. Georgia is a slave state. right to hire …right to fire…and GAE has no power. Nothing I can do to help…John Wilson said MOVE!!! MOVE OUT OF GEORGIA.
Mary Elizabeth
November 14th, 2012
9:08 am
Georgia is in the process of changing its demographics. Of the states who voted for Romney, Georgia was right behind North Carolina in votes cast for Obama. The other Red states were much further behind Georgia. Don’t move out of Georgia, just wait and watch Georgia change in its demographics and in its vision.
Btw, I made a point to see the movie, “Won’t Back Down,” yesterday which was about a group of parents and a few teachers who withdrew from their “union” public school to start a “nonunion” charter school. Having majored in Theatre for a couple of years in college, I can easily recognize a film which is made for propaganda purposes. “Won’t Back Down” was produced mainly for ideological, propaganda purposes, imo. That should inform many about the degree of organization in the national movement to dismantle traditional public schools. “Won’t Back Down” was distributed by “Walden Media.” Check it out.
Private Citizen
November 14th, 2012
12:32 pm
“Walden Media” huh? You know in real life, Henry David Thoreau, author of “On Walden Pond” was none too friend in the least about impropriety. There was nothing friendly about Thoreau if you read Walden Pond. He stood for principle, first, middle, and last. Emerson had to bail Thoreau out of jail when Thoreau was jailed for not paying some tax and essentially telling them “Go to H. and I mean it.” That these corporate companies usurp the names of literature figures means they should earn their trust and not expect it without good works.
Mary Elizabeth
November 14th, 2012
1:19 pm
Private Citizen, 12:32 pm
You obviously did not do the research to check out Walden Media. Names, such as the use of “Walden” can be deceptive. Let me help you out. From Wikipedia, regarding Walden Media.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walden_Media
“The company (Walden Media) is owned by the Christian conservative Philip Anschutz, who has said he expects their movies ‘to be entertaining, but also to be life affirming and to carry a moral message.’ ”
And on Philip Anschutz, from Wikipedia:
“In the early 1980s, the Anschutz Ranch, with its 1 billion barrel (160,000,000 m³) oil pocket, became the largest oil field discovery in the United States since Prudhoe Bay in Alaska in 1968. He sold a half-interest in it to Mobil Oil for $500 million in 1982.
For several years, Anschutz was Colorado’s sole billionaire. With his acquisition of land in other Western states, he is thought to own more farm and cattle land than any other single private citizen in the United States.
Anschutz then moved into railroads and telecommunications before venturing into the entertainment industry. In 1999, Fortune magazine compared him to the nineteenth-century tycoon J.P. Morgan, as both men ’struck it rich in a fundamentally different way: they operated across an astounding array of industries, mastering and reshaping entire economic landscapes.’ “
Dr. John Trotter
November 14th, 2012
1:51 pm
@ Top School: Please call the MACE Office and tell them that you and I have been communicating here, and that you’d like to picket, etc.
@ Private Citizen: Since our membership is strictly confidential (we are not dumb enough to do payroll deduction), I am quite sure that that you have no clue as to where MACE operates. But, as the Founder of MACE, I can assure you that our membership stretches from the Tennessee line to the Florida line and from the Alabama line to the South Carolina line. We are all over Georgia, but we admittedly state that the lion’s share (no pun intended) of our membership is in the 28-county Metro Atlanta area. You can’t keep a good thing quite. Our reputations spreads, despite the fact that small-minded folks like you are much chagrined to here this. Hey, try to enjoy your PAGE and/or GAE membership(s). If you don’t want to join MACE, our feelings are certainly not hurt. By the way, we have had inquiries from teachers in about 15 states, asking if MACE would consider starting organizations in those states (California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, New York, Tennessee, just to name a few). We don’t want to stretch our supply lines, so to speak. But, one day, we may be ready to open up in other states. In fact, we talked about this yesterday.
But, Private Citizen, I have learned many years ago that jealousy is a powerful emotion. Ha!
http://www.theteachersadvocate.com
http://www.georgiateachersspeakout.com
Private Citizen
November 14th, 2012
4:36 pm
Mary Clearly you and I are of the same mind on the naming of Walden Media. (?) I am pointing where the name came from and this company is using it without the long-dead author’s consent. Using names from classic Americana for new for-profit education companies is certainly ethically questionable.
