The United Interfaith Action (UIA), a group affiliated with the Education Roundtable, is pushing for the creation of six small, autonomous schools, two of which would be created as early as September 2013. The New Bedford Educators Association supports small schools, but why do the small schools UIA proposes have to be autonomous?
In this school model, autonomy would be exercised in six areas: budget, staffing, curriculum, professional development, district policies and schedules. Teachers would still be a part of the union, but they would have few contractual rights. Principals would be able to hire and fire staff without the approval of the superintendent and could lengthen the school day, the week and the school year at will; district policies would not apply them. The principal would be the ultimate authority with few if any checks and balances.
There is no doubt that many of the decisions made at these schools would have an impact on the rest of the district’s schools and we cannot support an initiative that provides special treatment to a small number of schools while disrupting the rest of our schools.
Since these schools would make their own policies, students who don’t conform to the behavior or educational standards of the school could be counseled out and be sent back to other schools in the district, just like the charter schools do now. Similarly, students who drop out of the autonomous school would most likely be sent back to other public schools in New Bedford.
To maintain the small class sizes the autonomous schools promise, the classes in other district schools would have to absorb any overflow of students.
It is our belief that these schools would siphon money from the district’s budget, much like charter schools do now. Their budgets would be secure and well maintained while the rest of the district would have to spread its financial resources even thinner while trying to maintain its educational standards.
Ultimately, as proposed, there is little difference between a charter school and a small autonomous school under the state’s Innovation School model. In fact, this proposal is nothing more then a Trojan Horse that would introduce six quasi-charter schools, create a two-tiered education system for our students, reduce collective bargaining for teachers involved, and diminish the role of the union.
NBEA cannot and will not support the UIA Autonomous Schools proposal.
38 comments:
The UIA should not be trying to bust the teachers union.
Rene Ledbetter said these schools should be implemented because students will "get one on one attention."
On graduation rate gains, the Standard Times says "improvements notwithstanding, New Bedford's rate of 56 percent leaves vast room for improvement." So, except for the improvements, we really should expect to see improvement.
Perhaps some of the well-off "experts" and "professionals" on the UIA would be interested in donating some of their own time and resources to funding these autonomous indepedent schools. After all, indepedence also means self-supporting, doesn't it. I believe it's called "putting your money where your mouth is."
I agree with the last poster. Well said! It's about time they ante up! I spend hundreds out of my own pocket on my classroom and students every year providing what the district fails to do.
The U.I.A. is completely out of touch with education in NB.If they want to solve the problems we have in NB, they can forget autonomous schools and deal with the real problems, i.e. attendance, tardiness, discipline, and the utter lack of technology at N.B.H.S.!
Well put.
Ridiculous!
I wish members of our community would be more willing to assist our public schools and not try to separate us. What will this accomplish?
In my opinion the biggest problem we have now is 1-Term Mitchell. He says he has an open mind but that clearly isn't so. Watch the school committee meetings of that took place this month and you'll see what I mean. He clearly wants to fire the superintendent so he can hire a Portia bonner clone.
He already forced Mary Anne de Souza into retirement and now he's going after Francis. He is ruthless.
When he's done with Francis the union will be next.
We don't need 10 autonmous schools to rob the overall school department budget and force the 95%of the kids not "selected" to attend school every day in even larger classes with even less resources. This district and our union should support 1 new school...and that new school would be a real alternative school. If there was 1 real alternative school that could accomodate the true number of students that need this type of setting then every student and teacher in the district would be infinitely better served. There is nothing wrong with the teachers in our current alternative schools, they can not help the fact that each Middle School only gets "3" slots for students. So, a middle school with 1,000 students can only send 3 of the chronically disruptive kids to an alternative program. Forcing the remaining students and staff to suffer with the dozens of other kids that do not belong in the mainstream classroom but would instead benefit from a structured setting. These limitations are leading to administrators ignoring nearly every serious disruption to the learning day unless a weapon is involved. We have kids running up and down the halls, screaming, hitting each other, ignoring teachers and running the schools. The kids know the teachers won't be backed up by adminstration, and even if there was an administrator willing to discipline a child they are unable because of the laughable limitations placed on the number of students that can be sent to our alternative schools. 3/10ths of 1% is not an honest response to the discipline problems in our schools.
