As far as this business with the rubber rooms. Incompetent teachers should not be in the classroom. I spent over twenty years as an Assistant Principal of Mathematics in a large high school (one of the ones being closed; but at the rate wer’re going, the novelty will be large schools that are staying open). I went through the process of removing incompetent teachers. And yes it is not easy; but it shouldn’t be. After all, it has to be clear that somebody is incompetent if you want to take their source of income. And yes the union reps called me all sorts of names but I smiled, showed my documentation and I won and yes the children won. So please don’t lecture me about how it’s for the children and about accountability. I know all about tht. If Mr. Klein and his staff were som competent or the case was so iron tight, then let him do what has to be done. The fact the teacher was cleared demonstrates there was something wrong with the DOE case.

Can anybody really argue the grading of schools has been a farce (one of the high points Klein makes as he goes around the world pretending to be an expert on education). No real standards. Changing standards evgery year etc. And my point has always been, and I abeg you to refute it, is how should a kid feel when he faces his peer groups and is attending a school graded D. You think he is not the subject of ridicule? And how does that help a kid in a so called “failing” high schools who is an honors student (and there are some attending these schools) when the kid sends out his college applications? Does the fact his school is rated D help him? If Klein wants to rate schools internally, based on clear standarsds, that is his perogative. But he shouldn’t be making these socres public.

As far as the closing of the large high schools, I have made my points in other postings. The large schools allow students to take a much larger variety of courses and allows teachers to be much better supervised by subject area specialists. Under the Klein Doctrine, we now have a Principal, who if we are lucky coming out of the Leadership Academy, who may have 3 years of experience as a teacher, if that, of English. Can such a Principal properly supervise a math lesson and make suggestions to improve that teacher’s ability to teach the subject matter. Remember we’re talking here aobut a high school. The most important role of a high school teacher, let’s say Math, is to present correct subject matter and to know the subject. In my time as an AP (Mathy) that was tyhe critical thing above all else. But I knew the subject matter and knew if the teacher were doing it properly. I knew techniques I had used as a techer of mathematics for 15 years before becoming a Supervisor. I didn’t dare think until I had spent about 10 years as an Assistant Principal tha I was capable of supervisingh a high school (I never applied for that job; who needed it anyway). Now we have fly by nighters coming into education,l spending a couple of years, off to the Leadership Academy and voila they’re Principals. No experience as an Assistant Principal. No experience in working with teachers to improve instruction in a subject area. So tell me Queens Parent, under the Klein Doctrine, who is supervising the teachers? How many kids are given the opportunity to take Science Research classes in these news small schools. NYC was down to 1 semi finalist this year I believe in the annual comnpetion. When I attended Erasmus Hall High School, yes a large school in the 1960;s, the school had 10 Westinghouse winners each year (and it was a neighborhood zoned school). And there was a union then to protect teaqchers from things that were arbitrary and capricious. Need I remind you of what we went through in this country with the McCarthy era.

No, not all teachers are perfect and I agree 100% that incompetent teachers have to go. And there are procedures for doing so. But again,k it almost seems that Joel Klein (or is it Bloomberg) thinks he should be judge, jury, and excutioner. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way in our country.

Cut and paste:

southbronxschool.blogspot.com/2010/02/joel-klein-teachers-must-be-disciplined.html

I love that you think you are part of the ” the better off we will all be.” that you speak of. I do rather enjoy your strange perceptions.

Read my blog! Copy and paste.

southbronxschool.blogspot.com

When does “accountability” hit the top dog at Tweed? Hasn’t he had enough time to make a REAL difference yet?

Reorganize. Stigmatize. Privatize.
Spin, rinse, repeat.

Sheesh.

Just another indication why this lawyer has no business occupying a position that only an educator should occupy. The biggest blunder madfe in the Mayoral control law and in its renewal is not requiring the Chancellor to have the proper certification and now allow waivers. Until Klein goes, the children of this city will continue to be cheated of the education they so richly deserve.