Many commenters to this blog have mentioned Pink Friday - where teachers and students and community members wear pink as a sign of solidarity with the teachers who will be given pink slips that day. The final decision on how many teachers will be layed off will not be announced until mid-April, as per the DEA contract.
I would endorse Pink Friday, if only to make a statement that, if cuts must be made, they should be made equitably. Now, personally, I have proposed a way to minimize, if not eliminate, teacher cuts, the closing of Lynwood as an elementary school and the resulting increase in class size which is bad for education. (see "The Lynwood Takeover Fable", "Will Teachers Union Try to Save Lynwood Elementary?", "Decatur School Board Should Demand More Administrator Cuts", and "How to Minimize the Impact of Decatur School District Cuts" -- as well as my next blog entry)
The administrator cuts are limited only to Principal, Assistant Principal, and Athletic Director cuts; so called building cuts. The Central Office is taking no real hits here. The two CO cuts include, according to Gary Pellico's press release on the matter, Assistant Superintendent for Business, Jeff Baer's position. That's total hogwash as his replacement is already on board. Also, Assistant Superintendent Candice Baer is already slated to leave the position created expressly for her a couple of years ago. So, no real cuts in the CO. Plus they fully intend to move into the spacious confines of the Southwest Pavilion Office Building (former Concentra Building), further feathering their nests.
The closing of Lynwood as an elementary school pretty much dictates that about 25 teachers must be layed off. This is because there are no extra classrooms in the district to house them. So, the closing of Lynwood as an elementary school must be put back on the table and reconsidered.
As bad as pink looks on me (not that I'm all that fashionable in any case), I'll be sporting it on Friday.
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Mark Small posted a blog post
3 hours ago
5 comments:
A driver wore pink Friday and was called in by Rosie to be told that Don Stinson was really upset that she had done that. Wow! He notices a pink shirt worn by one employee. Guess he had nothing else to do since RIF letters were being handled by building principals.
Thank you to all the parents who sent their kids to school wearing pink on Friday. It was a sign of solidarity and hope in an otherwise bleak day.
Hope those who might think that this is a respectful administration will take note that Stinson was upset and people were reprimanded for their beliefs. Stinson does not like people who disagree with him. The bus driver wore pink in support of the teachers being riffed. Do teachers support this kind of treatment toward the bus drivers - question.
Gosh, if Stinson was doing everything he could to save teacher jobs, why didn't he wear pink too? Doesn't he want teachers there? Does he feel guilty about havey to RIF 62 teachers when he only ask for a list 50-51 from DEA ( according to board minutes ). Did he not enjoy seeing the township come together to support one another? Yes, we should make note, he showed his true colors again....
I am a teacher. I do not support any actions that try to separate people. This district has a long history of abusing hourly workers in all categories - custodial, cafeteria, bus drivers, instructional assistants, etc. The only reason that they don't get away with the same tricks on teachers is our union. Locally, its strength goes up and down, but has state and national backing. I don't agree with their preventing bad teachers from being fired, but they provide a buffer between teachers and local politics. I wish that protection extended to our hourly colleagues. We desperately need to find more ways to stick together.
The incident with the bus driver who wore the pink shirt is upsetting, but unfortunately not surprising.
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