The Kansas City School District Board can't handle their buildings, their top heavy administration or probably basic math . . . The recent threats of a teacher's strike will undoubtedly confound them as well.
Here are the corresponding headlines and news items that are soon to spell even more disaster for Kansas City Schools:
KMBC: "The Kansas City, Mo., School District announced Friday that school will start as scheduled even though a new contract for teachers has yet to be worked out.
The district is implementing changes the Teachers Union has already turned down."
MyFoxKC: "KCMO Teachers May Consider Strike Against School District"
Folks without much knowledge regarding Missouri politics are hoping and praying that the State comes and takes over . . . But the fact is that, in private, politicos in Missouri say they don't want any part of this Kansas City disaster.
A strike could prove disastrous but not at all surprising and yet another one of many failures provoked by what could possibly be the worst public school system in the United States.
40 min may not seem like big deal unless you're a teacher. My husband already goes into work at least an hour early every day to get papers graded. On days he doesn't have classes at UMKC he often stays after too. So much work for so little pay and to throw even more stupid meetings in on top of that.
ReplyDeleteI like Dr. Martin as a person, but he's way off base on this one. Just because he can't fix the administration problems before he leaves doesn't mean he has to attack the teachers. The teachers are usually the only people in kcmsd who actually give a damn. Why run off the only people who are trying to help the kids???
Oh - it should be noted that Grandview CSD-4 where Dr. Martin was the superintendent does have 90 min planning periods. So much for bringing kcmsd in line with common practices. They just want more work for the pennies they throw at teachers.
Can the Brookside schools join the Center School District, like the Independence schools joined the Independence School District?
ReplyDeleteMuzingo is up to the same old tricks he pulled at WalMart when he was in charge of stepping on employees and their rights there. Negotiations is a word that requires "GOOD FAITH " on both sides of the table. He is a bottom feeder with a briefcase.
ReplyDelete11:17, that's a good question.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe any self respecting teacher would work for the KCMO school district.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they work there because they want to make things better for kids who have no one else looking out for them, fucktard.
ReplyDeleteI would argue that MOST of the teachers in KCMSD are some of the hardest working and most caring teachers in the area! They are working with the metro area's most impoverished students. Dealing with many social issues and doing it without any consistency from their district leadership. Not all of the students that come out of the district are disasters. Lots of kids graduate and go on to college and successful lives. These teachers deserve better. It's the suburban teachers that have it easy. Good support from the management, parents that care and HIGH tax bases that allow for bigger raises!
ReplyDeleteAs a self-respecting 30 year veteran teacher in this district, I can tell you why I continue to work for this district – the kids. For most of that 30 years I could close the classroom door and ignore the chaos and ineptitude of both the board and the administration. Unfortunately, that’s getting harder and harder to do.
ReplyDeleteEvery recent report that has come out lately – the MSIP review, the Council of Great City Schools report & the report from the KCMSD Education Reform Task Force has put the blame on the board and downtown administration – poor professional development, no curriculum, top-down management with no input from teachers, etc., etc., etc.
But instead of trying to correct the problems they have downtown, they blame the teachers. They take away our contract, impose unacceptable conditions and then say they want to work with us.
If the Union calls for a strike vote, I’m voting yes.
District administration can't hold parents accountable, and they can't hold the community accountable. So they go after the teachers, the only group they have any control over. Instead of treating teachers as partners in a difficult struggle, they attack us.
ReplyDeleteA month ago, they threw out our contract. Two weeks later, they paid the administrators on time but not the teachers. Now they are imposing working conditions and refusing to bargain in good faith.
The ONLY decent asset this district has is its teachers. We are the only ones who really care about the kids. But if district administration wants to pile it on, you bet I will vote to strike.
Easy enough to fix, come in 2 weeks late, or just up and leave. With no teachers, you have no school district. Screw the administration on this, and let them teach the classes. The only replacements they will find are either the desperate, or those who are scared to work in that area in the first place. My wife (who has taught for 15 years in 3 different states), has made it quite clear, that the KCMOSD is the most back asswards organization to have ever been labeled 'educational'. They coudl care less about being accredited, they just want the paycheck they vote themselves in to.
ReplyDeleteFire them all.
The downtown mess is something that TKC should look into. It is bizzarre beyound belief. Most teachers in the district will not talk about the reality of downtown.
ReplyDeleteSo where is Airick who was going to save us from the administration.
