I'm sure by now, most everyone has read at least the headlines related to the rampant cheating on the CRCT in the Atlanta Public School System. If you haven't read the full report, I'd encourage you to do so. It is absolutely riveting and I'm not being sarcastic about that. It will blow your mind- especially if you are a teacher.
What I find so disturbing is not that there were incidences here and there of a teacher giving students too much time, or accidentally not covering instructional materials on the classroom walls. This was a "culture of cheating". Teachers were intimidated and threatened by administrators who were being threatened by district personnel to meet targets. The brave teachers and administrators who did stand up to the rampant cheating machine, were demoted, transferred, harassed and sometimes just fired. I really do grieve for honest teachers who were put into that horrible situation of having to choose between integrity and putting food on the table.
It irritates me to no end to know that with the new Pay for Performance model, my income (yes I love teaching, but it is my job and I would not do it for free), would be affected by how well my students performed against the students of cheaters. It really makes me sick.
You want to know the greatest miscarriage of justice? Now, when citizens of this state see an outstanding performance at a school like mine, Louisville Middle School, they probably assume we cheated. It is one more reason for bigoted people in this state to say poor black kids cannot achieve at the same level as other children. It is pathetic and it pisses me off. We get our scores through blood, sweat and tears. It takes a level of HARD work and persistence that many teachers in wealthier districts cannot imagine. Not to slight teachers in affluent areas, because I've taught there before myslef, but teaching kids steeped in the problems of poverty takes an energy and a mental set that is indescribable. Our teachers at LMS do that and I am proud to be a part of that faculty. So, insinuate that we cheat to get those scores and I will punch you in the mouth. Seriously.
State School Superintendent, John Barge, will be on Fox and Friends at 8:20am tomorrow to discuss the APS investigation. Tune in and be completely disgusted with the rest of the hard working, honest teachers in this state who are already kicked around and blamed for every problem imaginable. If you listen to the talking heads, you'd think every problem our country is facing can be blamed on a public school teacher or an illegal immigrant. Frankly, I'm getting sick of hearing it. This debacle in Atlanta doesn't help matters.
WOW! I don't think someone could have script about organized crime with as much corruption. How sad for the children that were sold a false sense of accomplishment and robbed of the education they should have received.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many good teachers doing good things with children from the worst circumstances. I hope the good of so many is not over shadowed by the greediness of these few.
The pay for performance many are pushing will not help children, but only pad the pockets of the greedy. Most educator want children to leave their class having learned something that will ehance their lives. Pay for performance will only discourage a love for helping others and create a need to teach the test alone can earn a dollar.
Please keep our students, teachers, adminstrators and lawmaker in your prayers.