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All teachers, principals fired at poor-performing R.I. high school

A Rhode Island school board has voted to clean house at Central Falls High School by firing the entire staff of 93, including all teachers, guidance counselors, p.e. instructors and the principal, The Providence Journal reports.

The move makes Rhode Island one of the first states to meet a federal mandate to identify and overhaul poor performing schools.

Central Falls High School was singled out because of very low test scores and a graduation rate of 48%, the newspaper says. Five other schools have been put on notice.

The 5-2 decision by the Central Falls School Board touched off an uproar in Rhode Island's smallest and poorest city as organized labor showed up to support the teachers while state and local education officials stood their ground, the newspaper says.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan also weighed in, saying he "applauded" the officials for "showing courage and doing the right thing for kids."

The Journal says the 93 people fired included 74 classroom teachers, plus reading specialists, guidance counselors, p.e. teachers, the school psychologist, the principal and three assistant principals. Their names were all read aloud in the school auditorium.

I find it hard to believe that all of them were deserving of this. It sounds like just another GD zero-tolerance policy.

52% dropout rate, and only 7% were proficient in math by graduation. Additionally, the teachers were making $70-78,000 a year (with summers off), in a town where the average income was $22,000.

Sounds legit.

Is a high dropout rate really the teachers' fault? What are they supposed to do about that?

I strongly suspect the administration was so bad they had no way of knowing which teachers were good and which weren't.

Is a high dropout rate really the teachers' fault? What are they supposed to do about that?

I find it hard to believe that all of them were deserving of this. It sounds like just another GD zero-tolerance policy.

If you break with the union, allowed to re apply for your job

Uncle Fester wrote:

If you break with the union, allowed to re apply for your job

I was thinking "a warning to unions in other districts: don't think your unionization will protect you from poor performance."

Uncle Fester wrote:

If you break with the union, allowed to re apply for your job

I was thinking "a warning to unions in other districts: don't think your unionization will protect you from poor performance."

Unless they are going after the other districts next!

Author:	DFK! [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:08 pm ]
Post subject:	You're FIRED
Posted without comment. http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... h-school/1 Quote: All teachers, principals fired at poor-performing R.I. high school A Rhode Island school board has voted to clean house at Central Falls High School by firing the entire staff of 93, including all teachers, guidance counselors, p.e. instructors and the principal, The Providence Journal reports. The move makes Rhode Island one of the first states to meet a federal mandate to identify and overhaul poor performing schools. Central Falls High School was singled out because of very low test scores and a graduation rate of 48%, the newspaper says. Five other schools have been put on notice. The 5-2 decision by the Central Falls School Board touched off an uproar in Rhode Island's smallest and poorest city as organized labor showed up to support the teachers while state and local education officials stood their ground, the newspaper says. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan also weighed in, saying he "applauded" the officials for "showing courage and doing the right thing for kids." The Journal says the 93 people fired included 74 classroom teachers, plus reading specialists, guidance counselors, p.e. teachers, the school psychologist, the principal and three assistant principals. Their names were all read aloud in the school auditorium.

Author:	Tymoria Brightblade [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:12 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: You're FIRED

Author:	Arathain Kelvar [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:16 pm ]
Post subject:
I find it hard to believe that all of them were deserving of this. It sounds like just another GD zero-tolerance policy.

Author:	Lenas [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:22 pm ]
Post subject:
52% dropout rate, and only 7% were proficient in math by graduation. Additionally, the teachers were making $70-78,000 a year (with summers off), in a town where the average income was $22,000. Sounds legit.

Author:	Aizle [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:23 pm ]
Post subject:	Re:
Arathain Kelvar wrote: I find it hard to believe that all of them were deserving of this. It sounds like just another GD zero-tolerance policy. This. Although, it will be very interesting to see what effect this has on the teachers union and other schools in RI. It's possible that it's a warning shot.

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Author:	darksiege [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:30 pm ]
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Central Falls was a cesspool for a long time. My grandfather was born and raised there; and he remembers it becoming a slum. Central Falls High School was used as a boogie man to keep students in line by parents in my neighborhood.

Author:	Kaffis Mark V [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:43 pm ]
Post subject:
Wait, is a US Executive appointee allowed to applaud mass firing of union labor?

Author:	LadyKate [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:45 pm ]
Post subject:	Re:
Lenas wrote: 52% dropout rate, and only 7% were proficient in math by graduation. Additionally, the teachers were making $70-78,000 a year (with summers off), in a town where the average income was $22,000. Sounds legit. Going just by those numbers alone, yeah I'd have to agree it seems warranted...but thats way harsh. I'm sure there was at least one person who was doing the best they could...and what about the other half of the students who were not dropping out and possibly doing well? Change is hard at that age and something like this can be just as traumatic as, well, any other traumatic thing you could think of happening to a kid that age.

