My Tact was Trumped by Love: Why I'm Disturbed by the Teach For America Withdrawal
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This blog entry is a personal account of how I felt after last Thursday night's Cobb Board of Education’s decision to withdraw the Teach for America proposal to aid South Cobb schools struggling with disadvantaged families and the ever widening achievement gap. Please excuse the first person references. What follows is an account of a personal encounter related to the issue.
Many years ago I was a young university administrator fashioning myself a pro-feminist male. I was considerate of the concept of male privilege and worked hard to shed the nonessential constructs pushed upon me by a “paternalistic” society. I used the word “partner” when introducing a buddy’s wife, would only take women to lunch on first dates, and even fantasized about taking my wife’s name when married.
One day I left my home and headed to a local feminist meeting about male aggression. Listening quietly for longer than any man has ever really listened to a woman, I decided to ask a question. The warm smiles I’d received from people who knew and trusted me suddenly turned to snarls. It was like having that dream about kissing a beautiful girl when she suddenly turns into a grotesque vicious alien. They didn’t want me to talk. It was their turn. They wanted to balance the scale, and it didn’t matter what I had to say. Hurt, I curled up inside myself with new understanding.
The board meeting Thursday brought on a similar situation. The long season of Republican primary debates influenced my regard for tact v/s issue. As we listened to Ms. Connie Jackson of a CCAE say that Teach For America teachers should not be used to address the achievement gap in South Cobb because they are “uneducated,” I went into a Romney coma. She was unabashed in discounting this effort to help the children for fear of its effect on the morale and professional security of teachers. When I came out of my shock, I stepped to the podium and addressed the viewing audience Newt Gingrich style. Feeling that her organization’s stance and her professional lobbying would hurt the confidence of the parents who believed in the Teach For America proposal championed by Post 3 (S. Cobb) Board member David Morgan, I perked up. And when I imagined a parent at home watching, lowering her head at the scene with dismay, I went into my “I love my Momma mode” and said, “people like Ms. Jackson are paid to support teachers at any cost!” I didn’t want the parents who were pro-TFA to lose hope. After all, who would fight for them?
I used Ms. Jackson's name. It was not as I would have done it had the stakes not been so high. It certainly wasn’t anything she as a person deserved. I’ve spoken with her professionally and she’s a likable person. I hope someday she’ll call me her friend. I pray that we will work together on legislation to help remove the chains from good teachers who deserve control of their classroom and rewarding paychecks for excellent results.
“Gosh,” I was saying to myself, “I hope people have been reading my blog to see that I am not a mean spirited guy.” I am a quiet southern boy raised to defend and protect the honor of women. Problem was, as I’ve heard the opposition to the TFA proposal, the only woman I could think of was a South Cobb grandmother distressed and frustrated because she didn’t know how to help the child she’s raising alone. I thought about my how my own mother cried she as she attempted to give me to my dad so I could have a better education and life. These are the invisible lives of American children so foreign to so many educational policy makers. Tough sides get chosen for the sake of a child. In that instance, I chose the side of the children and I pray the teachers and Ms. Jackson will understand. Like the women who’d heard enough from men, I wanted to balance the scale.
Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa, after bringing the proposal to the board, himself motioned to table/withdraw the proposal. The balance of professional lobbying outweighed parent interest and student achievement last night. Parents, I pray you won’t give up.
Who is paid to advocate for the disadvantaged children? Without exception?
Hey advocate! If you are out there, and we know you are, please come and get our children out of trouble!! Our personal level of alarm for the care of children is not becoming of southern gentleness.
The NEA, locally the CCAE will understandably side with teachers - that is there mission. So now that we know what we are up against, all the more we should demand that the board of education represent and fight for the needs of children. Join your PTA. Write your board representative and copy the others. Speak out on Patch. There are many on the side of our cause, but you are representing yourself. If not you, then who?
Leo Smith
11:41 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
Positive Education Step! Giving Parents the Resources They Need to Make Informed Decisions about Their Child’s Education -
Blaming poor parents for their child’s struggle in school only adds to the argument for the choice movement that some are against. Public school systems and advocates need to, as Bill Cosby says, develop programs and interventions that also deal with home life. That is one the advantages choice and privatization proponents argue. If traditional public education is to survive, efforts like this mentoring program from the Cobb County School Board needs support. Check it out here and join them for the next orientation at the School District Offices. Here's the link and e-mail address:
website: www.cobbmentoringmatters.org
email: cobbmentoringmatters@cobbk12.org
Amy
2:39 pm on Monday, January 30, 2012
Thank you for the link. I had never heard of this program. I am in a work sponsored mentoring program, but would love to help local kids/schools.
C.J.
12:40 pm on Monday, January 30, 2012
RE: "The balance of professional lobbying outweighed parent interest and student achievement last night."
I disagree that this is an issue of teachers v. children. I oppose the TFA proposal because I support both children AND teachers. Children are better off with the most educated, dedicated, committed, and experienced educators possible.
The Marietta Daily Journal's editorial page wrote, "...[proposed] hirings [of 50 TFA teachers] would take place at the same time that the system might have to eliminate 350 teaching positions in order to get its arms around a $62.4 million budget deficit for the coming year...The proposal leaves the appearance that Cobb is about to discard hundreds of experienced teachers while simultaneously hiring 50 others at entry-level salaries, which would be disastrous for teacher morale."
