One School's Teachers Get an F - for Fired

(CBS)  Central Falls, Rhode Island has long been among the state's most troubled school districts - one in five students live in poverty, reports CBS News correspondent Jim Axelrod. Many struggle with English in this immigrant community - and that's just for starters.

"We lose 52 percent of our students between 9th grade and the 12th grade," Central Falls Superintendent Fran Gallo told Axelrod. "They don't graduate."

Eighty-eight teachers at Central Falls High School could be terminated. Teachers are rallying for their jobs, anticipating the vote for a mass firing.

The teachers' union is also fighting back with a video on its Web site, featuring upset students at a recent school board meeting.

"We have teachers at the high school that have grown up in this community," said Jane Sessums of the teachers union. "That's what education at Central Falls is about - and what they're planning tonight will set that back and ruin it - and it's horrible for our students."

To remain eligible for some extra federal aid, the district had a choice - draw up a plan to improve with the existing teachers or fire the faculty and start over. The two sides tried to work out a plan -- a longer school day, extra teacher training -- but it fell apart when the two sides couldn't agree on how much more the teachers would be paid for their extra time.

"This has to be the saddest thing I've encountered in my 30-some years of education," Gallo said.

If the district's plans survive expected court challenges, the teachers will be out of their jobs at the end of the school year. The last thing the students want are any more disruptions.

"It may be them. It may be us," junior Stephen Cleveland said. "We just don't what the problem is, but I think the issue needs to be resolved and it needs go be resolved now."

The teachers and the school district appear to be digging in for a three-month battle that will only add more challenges to a school district that can't afford any more.

[htMac]

I am not a teacher. I am in my 50's. This is no different than firing an entire staff at any company because the company wasn't making expected profits/gains etc. This is total BS! Like these teachers deserve this? Where are the ignorant parents to support these teachers who, I am sure for the most part, have taken the better part of their lives to TRY to get these students(?) to absorb some intelligence. This is total crap! I think they should fire the entire ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF and begin there. Leave the teachers alone.
If everyone doesn't see want the POTUS and his administration is doing, well this is just the beginning. I think this has more to do with demographics and implied class than enything else.
Let me see. Fire the entire local zoo staff because they can't get the monkeys todo what the zoo administrqation wants them to... no difference.

[timeforpeace]

I retired from teaching after 38 years. This story saddens me that teachers are to blame for problems that are inherently socio-economic. In addition, teachers are not given the resources/support needed to help disadvantaged children. We are trained to teach children not to be social workers, administrators are usually former teachers they should have the perspective that teachers have. I think this superintendent should have discussed her concerns with the board and review the needs rather than wholesale blame the teachers and the union. How could someone who had been superintendent for only three years fully understand everything. What will happen to the teaching profession if students see how they are treated. It is beyond comprehension that teachers are the problem. Children come from a variety of environments and they bring their respective experiences with them and the classroom teacher must deal with whatever comes through the door. I would like to see more administrators and board members spend a day in a classroom and see what goes on on a daily basis. Lastly, teachers came to unions much later than other employee groups and it is evident that they need the representation as school administrations and boards can treat teachers unfairly. Let's hope for a positive resolution for these teachers.

[Gory77]

I don't believe that this is saying that the teachers are to blame for this schools problems. I defiantly believe that teachers as a whole are undervalued in this society. If you look at the details here, the school was presented with 2 options to continue to receive federal monies... 1)Draw up a plan to improve the current staff. 2) Fire the current staff. The school board is following the funding guidelines... and the teacher's union resisted the district's proposal fro following step 1 leaving no choice to the district except step 2. The teachers' Union had a choice and I work and deal with unions constantly in my environment, and the reality is in today's economic climate, union's need to show some flexibility... which they typically do not like to do. I don't think that anyone wanted to fire the entire staff... but if that is what is mandated to continue receiving federal money... than maybe your beef should be with the federal requirement.

[goozlem]

Oh and Carol, teaching our children should be a partnership between home values, support and the schools. Home schooling is an option if one feels that the school is not necessary. The strong and very judgmental statements are indicative of your character - there is nothing worse than ignorant adults who have strong opinions on topics that they know little of.

[goozlem]

Those who are defending the mass firing of teachers over low performance scores represent gross ignorance. . A standardized test cannot possibly measure the skill of a teacher - it measures a "class society" quite well though. The best thing that this division can do for those kids is to decrease class size, provide social and guidance specialists, food programs and extra funding for after-school programming. Providing ongoing PD on new research based teaching techniques is also important. I am a teacher in a school where children come from exceptional circumstances and if their basic emotional and physical needs are not met, they are not equipped to excel at academia. Furthermore, often poorer neighborhoods are home to single parents who may not have the extra luxury of providing academic support because they are forced to work two jobs. There are also generations of families who have not instilled the importance of school when raising their kids because they have "other" sources of income and a very organized recruitment process. Not to mention the fact that 4th and 5th generation NA kids are part of a very lazy and spoiled generation. Reading has also taken a back seat to video games for many children and parents often give in and do not reinforce the discipline required to do well in school.......SO many factors and I could go on and on!!

If, on the other hand, a teacher has shown that they are not providing students with valid, engaging and effective lessons, they should be re-evaluated and perhaps fired.

I cannot believe that this is happening.

[mrmack49]

Teachers: You should not reply or respond to carol444 as she has been brainwashed by the Conservative Right-wingers and their echo-machines (R. Limbaugh, Faux News, ultra-rich TV-evangelists, etc.). She is so afraid of teachers contaminating her kids with ideas like the "theory of evolution" or "the real age of the earth (4.5 billion years old)." She will refuse to listen to what you say, just like most of the students that I teach in a lower socio-economic area in CA.

