Here’s a report of the exchange on the NPR News Blog.
From the AFT statement:
President Obama’s comments today condoning the mass firing of the Central Falls High School teachers do not reflect the reality on the ground and completely ignore the teachers’ significant commitment to working with others to transform this school. We know it is tempting for people in Washington to score political points by scapegoating teachers, but it does nothing to give our students and teachers the tools they need to succeed.
What’s even sadder is that the firings and the President’s comments come in spite of a state report written last April that focused on the high school’s reading and writing proficiency, which have gone up 22 percent and 14 percent respectively over the past two years. Nowhere in the report is there any criticism of teachers’ efforts, skills or dedication to their job or their students. The report does, however, point to problems with constantly changing programs and the instability of school leadership. The report reinforces the fact that, today, teachers are being blamed unfairly for the schools’ problems.
“Because so many programs have been abruptly terminated, many teachers desire a formal program evaluation system to ensure that the strengths and weaknesses of programs are properly examined in the future before changes are made or new programs are implemented. Students share this concern,” the report said.
As for next steps, the report said, “Take the time to celebrate as a learning community the accomplishments, successes and positive changes that have taken place over the past few years.”
4 Comments:
1 Scifidoc
· Mar 3, 2010 at 11:21 am
I am personally very disappointed in President Obama. He used as an example of how districts are trying to affect change, a district that dealt in bad faith with the local teacher’s union.So, since the teacher’s union did not give in to the districts demands, the district took the step of firing all in their range. Not a good example to use Mr. President
2 Obama’s Obsession | If Bush Had Done That
· Mar 9, 2010 at 9:13 pm
[...] Edwize » Stop Scapegoating Teachers, AFT Tells Obama [...]
3 Rsell67
· Mar 11, 2010 at 8:18 pm
At what point will the UFT finally, and publically withdraw its support of President Obama. He clearly supports charter schools, supports merit pay, supports using test scores for teacher evaluations, and now he clearly supports firing teachers as the only ones responsible for the failing of the education system.
Obama’s Educational policies, along with just about every other policy of his administration, fails! I hope the UFT has the strength of its convictions and in 2012 we say “President Obama, you are fired.”
4 Rsell67
· Mar 12, 2010 at 4:45 pm
I’m beyond disappointed in President Obama and his educational policies. It is clear that he supports many of the”reforms” that the UFT has been opposed to. He supports private charter schools, merit pay based on test scores, teacher evaluations based on test scores, firing teachers enmass, forcing mandates upon states (Charter school cap expansion), and now there is talk of a “National Curriculum”.
We were glad to see him elected, why?