Autonomous schools are not the answer. I speak as a staff member at Normandin. More freedom for Bonneau to demonize teachers? Ugh. The student behavior at this school is so out of control that the answer is becoming clearer to everyone. Get rid of Bonneau and establish a real alternative school for the students who won't or don't want to learn and are intent on disrupting the educational progress of those who do. Change leadership at the school! Only good things will follow.
Mayor Mitchell has no clue as to how much harm he's doing to new bedford schools.
You've got to give credit to the roundtable for running one-term for mayor. It was the best kept secret nb. Now they can break down the system from within.
FFP JM has run School Committees as court trials, asking for "evidence", talking about people "testifying" and calling the committee meeting a "hearing". What does that tell YOU?
It seems as if the community should be made aware that the PARENTS in our community have failed to become invested - TRULY INVESTED - in their childrens' education. Twice per year, NBHS holds an open house. MOST parents fail to attend. MOST parents fail to make contact or even learn their students' teacher's names. It is shocking. Parents in our community have a hands-off approach when it comes to education - and our hard-working teachers get all the blame. Further, it is worth noting that most teachers I know spend HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS on classroom supplies, books, technology, and pedagogical resources to enhance teaching and learning, yet these same teachers get vilified by the community members whose children benefit from these supplies and from the teachers' hard work. Until our community checks itself and recognizes that its teachers are doing the best they can with what they've got, that they literally give their students everything from FOOD to CLOTHING to EXTRA CURRICULAR FUNDING to COLLEGE APPLICATION FEE FUNDING to TIME to COUNSELING to TEACHING to COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING, AND LOVE, we will continue to talk in circles as a community. It's hihg time we changed our view of this community's teachers, and let the PARENTS start demonstrating some resposibility for their kids.
Agree on the point about the need for a real alternative school. Normandin is a mess. Partly because Bonneau refuses to handle discipline. Partly because there is no place to send the disruptive kids who create an educational nightmare for the students who are there to learn. Everyone is saying morale has never been so low.
It's not just an educational mess at Normandin. The school is unsafe, for the staff and students. THE ADMINISTRATION MUST GO!!!
Does Dr. Francis know about the problems at Normandin? I realize she and Bonneau go way back, but this is ridiculous. I have friends who teach there and they say the same thing about low morale. No to autonomous schools. Yes to real schools where learning takes place and the administrators support the teachers.
Normandin. What's not to like? Discipline is out of control. Well, I know, we could address it during our staff meetings. No, no, silly, instead we have a different insurance agent speak to us at every staff meeting. When he is done, we move on to the very important topic of convincing our 14 year-old students to begin collecting box tops. Let's not forget to congratulate the school basketball team, coincidentally their may be a nepotistic motivation for always finding a reason to bring them up, but Mamma Bonneau wouldn't do that. I know, we could just simply address discipline issues as we see them occur in the halls, stairwell, and classroom. Silly optimist, don't you know the teachers will then be questioned as to why they believe this innocent student violated any rules. "Why do you think your teacher said you did this...do you think your teacher has a problem with you...and has been targeting you?" This happens every day on every floor, with the marching orders of Dr. Bonneau paving our path to success. It is to the point where teachers don't even want to bother with addressing terrible behavior they witness because they know ultimately they will have to explain why they are "picking" on the student who could not have possibly done what was reported.
Yes, Dr. Francis does know about the serious leadership problems at Normandin. Whether she has the wisdom to do something about it is another matter.
