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It is not surprising your son did not know of all the additonal duties the phys ed teacher was doing. Whether or not his additional stipends were a last year effort as you suggest is something one would not ordinarily know without looking at his previous years' activities. It appears there is a bit of family conclusion jumping going on.
You need to read over OhBeeHave's posts more carefully.
Her son was correct - Mr. O'Leary directs traffic. And he checked for illegal substances and booze - all part of the job. What part of that do you not understand??
His additional pay was due to directing traffic to pump up the last few years of pay to increase his pension payout.
And then there's the huge increase in salary over another phys. ed. teacher. Roughly $30,000+. All a matter of record. Don't believe it? Research it yourself.
I dont want my children being educated by a mediocre teacher just because there is a chance of some type of discrimination..... Why should my child have to suffer that stupidity
Most teachers are par regarding their teaching skills. Your kids will be lucky to have 1 or 2 stellar teachers throughout their public school education. Those few ought to be tenured to keep them in a district. The rest, not tenured, and then replace them as better teachers come into the system.
My son and daughter had completely different teachers in high school but the same subjects at the same level of tracking. Never was the difference as apparent as when I went to parent night to size up the teachers. I knew without a doubt my son would have a more difficult time with AP physics, for example, than his sister did. She had the much better teacher in the subject. The same held true with the other teachers he had. And sure enough, my son just didn't do nearly as well - went for extra help, etc. But what stands out in my mind was the physics teachers who just didn't have the same teaching talent as the other one, and also the math teacher couldn't hold a candle to my daughter's AB calc. teacher either.
You need to read over OhBeeHave's posts more carefully.
Her son was correct - Mr. O'Leary directs traffic. And he checked for illegal substances and booze - all part of the job. What part of that do you not understand??
His additional pay was due to directing traffic to pump up the last few years of pay to increase his pension payout.
And then there's the huge increase in salary over another phys. ed. teacher. Roughly $30,000+. All a matter of record. Don't believe it? Research it yourself.
Thank you.
One thing that has come from this thread is that I will make a point of attending more BoE meetings.
Like a hausfrau who was once shapely and attractive who has let herself go following marriage, there are some teachers who burn out or bide time once becoming tenured.
I agree that it isn't easy to assess whether a teacher is or isn't doing their job, but there are indicators and red lights when one is biding time. We experienced one such teacher who parents nicknamed 'the lost year'. Homework went unchecked, tests graded as though the teacher was distracted (correct things marked incorrectly and visa versa); the class falling behind the other four grade level classes in terms of material being taught. The students in that class entered the next year behind their peers academically. This would have been a perfect candidate for potential dismissal -- if they hadn't been tenured.
For the most part, I have to write my children have had many great teachers and very few clunkers. Despite my being dismayed by an overpaid gym teacher, there are plenty of teachers in the district who are worth what they're being paid.
A teacher who is performing that poorly can be terminated. Tenure only prevents you from being fired WITHOUT just cause.
A teacher who is performing that poorly can be terminated. Tenure only prevents you from being fired WITHOUT just cause.
How long would it take to get from initial complaint through hearings until the possibility of termination?
The teacher I gave as an example retired 1 year after the lost year. Had this person been brought to hearing for poor performance, couldn't they have just resigned or retired before the process? Sort of striking a deal to save the district the expense of a hearing?
I can see where it would be a useful tool when a teacher isn't nearing retirement.
How long would it take to get from initial complaint through hearings until the possibility of termination?
The teacher I gave as an example retired 1 year after the lost year. Had this person been brought to hearing for poor performance, couldn't they have just resigned or retired before the process? Sort of striking a deal to save the district the expense of a hearing?
I can see where it would be a useful tool when a teacher isn't nearing retirement.
I would imagine that the length of time would vary on a case by case basis, including the severity of the issues. My point is that tenure is not a lifetime guarantee of employment. Maybe schools are just letting these "bad" teachers slide too much or too long. Maybe this should be another topic.
I would imagine that the length of time would vary on a case by case basis, including the severity of the issues. My point is that tenure is not a lifetime guarantee of employment. Maybe schools are just letting these "bad" teachers slide too much or too long. Maybe this should be another topic.
Thank you -- and you're right about another topic.
I just heard about 20 minutes ago on WNYC Wendy Kopp, founder of Teach for America, discuss what she's learned over the years. Her books are called One Day All Children...., and the other is What Works and What Doesn't in Providing an Excellent Education for All. I'm planning on reading them. Wendy says it's time (way overdue IMHO) for a complete overhaul of the education system in America.
BTW, according to her only 1% of tenured teachers are let go - that's for all the states in the US.
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