Obama's Idea of Education Reform? Fire All the Teachers

[Hannah Bell]

Central Falls High graduates gather in support of the teaching staff during Tuesday’s meeting in which all 93 teachers were fired.



CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. - "You're a coward!"

"You should be ashamed!"

Shouts broke through the heavy silence that had fallen in the auditorium of Central Falls High School.

Supt. Frances Gallo had just recommended that the district's Board of Trustees fire the entire teaching staff of the city's only high school, effective at the end of the school year.

Then, as the board's vice chairwoman, Sonia Rodrigues, read each name aloud, a teacher stood. Some stood in silence, others held back tears.

"Look up, Gallo! Look at us!"

Gallo was sitting on the stage with the seven trustees and a small group of administrators. She rose and looked out at the audience in the packed high school auditorium. She remained standing until the last of 93 names - a history teacher, a reading specialist, physical education, music and art teachers, a social worker, a nurse, the school psychologist, even the principal - was called.

A few minutes earlier, a resolved Gallo had opened her remarks by lashing out at teachers union leaders who she said had contrived stories "that misinform and twist the truth." The union, the superintendent said, has distorted what went on in negotiations in "a deliberate attempt to obfuscate the issue of meaningful reform."

Once again, Gallo described what had led to Tuesday night's showdown.

She reiterated the conditions essential to transform the chronically troubled high school, plagued for years with dreadful test scores and a graduation rate of just 48 percent. She wanted the teachers to spend more time with their students and also more time improving their own skills.

Union leaders said at first they were on board with Gallo's vision for improving the high school. But the two sides couldn't agree on how much extra pay teachers should receive for the additional work.

Gallo said that if the teachers had gone along with her transformation plan, they would have had "100-percent job security."

Shouts broke out again.

"Boo!"

"Liar!"

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/02/25-1

[Political Heretic]

1. What does this have to do with Obama?

[Starry Messenger]

6. Arne Duncan was an Obama hire.

Arne applauded the firing of these teachers. I think we're looking at the wave of the future of education in the Obama administration here.

[Hannah Bell]

9. obama hired duncan. duncan's ruling provoked this situation. duncan "applauded" the firing, very

publicly.

and:

"More such cases are likely to arise across the US in the coming year because of pressure from the Obama administration – and the incentive of billions of federal dollars."

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2010/0225/All-teachers-fired-at-R.I.-school.-Will-that-happen-elsewhere


This *is* Obama's education policy. Fire the teachers, convert to charter schools, privatize ed.

[Political Heretic]

12. Thank you.

Ask an honest question, get an honest answer. :)

[YvonneCa]

16. Everything. Here's Obama's Ed.Secretary at the NGA...

...last week:

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2010/02/21/HP/A/29801/2010+National+Governors+Association+Meeting.aspx

[Name removed]

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[Hannah Bell]

4. *I* didn't write this article, nor its title. However, in *my* opinion, obama hired duncan &

duncan made the ruling that led to the central falls situation.

so it *is* obama's policy, whether it's politically correct to mention or not.

[Lil Missy]

8. Sorry, my mistake.

[tonysam]

5. Oh yes he does. Arne Duncan has publicly supported Gallo.

Duncan represents the Obama administration.

Time to get a clue that Obama and Duncan are ENEMIES of public education.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. If you are having comprehension difficulties you're in the right place

There are teachers here to help you :)

[YvonneCa]

15. Thanks for the smile...

...:7 I'm glad to see one of us is maintaining a sense of humor in the midst of this. ;)

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. Well I'm only at risk of being half fired so I still have a sense of humor

I am itinerant in 2 schools. One has never made AYP. So if they fire all the teachers, since I'm only there half a day I'd still have half a job:)

[YvonneCa]

19. ...

... :hug: It is important to keep a sense of humor...especially during stressful times. I know your situation must be difficult. I hope it all works out well for you.

[maryf]

20. Gee. I teach art...

Critical thinking and creative problem solving have no place in education...I'm worried a little, my district has to cut a million dollars...

[Reader Rabbit]

13. Of course he does. Just like Bush was responsible for "Brownie."

Scapegoating of teachers is Duncan's policy. Obama chose Duncan, fully cognizant of his position on public education and his history of doing the same thing to school teachers in Chicago.

To imply that a leader is not responsible for the actions of his hand-picked underlings is disingenuous. We held Bush responsible for the atrocious decisions and actions of his underlings (Rumsfeld, Brownie, etc.). To fail to hold Obama to the same standard simply because he is of our party is inconsistent, illogical, and dishonest.

[paulk]

2. funny, but I don't see Obama mentioned anywhere in this story

it's one thing to make a legit criticism of Obama over policy, it's another to present a deliberately misleading title.

[Hannah Bell]

3. funny, but i posted the article exactly as i found it. and imo, obama hired duncan & it's

duncan's new rules that led to the central falls situation, so it *is* obama's ed policy, whether you like it or not.

[cliffordu]

7. Obama's idea of Political Reform?

fire all the typists.

or type all the fireists.

Or something




No toad sexing!!!

[Name removed]

11. Deleted sub-thread

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[maryf]

14. K&R 5 for the ?th time?

Thanks Hannah!

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

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[Reader Rabbit]

21. Obama agrees with firing of Central Falls teachers.

Per WBZ Channel 38:

http://wbztv.com/local/central.falls.high.2.1528415.html