Teacher of year not a fan of corporate ed reform

The new teacher of the year is Jeff Charbonneau,from Zillah, Washington, a high school science teacher and co-president of the Zillah Education Association. Much like the last teacher of the year, isn't a big fan of corporate education reform

Charbonneau said that it is not even clear if the standardized tests themselves are “completely valid or show what students know.”

“At this point I don’t think you can tie those test scores [to teacher evaluations] as it currently being done,” he said. “Could they have relevance in the future if the tests are better? Yes.”

Charbonneau also said that he disagrees with school reformers and others who say that American public education is in a crisis.

“The concept that we are a nation of failing schools I believe is false,” he said. “We are a nation of succeeding schools. I think our schools are succeeding far more and at higher levels than given credit for…. I agree that there are areas that need improvement, but at the same time, there are many things we are doing right that are not celebrated.”

Amen.

Due process protects you

A retired teacher sent this short note to us about the dangers of SB5 removing due process protections. Yet andother reason why SB5 is unfair.

I began my teaching career when collective bargaining did not exist in Ohio. I witnessed a situation where an excellent teacher (later Maine teacher of the year) was accused by a student of an inappropriate action. The student was under intensive psychiatric care at the time. Without (or even with) witnesses, this 10 year teacher was given the choice to resign or be fired. No hearing or due process was legally required without collective bargaining. Every colleague was confidant that the accusation was groundless. With no options, this professional moved on, at great loss to our profession.

Without due process rights anyone can find themselves in this same situation because of an argument with the principal, because of age or health concerns, or because of assigning a student a grade that disagrees with a parent's assessment. Negotiating working conditions, and not just salary, improves our professional contributions, improves our advocacy for students, and improves our health and safety on the job, as well as the health and safety of our students.

Kim Cellar
Retired teacher

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