Author:	Müs [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 6:33 pm ]
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I'll bet the ones that weren't shitty will be allowed to interview for their positions back or some sort of compromise.

Author:	Arathain Kelvar [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 6:35 pm ]
Post subject:
Yeah, I don't doubt some housecleaning was necessary, but statistically speaking, I can't see 100%.

Author:	Xequecal [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 6:37 pm ]
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Is a high dropout rate really the teachers' fault? What are they supposed to do about that? I strongly suspect the administration was so bad they had no way of knowing which teachers were good and which weren't.

Author:	Rynar [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 7:40 pm ]
Post subject:	Re:
Arathain Kelvar wrote: I find it hard to believe that all of them were deserving of this. It sounds like just another GD zero-tolerance policy. I'm very close to this issue, as it is the biggest thing happening in my state, and in a neighboring district to mine. So I'll weigh in. It is a union breaking tactic.

Author:	Uncle Fester [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 7:46 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: You're FIRED
If you break with the union, allowed to re apply for your job ?

Author:	Micheal [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:06 pm ]
Post subject:
That is what I thought it was Rynar. Court chaos ensues.

Author:	Tymoria Brightblade [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 6:50 pm ]
Post subject:	Re:
Xequecal wrote: Is a high dropout rate really the teachers' fault? What are they supposed to do about that? I would say that as in all things, there are unavoidable failures, and failures due to a lack of knowledge and/or effort. If a student has to drop out and get a job because the family needs the income they could provide - ok, maybe a teacher would have a rough time preventing that one. But most other reasons I can think of come down to interest. Do the students feel there is anything in it for them to stay? What did this school have for extra curricular activities? were said activities well managed? promoted? Did the teachers do all they could do to get the kids interested in thier subjects or did they just stand at the front of the room reading from "the book" Teaching is so much more than disgorging information at the head of a class room - its buildint relationships with the students, getting involved, getting in the heads of your students to help keep them on track. Show them the benefits of a solid education rather than letting it become a chore that cant hope to compete with hanging out with thier buddies all day with nobody to hold them accountable for squat. John has a video of one of his last days teaching high school chemistry. He is walking up and down the aisles grinning from ear to ear as his kids take a test, because they are doing so well. He rewards them at the end of class with a demonstration under the chemical hood essentialy making things go boom for them and explaining the hows and whys of it all. He was genuinly excited to show his students how things worked chemicaly. I remember most my teachers who got involved. Heck, two teachers I never even had as teachers ran the school Lit Mag and I loved them! My excited teachers I remember, the boring ones, the ones who droned on and on. . . yeah, I cant even recal thier names, much less what they were trying to teach me.

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Author:	Kaffis Mark V [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:07 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: You're FIRED
Uncle Fester wrote: If you break with the union, allowed to re apply for your job ? I was thinking "a warning to unions in other districts: don't think your unionization will protect you from poor performance."

Author:	Müs [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:31 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: You're FIRED
Kaffis Mark V wrote: Uncle Fester wrote: If you break with the union, allowed to re apply for your job ? I was thinking "a warning to unions in other districts: don't think your unionization will protect you from poor performance." Which is as it should be.

Author:	DFK! [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:44 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: You're FIRED
Kaffis Mark V wrote: Uncle Fester wrote: If you break with the union, allowed to re apply for your job ? I was thinking "a warning to unions in other districts: don't think your unionization will protect you from poor performance." But that's probably why they had to fire everybody: individuals being held accountable for poor performance is most likely against the contract.

Author:	Müs [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 11:31 pm ]
Post subject:
If it is a union busting tactic, I'd love to see it used in a lot more government run institutions.

Author:	Hopwin [ Wed Feb 24, 2010 11:42 pm ]
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Teacher's unions typically cover the entire district as the collective bargaining unit. Clearing out one school in its entirety doesn't mean much.

Author:	Jasmy [ Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:21 am ]
Post subject:	Re: You're FIRED
Unless they are going after the other districts next!

Author:	Kirra [ Thu Feb 25, 2010 5:21 am ]
Post subject:	Re: You're FIRED
I agree, sounds appropriate, if the school has a 52% drop out rate. They need to consolidate to save money. It's harsh, but happening everywhere.

Author:	Hopwin [ Thu Feb 25, 2010 7:49 am ]
Post subject:	Re: You're FIRED
Jasmy wrote: Unless they are going after the other districts next! They aren't firing the whole district, just one school in the district. Whoever they hire in will fall under the CBA too.