There isn't one of us who wouldn't be offended by being downsized to make room for a less-educated, less-experienced, lower-compensated person under the theory that the entry-level individual is likely to produce better results. Hiring persons out of the TFA program to supplement our existing teachers might be an good idea. On the other hand, replacing experienced and committed teachers to save money will cost us in the long-run. Let's not be penny-wise and pound-foolish.
http://mdjonline.com/view/full_story/17294534/article-Teach-For-America--Wiser-course-for-Cobb-is-to-forgo-program?instance=secondary_story_left_column
C.J.
12:59 pm on Monday, January 30, 2012
Incidentally, the TFA proposal aside, we should be seriously concerned about the fact that our school system is so underfunded that it might need to downsize up to 350 teachers before the next school year (plus add more furlough days). Even if we hired 50 TFA graduates, the net result would be 300 fewer teachers throughout the county, larger classes sizes, and fewer classroom hours for the kids.
So, where's the outrage? Where's the concern for our children here? Our school system's revenues are down dramatically because of the economy. Why aren't citizens writing and calling with proposals to find the money to avoid this catastrophe? The silence is deafening.
Leo Smith
9:25 pm on Monday, January 30, 2012
Teachers as a whole do have the best interests of students in mind Chris. I spend a lot of time at Argyle and they've got Super Teachers!! So, I agree that it is not teachers v/s students. It is teachers v/s system, or as Erik says, politics. Attending the meetings and hearing the proposal Chris from the source, I understood that the 50 TFA teachers would displace no one due to a greater amount of teacher turnover in S. Cobb. Retention of teachers has also been a problem in District 3. There is also potential for the budget issue to be solved in other ways. Let's stay tuned.
Erik Fernald
9:06 pm on Monday, January 30, 2012
I think people seriously need to realize that as long as we have governmental involvement with political overtones in our schools the problem will not be solved. If you do not send your children to a private school you are doing a serious disservice to your child. I do not think it is the teachers that are a problem, but the politics. Any time you are willing to allow your child to be a political football,you then become part of the problem.
C.J.
1:06 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Agree with him or not, kudos to Leo for fighting for public education.
On the one hand, he sends his kids to a private school because, I suspect, he decided that the public schools near his home were inadequate. On the other hand, he realizes that we're all vested in the success of our public schools, whether or not we have children enrolled in one, and fights to improve them.
In fact, if you search online, you're likely to find that the record of private schools relative to public schools is checkered, at best (Jesuit-run Catholic schools excepted). In addition, our country's future isn't going to be so bright if the only children with access to a quality education are those who are born into families with means.
Leo Smith
1:22 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Thanks Chris. There are really good schools in my hometown Smyrna. Everyone should check them out. Good choices for all parental plans for their own child's future is my goal. One size fits all doesn't reflect American ideas. I, along with many others, am working that all schools receive the support and fair shake/consideration they deserve. I am working to increase middle income and high income parent exposure to the public school option. I am working to increase minority and disadvantaged parent participation in school policy and PTA, PTO organizations. I serve schools and teachers for the very reason you guessed. I do have a 4 and 5 year old that attend what is an "operationally" Christian school. I respect the separation of Church and State and thus my kids are there. After this foundation is laid, my wife and I intend to transition our children into public schools. Our taxes go to public schools because they effect us all, whether we have children enrolled or not. It is by choice, but yes, I am paying twice.
C.J.
12:56 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
In fairness, I think it should be pointed out that the lady referred to as a professional lobbyist in this piece, Connie Jackson, is a special education teacher in South Cobb. Personally, I don't agree that an active teacher serving in one's local professional association qualifies her as a professional lobbyist, but given it's negative connotation, I can see why someone would use that label to define somebody whose ideas they oppose.
connie
5:11 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
Thank you Chris! I am hardly a paid lobbyist, since I still make exactly my teacher salary, no more. First, I don't represent only teachers, I support all people that work for the school district. My members are bus drivers, lunchroom workers, custodians, parapros, and teachers. Yes, I do advocate for them, but I advocate first for PUBLIC EDUCATION and CHILDREN. Our motto is "Great Public Schools for Every Child". I always consider children and their needs when I advocate. I am a teacher and advocate, but I am a mother first and foremost. I would never do anything that I thought was bad for children. My objections to Teach for America stem from not just the effects on teachers, but also what our children deserve. They deserve dedicated, certified, highly qualified teachers who have committed to a career in education. As a South Cobb special education teacher myself, I believe that the best thing for our children is not Teach for America. If you want to see what committed, qualified, supported teachers can do, look at Griffin Middle School. This is the power of Educators, not what I believe are well-meaning TFA candidates. As for what you are up against, this is not a winner situation. We should all be focused on the children but we don't need to hurt the teachers to do that. We should all be working together to address the needs of our children and make the educational system work for them. Partnership not Partisanship!
connie
5:46 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012
Also, if you noticed, I was sitting with the PTA people because we are working together to make a difference in South Cobb, not placing the blame somewhere it doesn't belong or throwing up barriers to working together for change. I consider myself an advocate for children, public education, and educators, in that order. Please do not call me a professional lobbyist, I am a special education teacher in south cobb who decided to step out of my classroom because I felt that public education was under attack, along with educators. I still make the same salary that I did in the classroom, not the large lobbyist salary and expense account. I still introduce myself as a teacher because that is what I am. We need to find real answers to address the achievement gap and the only way that will happen is if we do it together. We MUST end the us against them mentality and bring teachers and parents together to really make a difference. That is the real way to end th eachievement gap, not Teach for America or any other quick fix.
Ms. Massey
2:11 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Kudos to your comments Ms. Connie...