Teachers and staff at Central Falls High School in Rhode Island were making real progress in improving academics and raising test scores. But this past week, district administrators made national headlines with the now-infamous decision to fire the entire staff of the school. The NEA and the American Federation of Teachers stand together in solidarity with the fired educators and are urging supporters to take action on their behalf.
By signing the petition at http://centralfallskidsdeservebetter.com/petition educators, parents, students, and members of the public call on District Superintendent Frances Gallo to do what is right -- work with the teachers instead of scapegoating them, and seek real reforms that help students achieve.
The 74 teachers and support professionals fired are invested in their students and their community, union leaders said. And while they recognize there is still much work to be done, they want nothing more than to stay hard at work and continue the momentum.
In recommending their firing to the Central Falls school board Tuesday, Gallo took the unusual step of blaming the teachers, rather than following a collaborative path to proven reforms that benefit students. As school board members tallied their 5-2 vote that amounted to a humiliating public firing of the educators, teachers packing the room leaned against each other for support and wept.
New federal school reform requirements offer districts four options for turning around under-performing schools. Under the transformation model, educators work in collaboration with administrators. That's what was under way in Central Falls, until Gallo opted to switch to the turnaround model, by which every teacher is fired at the school.
NEA and AFT leadership and members are working closely with the Central Falls Teachers Union and the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals to get the Central Falls administration to return to negotiations and find a resolution to the crisis.
This mass firing simply shows incompetent administration. There are proven methods of lifting student achievement:
1. Smaller class sizes. I refer especially to the Tennessee study conducted during Lamar Alexander’s Governorship. Advantages are cumulative and long term.
2. Studies in Michigan (Elaine Didier) and Colorado (Keith Curry Lance) followed up by studies in a dozen other states demonstrate the importance of library/media centers in student learning.
3. Siphoning off public funding to charter schools has a pretty sorry record, especially in states like Arizona.
I can just imagine how low faculty morale must have been dealing with no support open contempt. Best of luck to this faculty.
These Rhode Island educators need a fair resolution to their employment statis, not firing.
I have slowly lost my faith in the Democratic Party. Now President Obama, taking all of our votes for granted, stabs us squarely in the back with his endorsement of wholesale teacher purging. Why would anyone enter the profession right now? Even the best of us are threatened.
If this were France, we’d all be on strike tomorrow. It is long past time for us to take a stand against this relentless, politically expedient teacher bashing.
I have no problem being held accountable. However, the local communities and, especially, parents need to share that accountability. This is, at best, scapegoating. At worst it is an assault on public education for the sake of right wing votes.
I haven’t been this angry is a very long time. I am voting third party from now on. I will require some significant convincing to do otherwise.
The NEA and AFT need to take a stand. I agree whole heartedly with Mike Lambert. America’s education system is in a crisis that is a lot worse then the days of George Bush. The NEA did next to nothing to support the teachers in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Please stand up for your people. We are losing our jobs by the hundreds in each state. Don’t you see that Obama is underminding both the NEA and AFT? With the mid-term elections coming up please have the courage to take a stand against both Democrats and Republicans that do not support the NEA agenda.
I urge NEA to condemn Obama’s unalloyed support for firing the RI teachers. Obviously, there is more to this story than reported; however, dubious notions of “accountability” are misguided in this case. Obama should be ashamed of himself.
What representatives from the NEA, not the state association or the local, the NEA have visited this district? You ask us to sign a petition? You should be there, in force, condemning this action. Stand up for us, teachers everywhere, NEA. A piece of paper will do little to prove that you are here for your members. Actions speak louder than words. Show me and other members of this organization you are fighting for us. From my perspective you should have been on every national news station and talk radio show expressing your disgust with the actions of this school district!
Garry, if several hundred members of the NEA showed up at the homes and businesses of the Central Falls, Rhode Island school committee and picketed, do you think they would have gotten the message? If the NEA and its members provide financial and political support to opponents of the present Central Falls, Rhode Island school committee do you think they would have gotten the message? If the Rhode Island teacher’s unions had a one day solidarity sick out do you think they and state officials would have gotten the message?
Race To The Top is a disaster for educators. Hold hostage educators for the crimes of the politicians? NO. Condemn it and quit sending out the ridiculous insider bulletins to call our Senators about our jobs.
Do Something for your membership now.
Absolutely believe that it is the responsibility of this union to advocate a general STRIKE NOW over RTTT.
I am afraid that our leader Obama made a deal with the NEA like he did with Pharma. Is it true?
“Both unions are so blinded by political correctness they are simply incapable of dealing with the real world.” Amen! LOL
I seriously doubt that the NEA or the AFT will help those RI teachers. Both unions are so blinded by political correctness they are simply incapable of dealing with the real world. It’s tragic that the RI teachers are being thrown under the bus by the unions.
My latest blog will explain why these teachers are not going to get their jobs back as long as they pin their hopes on teacher’s unions.
Rhode Kill
Rhode Kill”