It must be a delayed reaction to the Joplin Tornado.
I haven't heard how Joplin R-8 Administration is spinning the departure of more than 100 teachers from the school district, but that news, which was mentioned in the Turner Report more than two weeks ago, apparently has been confirmed to the business community, though probably not as a serious problem.
It was announced on KSN's Living Well program this afternoon that Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce is looking for 125 gift packets to present to new Joplin teachers during the annual week-long TOPS program next month. The TOPS program, which is held annually, is designed to introduce teachers to the district. In the past, many of the teachers who have gone through the program had already had experience teaching at other schools. Some of the packets are reportedly for new teachers at the private schools, but more than 100 are directed toward the R-8 School District.
Reportedly, the majority of this year's freshman teaching class will be in the classrooms for the first time.
It is clear that the 100 mentioned in my earlier post may not be anywhere near the final toll and sources have told me that there are still other teachers who are trying their hardest to leave the school district.
I do not have totals on how many of these teachers have been asked to leave and how many have taken off on their own volition. As I noted in the earlier post:
Sources have told The Turner Report that the situation has reached a point where administrators are having to hire nearly anyone who applies, regardless of qualifications, because most teachers who were seeking employment have already found it, or because many qualified teachers are steering clear of the Joplin R-8 School District.
A member of an area board of education told The Turner Report his school had thought it was going to lose an excellent teacher who had applied to the Joplin District and had been offered a contract. The teacher lives in Joplin and had been driving a considerable distance to the rural school where she was teaching. The board member said the teacher declined the contract offer because of what she had been told about the working conditions in the school district.
The loss of so many experienced teachers, many of whom (including me) were sent packing by Administration, comes at a particularly bad time for the district, which reportedly barely escaped losing accreditation this year. An administrator with access to the documentation told the Turner Report that upper administration was panicking earlier this year when preliminary information showed the district falling short in several areas, including test scores.
An administrator with close ties in the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said that Joplin officials began an all-out blitz to hold on to its accreditation, using every means at its disposal, including playing the tornado card.
As reported earlier, more than 20 teachers left Joplin High School, including at least eight math instructors, while nearly the entire faculty at McKinley Elementary will be new when classes begin next month. Other schools have also been hit hard.
The mention today of the situation, even though it was not treated as the serious problem it is for Joplin students, parents, and all taxpayers, is the first time the mass exit of teachers (and this does not include the large number who left after the 2011-2012 school year) has been mentioned in any media other than the Turner Report.
14 comments:
I wish I could believe that they were even the least bit sorry to see us go, but they did nothing to stem the tide or even to acknowledge that there was a problem, which is how they handle everything. There will be some big publicity stunt to try to take the light off of the issue, and they'll go on like nothing happened. And what drove us away will not change.
I cannot believe what I've seen in the last five years, particularly the last two. If I never see the faces of Huff and Besendorfer, or any of their pets again, it will be too soon. I loved my kids and did what I could after the disaster, but a person can only take so much.
Shame on you, Joplin Schools. I can only wonder what sleight of hand will allow you to be accredited for another year. Maybe someone can find out. We'll be watching on the Turner Report to see how that miracle happened.
Any specifics about how they managed to save accreditation for another year? JOPLIN WAS ACCREDITED WITH DISTINCTION AND SET THE PACE FOR THE AREA FOR SIX YEARS UNTIL THE CURRENT UPPER ADMINISTRATORS TOOK OVER!!! It started out as a gradual slide but has become sharp in the last two years, but not because of the tornado. The solution hasn't been to get rid of the administration that caused the problem but to get rid of anyone who won't be coerced into their plans. Not many people left to run off these days.
Thanks for putting the truth out, Mr. Turner, and we will be firm supporters of your new endeavor.
It amazes me that no media other than Mr. Turner has done any investigative reporting into the comments on The Turner Report, and that the district has made no moves to address the issues presented.
I don't think they can buy the teachers off with gifts or trumped up celebrations, which are publicity stunts more than anything else. It will take some genuine changes in approach and in upper administration to restore faith in this district. So that means nothing will happen and teachers will keep leaving, and it's the kids who lose out.
