Saturday, May 24, 2014

C. J. Huff eliminates all part-time elementary literacy teachers

The major initiative this year for Joplin Bright Futures has been the "Reading Matters" program, in which parents are encouraged to build vital reading skills in children aged birth to five years old.

The following is posted on the Bright Futures website:

THE MISSION:

Have books in your home and read to your children 30 minutes a day (1,000 hours) from birth to age 5.
THE RESULT:

Build their vocabulary, help their written expression, expand their imagination, and motivate them to read more. Their school success will dramatically increase.
The road to success starts on day one!


Based on one of his most recent actions, you have to wonder if Joplin R-8 Superintendent C.J. Huff thinks the road to success ends the day children enter kindergarten.

Huff, in one of his steps to manage the district' financial crisis has reportedly eliminated the part-time reading teachers in all of the district's elementary schools for the 2014-2015 school year.

The news of the elimination of these positions comes on the heels of the elimination of clerical workers, custodians, and other classified workers at all district schools, as well as one of the police officers at Joplin High School.

At this point, no mention has been made of eliminating any of the extra layers of administration that have been added since C. J. Huff arrived in the Joplin R-8 School District in 2008, or the layers of administrators-in-training teaching/learning coaches.

The cuts have all come from those on the lower end of the pay scale.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Has anyone noticed how close Mike Landis and CJ stand together at photo ops? Are they dating? Or is he telling him about life in the big house complements of his brother?

Anonymous said...

How does cutting police officers help with security?
How does cutting secretaries make the buildings run more efficiently?
How does cutting building and grounds and custodial staff help with upkeep of all these new buildings?
How does cutting technology people help run all those laptops and ipads?
How does cutting teachers help students learn?

Anonymous said...

Mike Landis is Huff's lap dog and is only concerned with promoting his own image and agenda. He does not care about children or anyone else who can't do something for him.

Anonymous said...

9:19, I noticed you didn't list TLCs. How on earth could education continue on without them?

Anonymous said...

6:04
I just can't believe I left them off?
Without them, how will Huff & Co. know all the naughty things going on in the district?
Without them, how will the teachers fill all their time for meetings?
Without them, how will we all know how bad we are?
Without them, where will we find our next administrators?
Oh! I forgot! We'll be taking care of computers, phone calls, sweeping, mopping and everything else but the TLC's will still be around.
I know! Let's add them to the list of people to mow lawns and fix smart boards.

Anonymous said...

If you have to hire people to keep an eye on everyone and ensure compliance with administration orders...

If even the people who are rule-followers and social start to feel uncomfortable...

...then the problem is likely with the system.

Anonymous said...

CJ Huff could care less about student academic achievement. If he did, he would have corrected his flawed vision at the high school when it appeared that Bessie had called it wrong with the computers. The aggravating thing is that the ones who made the mess are getting to leave. But our kids are stuck here and are the ones who are paying the price. I'm furious this mess has been allowed to happen, and I want it fixed before the next year starts.

NOT ONE MORE YEAR WITH HUFF AND CO.