Newtc, caringteacher, margi in Sc, and others: I really enjoyed your posts and do concur. Nothing will change until in grades k-6 or k-8, unruly and slow children are kept back or put in special schools. Then the non-honors children will have a chance to learn without constant disruptions in the classroom. In addition, high schools will then have real students ready to learn in their classrooms, also without the disruptive and way behind students. Social promotions and disruptive students are the biggest problems that have hindered our education system. Teachers fail student in k-8, but for political reasons the students are passed on (by admin or parents).

[newtc]

Wow, a lot of people are ranting and raving against teachers. I see teachers all across the country, and most of them are working their butts off, especially in low performing schools. Of course some teachers are lazy or bad educators, but just go into your child?s school and watch what goes on day after day. In general, the teachers are good but the classrooms are brought down by problem kids. In fact, most American teachers are dedicated and skilled educators, and they have a lot more patience than I would have with the kids that are lazy and disruptive. Gifted kids can get their needs met with gifted programs, and we spend a huge amount of time and money on the 5-10% of kids at the lower end of the academic scale, while the main bulk of America's kids in the middle are mostly ignored. It?s the focus on the extreme ends of the spectrum that?s degrading our educational system.

I think we need to triage. Instead of No Child Left Behind, we need more sensible policies that assess both the ability and willingness to succeed. If kids simply cannot or will not perform in school, why let them degrade the education of everyone else? Teachers have to do their part, but so do the students. If kids and/or families are unwilling to make the effort to benefit from excellent teaching, or if they have limitations that simply cannot be overcome, they need to be redirected to something else they can be successful at. Redirecting the problematic 5-10% of kids, while still helping those who are willing and able to rise above their circumstances, gives our teachers and the rest of the kids the opportunities they need to move ahead.

How much baby sitting and child rearing can our teachers do? We spend federal money feeding kids right at the schools, and parents still don?t get them to the cafeterias on time for the free meals. Our schools even have programs that teach parents English and parenting skills, in the interest of helping their kids achieve academic success. For those parents who show up, these programs are hugely successful and their kids do better in school. For those families who don?t make the effort, once again, their kids suffer. Triage policies would mean giving at risk kids and their families all the help they need, but ONLY if they?re willing to take advantage of that help. If they don?t, then let?s let our teachers start refocusing on the main bulk of kids that can actually benefit from their excellent educational skills.

[brentrjones]

I am a high school chemistry teacher who is tired of students who are 1) unable to read beyond 4th grade level 2) apathetic 3) unruly. We need to put all blame on parents, when children are under 7th grade, and students when they are in 7th grade and on up.

[Scimajor]

With "No Child Left Behind" teachers aren't paid to teach children. We're paid to get children to score well on a standardized exam.

Blame "No Child Left Behind", the fools who implemented it and the people who voted those people into office.

[margi in SC]

Yeah, let's blame the teachers who have been so restricted from doing the job of teaching unruly, slovenly kids. Kids who are too tired out from staying up all night on Facebook or playing video games to make it to school on time or stay awake in class. Those dumb teachers should have known to come equipped with a joystick!
Oh no! Let's blame the poor frazzled parents, who work tirelessly to provide the computers, cellphones, Wiis, expensive brand name clothing, food and shelter, only to be faced with surly, rude, foulmouthed emotional vampires. ... and God forbid they have to say "No" to the little dears.
The kids should be given a CD with their classes on it that have been pre-recorded by the teachers each week with instructions to watch the CD, sign online after watching, take the test and, then, return it to the school office to pick up the next class. If they don't complete these steps, they don't get a grade and, when the rest of the kids their age are headed off to college, they can, maybe, get serious about their lives by finishing their classes. Since they know everything already, self motivation should not be a problem. The teachers will remain employed by filming up-to-date information and being available in their classrooms for any student that wants clarification or parent who is interested in a progress report. There should be an 8:00AM to 4:00PM curfew and anyone, under the age of 18 who does not have a high school diploma, not accompanied by their parent, will be hauled into the police station, photographed, fingerprinted and held until parents show up to claim them. Three such infractions will buy them time in juvenile detention. These kids can be a glut on the system one way or the other but, maybe, if they get their good swift kick in the butt early, they'll catch on that society has rules and those rules apply to everyone and there are real true consequences - not just the meaningless threats that they have been exposed to in the past.

[carol444]

I should have said "parents can oversee their child's learning each evening when they get home from work BECAUSE THEY ALREADY SPEND THOSE 2 HRS TEACHING THEIR CHILDREN EVERY NIGHT." My nephew is smart child and generally makes A's; however, he would have FAILED last year if we hadn't stepped in to help him every night. AND HE ATTENDS SCHOOL EVERY DAY!

Now, what's the next EXCUSE?

[caringteacher]

Carol444
Are you a teacher? Have you ever taught under the confides of NCLB? I am teacher and very educated (medical school graduate, who decided to teach). I can assure you that I spend hours in the classroom and during home visits, to do everything humanly possible help my students master the content objectives required by the state. I can not tell you how many appointments I had with students that were canceled because they weren't home and the adult in the home, did know where they were. However, when students do not pass the state standardized test at the end of the year, who is to blame? Me!!!! The true culprit is SOCIETY!!!! I spent a year teaching in Japan. I noticed that their attitude towards education and EDUCATORS is one of reverence, not Ridicule!!!!!! When Americans want to truly improve the state of education in this country, they must change their ATTITUDES first. When are we going to stop blaming each other and realize that the NCLB law has to be amended?
Many of us teach because we want to make a difference. I passed the boards, I could practice in my state if I wanted.
So, instead of you pointing the blame at teachers and teachers pointing the blame at parents, let us work together to SAVE OUR FUTURE!!!!