When I was in junior high school, I staged a sit-in and learned about 'ten year'.
This will come as a total surprise to most of you readers - I was not a perfectly well behaved child. I know, I know - you're shocked, amazed, in wonder how I could have turned out to be so well-behaved despite the oats sown in my youth. And the sit-in is a perfect example of how I marched to the beat of my own drummer.
Miss Brown was an English teacher - and not a very popular one. She would invoke the yardstick on wayward student's hands and scowl the moment we walked into the classroom. We weren't very kind to Miss Brown but then she wasn't very kind to us, either. Personally, the hardest part of having Miss Brown as an English teacher is that she nearly ruined my love of my favorite topic in school. It was the year we were to learn grammar (have I ever mentioned that as a writer I detest grammar?). I think some new way of teaching English was introduced and in all likelihood, Miss Brown wasn't any more familiar with what we students were supposed to learn than we were.
Anyway, it was a miserable class and year. I decided that we students had the right to protest our lack of a good education - and to me the blame was firmly on the teacher's shoulder. So, I organized a sit-in; this was, after all 1973 and sit-ins were always in the news.
Many of my classmates joined me in the hallway - Miss Brown asked us to come into the classroom and I firmly said "NO!" She scowled and closed the door. About five minutes later the assistant principal, Mr. Buehl Burton, came down and inquired why we weren't in class. Someone gave me up - they told Mr. Burton that Kathleen Bowen organized this protest about Miss Brown's teaching. Mr Burton talked to we adolescent protesters and all but me were sent back to class.
I was escorted down to Mr. Burton's office. When he asked, I said the reason for the protest was that we felt Miss Brown was not a very good teacher and that something needed to be done but no one was doing anything despite the complaints of students and parents.
Mr. Burton looked down at his desk and after what seemed like hours, he looked at me and said that there was little he could do, his hands were tied. Because Miss Brown had 'ten year'.
To which, I replied, oh no she's been here a lot longer than ten years!
And then the good Mr. Burton explained that it wasn't 'ten year' but tenure. And then he explained what that was.
It was my turn to look down on the desk and then I looked up at Mr. Burton (who I am convinced was trying not to smile) and said, "But that's not right. If a teacher is bad and everyone is complaining they shouldn't be allowed to teach."
It was a lesson I remember to this day - and it's one that has come back to mind with the discussions in Wisconsin and Lansing about cutting benefits to public employees or changing the way those benefits are received. Those discussions have often times led to discussions about teachers and their benefits.
I know a lot of really, really good teachers and I know how hard they work. Like many other parents I know who are the good teachers. But I also think, it's time to put a little private sector employee management into the education system. In the private sector, if you can't do your job you are fired. In the private sector, if you break one of the clauses in your contract, you are fired. In the private sector, if you're really good at your job you get a raise or bonus.
Not so with tenure - which essentially protects teachers from getting dismissed no matter what. And if they do break the rules, they are likely still to retain the tenure that protects the pension and benefits.
I think we should pay our teachers more than they are currently paid - and good teachers should get raises and bonuses. Like the private sector. I believe that teachers that aren't doing a good job should be let go - for the sake of our children's education. They should not be held to a different standard just because they are teachers.
Many of my friends that are teachers will likely object to this post - but they also know how I value education and how diligently I support I good education. Tenure is holding education back - let's look at a better model of job security that also meets the needs of the students.
This will come as a total surprise to most of you readers - I was not a perfectly well behaved child. I know, I know - you're shocked, amazed, in wonder how I could have turned out to be so well-behaved despite the oats sown in my youth. And the sit-in is a perfect example of how I marched to the beat of my own drummer.
Miss Brown was an English teacher - and not a very popular one. She would invoke the yardstick on wayward student's hands and scowl the moment we walked into the classroom. We weren't very kind to Miss Brown but then she wasn't very kind to us, either. Personally, the hardest part of having Miss Brown as an English teacher is that she nearly ruined my love of my favorite topic in school. It was the year we were to learn grammar (have I ever mentioned that as a writer I detest grammar?). I think some new way of teaching English was introduced and in all likelihood, Miss Brown wasn't any more familiar with what we students were supposed to learn than we were.
Anyway, it was a miserable class and year. I decided that we students had the right to protest our lack of a good education - and to me the blame was firmly on the teacher's shoulder. So, I organized a sit-in; this was, after all 1973 and sit-ins were always in the news.
Many of my classmates joined me in the hallway - Miss Brown asked us to come into the classroom and I firmly said "NO!" She scowled and closed the door. About five minutes later the assistant principal, Mr. Buehl Burton, came down and inquired why we weren't in class. Someone gave me up - they told Mr. Burton that Kathleen Bowen organized this protest about Miss Brown's teaching. Mr Burton talked to we adolescent protesters and all but me were sent back to class.