If this is true, then, a freshman could go most of the day and never see a teacher with prior experience? I resent that. Some will be good, but it is not what I would prefer.
Hope those in that MODOT building are proud of themselves now. From McKinley to the high school they have managed to hurt kids. I hope that there will be repercussions eventually for the misdeeds and the poor management.
"I hope that there will be repercussions eventually for the misdeeds and the poor management."
This rarely happens, unless there are indictments and prosecutions in a court of law.
10:02--
I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that the law will step in one of these days for one reason or another. There certainly are no repercussions from the board. Same people in place for next year, so far as anyone can tell. A very bloated budget. Lots of money being wasted.
And the board declares that they will no longer be involved in the day-to-day operations of the district. You're right. There will be no repercussions at the local level.
I am one of those teachers who left the Joplin District. When I first started, I was so proud to be a member of the high school. As the years progressed I became even prouder, until the last five years. It took me a long time to write on here, but the exit of a hundred teachers is huge. I do not understand why the communiy is not outraged.
I have witnessed students cussing, threatening, and intimidating teachers. Administration did nothing except try to convince the teachers to not create a problem. These students were then conferenced with and put back in the classroom.
Students were constantly disruptive, but we were told not to write referrals. If we did, we were in trouble. Eventually teachers gave up. When you have 35 kids in your room with laptops and cellphones, monitoring them was impossible. They skyped, listened to music, watched videos or played games. Of course, this was our fault for not making the lessons exciting or engaging enough. And don't get me started on all the so called professional development to correct our problems with keeping the kids engaged.
The failure rate was huge because kids did not care. They were too busy playing games. We were even told to just give points for showing up everyday, even if they did nothing in class. We were told that they should pass our class with a 50 percent. What happened to the 60 percent? We we sent lists of kids with failing grades and told to get them up. Do you think a student who has missed over fifty days in a semester deserves to pass? Or how about the student who has done nothing?
I have seen teachers cry everyday because of all the inconsistencies. Kids loved going to the office because they were rewarded. They loved ISD because they got to listen to music, watch movies, play games, and not do their work.
What happened? Why were not allowed to teach? I did not go to school to be a babysitter and if I was a parent with a child in our district, I would be concerned.
The discipline issues seem to be the same everywhere, which leads one to conclude that building administrators have been directed to get referrals down. It looks better for the state, you know. It might get the district one or two more points to help squeak through and be accredited another year. Whether or not the kids know anything but technology and careers is not important to admin. And no one at the MODOT building gives a rip how it affects the teachers. If they did, there would have been acknowledgement of the problems and corrections made. Instead they plan some foolish party to kick off the year. We were smart to leave. At least we'll be spared that activity. I wonder who is footing the bill for it? More wasted money on things that won't help kids learn. Nothing has changed.
What is this "foolish party" that you mention? Opening day? What is there to celebrate?
The word is that there will be a district "meeting" on August 8 for a big announcement or for a celebration of some kind. Why it cannot wait until August 14 when teachers are already a captive audience, I cannot say. Perhaps CJ lined up an expensive speaker on that very expensive trip for 27 nonteaching Joplin staff to Washington, DC, a few weeks ago. Since it is not contract time, and since many teachers don't exactly feel like partying with the brass, I'm not sure how they would make anyone attend. Can teachers be forced to be publicity props on their own time? I don't think so.
Neosho schools will have 40 gift bags from the chamber for new teachers.
Me thinks a few angry teachers in Joplin protesteth too much. Like sheep, they are following the likes of Randy Turner.
As small as Neosho is, that doesn't say much for them. And unless you have walked in the shoes of Joplin teachers, don't judge them. They have a right to their opinions, and those opinions can be backed up with facts and data. They have reason to protest.
I haven't seen any facts or data in this discussion -- just a bunch of rumor and innuendo. The only specific number I have seen discussed is the "100 teachers fired or quit," and that has been proven false. Some real reporting (not from anonymous disgruntled teachers) with facts and sources would probably help this story get traction (if there is a story).
4:29, how do you see the 100+ teachers fired or quit having been proven false?
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