Mr. Trotter I don’t know what to make of you, you’re a little enigmatic and that’s a complement. I am assured you have made it so many good teachers can have a little sanity, career, and home life in place of being put on the griddle in the way we know so well. You don’t have any coverage that I know of where I’m at. It would be a good thing if you did. I called your office once and got a machine, no criticism. Maybe it is fair to say your office resources are minimal but maybe those who are members get the hotline number. I have no doubt you know how to efficiently manage your services. I do not know what the overall answer is to this pattern in Georgia that good teachers can be put on the griddle. I guess the way my mind works is to wish for a different management culture, while I admire your realpolitik ability to address things using the law on a case by case skirmish. It would be interesting for you to author a book of case studies, showing examples of when administrators do not follow the law. I know your base you work in adherence to Georgia code. I was going to say, “If you’ve got an extra copy, I’m interested” but I guess this is the internet age and it is online.
Mary Elizabeth
November 14th, 2012
4:44 pm
Private Citizen, 4:36 pm
I apologize to you. I read your post too hastily. Best. . .
Private Citizen
November 14th, 2012
5:22 pm
Mary, No worries!
Mr. Trotter, if you wanted to a collection of case studies based on your experience, you would not necessarily have to identify individuals, or even districts, to describe cases. This would remove concerns re: privacy, liability etc. It would be invaluable information.
Dr. John Trotter
November 14th, 2012
7:09 pm
@ Private Citizen: I am in the process of putting together a rather (no, explicit) politically incorrect and irreverent explanation of what is wrong with American Public Education (APE). It will be quite readable! Ha! When I get before teachers and speak, volumes nad volumes of cases (war stories) always come to mind.
Yes, teachers are on the griddle, as you say. We protect and empower teachers “one member at a time.” We make no pretense of changing the entire school system(s).
Someone wrote to us a detailed email from New York the other day about us “saving” the teachers at a Fulton high school. But, most of the teachers are members of the other organizations. We wrote back to tell the guy to tell his relative to call the MACE Office. We would discuss the matter, but only AFTER she and her colleagues joined MACE. We’re not wont to “save” teachers who have been paying and continue to insist on paying dues to GAE and PAGE. It was explained to us that their were “afraid” to join MACE. Well, so be it. Continue to suffer.
You will never get an answer “machine” at MACE. You will get a live person on the phone. We had to go to an answering service years ago because of the volume of calls. But, you will always get called back that very day.
Dr. John Trotter
November 14th, 2012
7:39 pm
@ Private Citizen: Please forgive the typo (”their” for “they”). I was multi-tasking. Talking on the line and writng a respone to you at the same time.
Private Citizen
November 15th, 2012
9:28 am
Are you kidding? Seems like I’ve been typing wearing mittens lately, the ones with no fingers. Good luck getting your first book completed. That guy Gatto, in a video, mentioned the Chinese pay him to go over there to speak because they are concerned about students’ lack of entrepreneurialism, inventiveness, imagination.. He said, “I’ll take their money” and has enjoyed visiting about five cities, but he still says their state system is set to produce drones. He’s pretty demanding, though. China sure has gone through a lot of change in the last 50 years. My current books have too much dust and dirt on them. I need a new one. I just order a copy about the Emory “rock star” eye doctor who blinded someone. I also know someone, an old guy pretty high up there on the food chain who has suffered greatly due to one of these unavailable high-end eye doctors who operated on him and did not do correct followup. Things went wrong and there was no one there for him. Now his 5′ TV is a fuzzy blur and he cries like a baby about it. He’s screwed! (pardon me).
You know, I had a thought driving in the car this morning. I got to the point where I was getting sent to district level meetings and it was like going inside the hillybilly kindergarten, where they had fired / displaced the good person and replaced them with the friends / family careerist bumpkin. Once I had seen the inside of the apparatus, I think it was over for me with this employer. The mess was too big and I just wanted to hide my head in shame. If you stand out in the classroom, they want to nudge you toward the director caste. Problem is, in school teaching, in this current management structure the directors often have less chops than the cooks in the kitchen. It is like social hiring, except with 100k salaries. And when you put it all together, they get so lost they don’t know what to do other than issue their periodic tightly controlled “press release” announcements.