I was escorted down to Mr. Burton's office. When he asked, I said the reason for the protest was that we felt Miss Brown was not a very good teacher and that something needed to be done but no one was doing anything despite the complaints of students and parents.
Mr. Burton looked down at his desk and after what seemed like hours, he looked at me and said that there was little he could do, his hands were tied. Because Miss Brown had 'ten year'.
To which, I replied, oh no she's been here a lot longer than ten years!
And then the good Mr. Burton explained that it wasn't 'ten year' but tenure. And then he explained what that was.
It was my turn to look down on the desk and then I looked up at Mr. Burton (who I am convinced was trying not to smile) and said, "But that's not right. If a teacher is bad and everyone is complaining they shouldn't be allowed to teach."
It was a lesson I remember to this day - and it's one that has come back to mind with the discussions in Wisconsin and Lansing about cutting benefits to public employees or changing the way those benefits are received. Those discussions have often times led to discussions about teachers and their benefits.
I know a lot of really, really good teachers and I know how hard they work. Like many other parents I know who are the good teachers. But I also think, it's time to put a little private sector employee management into the education system. In the private sector, if you can't do your job you are fired. In the private sector, if you break one of the clauses in your contract, you are fired. In the private sector, if you're really good at your job you get a raise or bonus.
Not so with tenure - which essentially protects teachers from getting dismissed no matter what. And if they do break the rules, they are likely still to retain the tenure that protects the pension and benefits.
I think we should pay our teachers more than they are currently paid - and good teachers should get raises and bonuses. Like the private sector. I believe that teachers that aren't doing a good job should be let go - for the sake of our children's education. They should not be held to a different standard just because they are teachers.
Many of my friends that are teachers will likely object to this post - but they also know how I value education and how diligently I support I good education. Tenure is holding education back - let's look at a better model of job security that also meets the needs of the students.
I totally agree! Well written even with that bad english teacher :)
ReplyDelete"Tenure is holding education back - let's look at a better model of job security that also meets the needs of the students."
ReplyDeleteKathleen, you are right-I do object to your reasoning. The first question must be where is the evidence that tenure protects large numbers of poor teachers? Teachers today are an easy target. We are the proverbial boogie man. Teachers didn't start this economic crisis. Furthermore we did not consistently underfund our pensions-politicians did. We didn't create derivatives which sank our economy. We are not responsible for the biggest gap in wealth that our nation has ever seen since measurements have been taken. We would not be targeting teachers and other public service workers if this crisis had not been created.
So, as someone who admires and respects you tremendously, I would like to suggest that you point your analytical skills towards those who have created the crisis that has led to scapegoating those of us who have tenure.
Those who have wealth and as a consequence have undue influence in our country have turned working people against working people while they have continued to pillage our finances. This is deplorable. If you want to improve education, cut government subsidies to businesses, increase their taxes and fund education, early child development, and health care.
For what it is worth, my .02.
That's my niece! YEA!
ReplyDeleteAs a professional who has worked both in the corporate and academic worlds, I totally agree with elimination of tenure. I have taught at the high school and university (teaching graduate students at a Big 10 University)...and have seen tenure protect, encourage retirement in place, and simply lead to mediocrity. There is no pefect system. But, one must be PAID FOR PERFORMANCE. That is not occurring.
Even university presidents, including the Ohio State president, are getting on this bandwagon. I am afraid that union leaders have destroyed the credibility of all unions...including teacher unions...for the larger public. THEY GET THE BENEFITS. The only guaranteed action they perform for their members is to be in an adversarial position when CHANGE is needed and recommended.
While I think Scott Walker is entirely a meglomaniac and went about it wrong, I agree that public employee unions need to be challenged. In the state of Illinois, all employees have had to take furlough days...except for union members. PLEASE! An example of union leaders 'not getting it'.
PAY FOR PERFORMANCE...that is the real world...and needs to be in the governmental world.
Good blog, Kathleen!!!! :)
I do have to comment on Tom's comment. I agree, Tom. Focus does need to be on the 2% who are benefitting on the back of the rest of Americans...and continue to do so regardless of which party is in office.
ReplyDeleteI do not see this as an 'either-or'...public employee unions/tenure OR focus on those who 'influence' the lawmakers to make the laws to make themselves richer. BOTH MUST BE ADDRESSED. Both are stripping us of our creativity, innovation, energy, commitment to excellence, and doing things for the greater good.
Having left the world of education unwillingly (few available teacher openings in West Michigan) after moving to Michigan 12 years ago as a veteran educator, I have been employed in the business world. Perhaps if ineffective teachers were allowed to be fired, then those of us who are trained, proven effective, job-ready and enthusiastic about working with our children would have better opportunities to be hired.
ReplyDeleteIf a teacher is known to be effective in her/his work, there should be no fear of not having tenure and should approve of performance/merit pay, just like in the "real" business world. Why would education professionals not want to be treated like
business professionals? Thanks, Marilyn Nor