What a joke, most of these comments come from teachers in the district. I can see why they complained. They have it easy, salaried, paid for professional development, etc.
ReplyDeleteI sugguest the community look at the consistency they have afforded the Kansas City School District. The worst test scores, secondary teachers who spend 4 1/2 hours in a 7 1/2 hour work day teaching students. Check out the national average, teachers in most successful district spend on average 6 to 7 hours teaching.
TKC - students who graduate lacking basic skills...this is the results of teachers, administrators, a micro-managing school board and a community with its head in the sand.
A city thriving to be #1 in the midwest should think about the rebirth of its schools. Change the board, make them at large -- get rid of the special interest projects each board-memeber brings to the table.
Education should be about childern..not adults!!!!!
Ah, yes, teachers in this district have the life of Riley. No curriculum, poor staff development, unsafe and disorderly schools (see the state’s MSIP review), not to mention that programs come and go with changes in administrators. I hear they still have vacancies. Come join us. The pay’s not great and you have to work seven and a half hours, but you get 30 minutes for lunch (no breaks, though).
ReplyDeleteI challenge you and your readers to serve students in the KCMSD. Take 30 minutes and come read with a student, start a movement.
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
Sincere About Educating Students.
"teachers in most successful district spend on average 6 to 7 hours teaching. "
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS A FLAT LIE. Check the MODESE website and you will find few school districts even have the kids in school for 7 hours let alone in class.
http://dese.mo.gov/schooldata/four/000000/calrnone.html
Where is your data? Post a link showing that most successful school districts have teachers teaching 6-7 hours day. I couldn't find anything even close. Successful school give teachers time to plan classes, work in teams, grade papers, and contact parents.
You don't account for the time we have to monitor kids in the morning while they enter the building and eat breakfast(30 minutes). At my school we have 8 classes. That is another 32 minutes of monitoring kids in the halls. Is it ok with you if we eat? That is another 30 minutes. We also have to monitor the kids leaving the building and getting on the buses. There is another 10 minutes. Most of us have to substitute a class several times a week as well since the district doesn't pay subs. enough.
I love my job and put in extra time before and after school (6 A.M - 5:30 P.M.)
Don't even imply that I'm sitting on my rear for 3 hours a day just twiddling my thumbs. I work hard preparing and grading work for my 125-150 student.
Every report about this district has been very clear. The problem lies at the top. The recent MSIP report said the same thing. Last year's study about the Human Resources Department labeled it as dysfunctional. The superintendent was fired in January, the board starts looking for a new one in June. They haven't even released the 2008-2009 School Year Calendar.
It would be nice if people on the outside could come in and walk atleast ONE WEEK as a teacher in the KCMSD. I have no clue where people in KC think that the teachers in the KCMSD are rejects and worthless. I graduated from one of the top private universities in the nation, and have and extensive amount of training and knowledge about the field of education. My main priority was not because I could not get a job anywhere else (believe me,.I had plenty of offers) But the truth is it was about the STUDENTS!!! I didnt go into education for the money...I mean...who in the HELL does? And furthermore teachers across the board..regardless to what district are some of the most underpaid. Masters degree and all..so I would appreciate some respect from my DISTRICT...and the administration..flat out...if they paid us what we were really worth...none of us would have a job. That includes the freaking school districts in KS, NKC, Liberty..that are some of the lowest past in the nation as compared to other states...KISS OFF...I SAY LETS STRIKE...
ReplyDeleteI'm an outsider form TX and was dumbfounded by how little KC, MO teachers make and the lack of action by the teachers themselves. Strike, strike, strike. Even with cost of living adjustments, teachers in most of Texas make 10k more. I was interested in moving to your absolutely beautiful town, and working as a teacher, but for that salary, I could wait tables and make more, minus the heartache.
ReplyDeleteTo the person who doesn't think any self-respecting teacher would work in the KCMSD district ... I have excellence credentials, degrees, and recommendations ... and (after last year) I can't find another job. I was hit 7 times by 7 different students. Every attack INVOLVED CHILDREN I DID NOT KNOW. I reported the last attack to the authorities and advocated for safer schools. The results? The union has not responded, the principal continues to collect awards and a 6-figure salary, the VP was promoted, and I had my salary docked and can't find a job anywhere else. I entered education because I was passionate about teaching kids (especially inner-city youth). I'll do anything else anyWHERE else ... as soon as I can find another job.
ReplyDelete