Everyone go check out the new blog by Matt Rosenberg, Rosenblog. I discovered Matt last October when I linked to his Seattle Times review of the book No Excuses — Closing the Racial Gap in Learning. Now he's going to fill us in regularly on "Left Coast bulletins, politics, global democracy, education, culture and blogosphere musings." And he beat me to this story about upcoming shakeups in San Francisco's public education system. Matt comments:
San Francisco public schools Superintendent Arlene Ackerman wants to make her system a lot better for under-achieving minority students - and that's got the teachers union in a dither.
The Chron reports Ackerman has unveiled plans for 15 "Dream Schools" in the next two years. Located in or near minority populations, they'll emphasize college prep courses. Students will wear uniforms, the school day will be longer, and (according to another story I've seen), parents will be required to sign contracts committing to serious involvement in their child's education.
Oh, and this, which has the union spitting nails: principals, teachers and teachers aides will have to re-apply for their jobs because Ackerman wants only the best, most committed educators at the Dream Schools.
He's not kidding about the nail-spitting:
...it wasn't until earlier this week that union leaders learned Ackerman wants all principals, teachers and classroom aides currently working at the schools to reapply for their jobs. Those who aren't selected would be employed elsewhere in the district.
"The teachers are not the problem, and that's the implication of this -- just get rid of the lousy teachers," said Linda Plack, vice president of United Educators of San Francisco. "It's such a slap in the face to all the dedicated people who go to those schools day in and day out and do a wonderful job."
Hey, if they're dedicated and good teachers, they'll get rehired. If they're dedicated idiots who do more harm than good, they'll have to make sure to not let the door hit them on the butt on the way out. No one can deny the importance of teacher quality when it comes to good education; the flip side of that is that teachers should be prepared to shoulder some of the responsibility for a school system that has gone downhill as much as San Francisco's has.
As Ackerman says:
"A teacher is not threatened by this if they focus on the fact that this is about young people, about improving achievemen...It's about putting children first and not the adults."
Another teacher gets it right, too:
Eric Walker, a seventh and eighth grade social studies teacher at Twenty-First Century, said he will gladly reapply for his job. He said he hopes the rigorous academics envisioned by Ackerman convince his students -- who are largely African American -- to dedicate themselves to school.
"It's beaten into them that the only way the can make it in life is to be able to carry a football or rap some verse. Academics haven't been emphasized, " Walker said. "My job isn't secure, but that isn't important to me now ... . The children come first."
Posted by kswygert at February 11, 2004 10:08 PM