As teachers, particularly at this time of year, we worry about the students who have given up, thinking that they will never pass. At Normandin, as the previous commenter attests, teachers are giving up, recognizing that Bonneau will never stand with them. Box tops can't fix that school. There is only one real option. Is anyone listening?
When I tell teacher friends around the city and in other districts about Bonneau, they can't believe it. Why is she still around, they ask. I don't have a good answer. If it was a matter of one or a few unhappy teachers, then I'd say it's just a personality conflict. But so many people are unhappy. School is supposed to be a place of personal growth. Normandin is now an ugly place. Every day, during the morning announcements, Bonneau tells students to enjoy their day of learning and caring. Neither exists there.
I'd love someone to come and observe the halls, stairwell, and cafeteria during any of the lunch shifts. Kids tackling each other, screaming at teachers, and just endless chaos. Tumbleweed rolls by where administrators once stood. The only things missing during this circus are juggling clowns and a bearded lady; scratch that, just send in the clowns.
To the last post: Are talking about normandin or roosevelt?
Apologies, Normandin is home to the tackling and tumbleweed.
You know those parents who blame the teacher when their kids get bad grades? Won't work in class, do the homework, constantly disrupt other students? Doesn't matter. Teacher's fault. That's how Bonneau feels too. Dr. Francis, make the change. The students and staff can't take this much longer.
It used to be that Keith had the discipline problems and Normandin was the easier place to work and learn. What a complete reversal!
So disgusted with Mayor Mitchell... I wish I could turn back the clock and not help his campaign, nor vote for him. I didn't want to beleive it, but he is a Trojan Horse. He and others forget, we don't just shop and dine in NB. Be carfeul what you say in public places!
For all you people who elected Mitchell, now deal with his wrath. Tony Cabral was an former educator and he would listen to us and help us because he values education and educators!!!!!!
It is sad to read so many negative comments. As a teacher I am so confused it seems that there is no solution to help our schools. I welcome any type of change if is going to help our students.
To the person who wrote the last post: You are right. It's both shameful and sad that a group that calls itself a faith based group is trying to bust our union. It is negative but it's the truth but if you can't handle the truth you shouldn't be reading this blog or posting to it.
I hear negative comments all day at Normandin, from teachers and students. Something can be done to fix our school. Replace Bonneau!
To the person that said: "if I can't handle the truth I should not be reading this blog or posting to it" I want to first, apologize if I offended you in anyway. However, I am entitle to my opinion even if you don't agree with what I have to say. "I can handle the truth" I am a teacher just like you that teaches in New Bedford. I am also a parent that has children attending New Bedford Public Schools. I can also tell you that many teachers that work in New Bedford has told me that their children go to private schools because they are afraid to put them in New Bedford schools. So as you can see I am aware of all the issues that are going on in New Bedford Public Schools and still choose to have my children educated in New Bedford. The reason for that is because I believe that there are many dedicated teachers in our district that do a wonderful job. As a parent I hope the our public schools become stronger so our children can continue to get educated. As a teacher I just wish I could do more to help. I am only speaking from my heart and trying to think of a solution instead of pointing fingers.
OK, so here we are to be unpopular and be vilified, but here goes: Besides getting rid of horrible and ineffectual administrators, we need to also get rid of lousy, ineffectual teachers. Sorry to open THAT can of worms, but if you're honest you will have to agree that they are out there and make all our jobs more difficult. (And we all know who they are.) I can't understand why someone that is so obviously unhappy in their job would get up and face it everyday. If I hated "teaching" kids so much, I'd rather bag groceries at Market Basket than have to slog in everyday and be so miserable. There it is, another elephant in the room. (and by the way, you are all spot on with your comments, just something I needed to get off my chest.)
I agree with the last poster. Maybe if we got rid of some of these lazy, ineffectual, miserable teachers, the rest of us wouldn't be so villified!! Thank you for bringing it up because many of us are thinking it. Some of us especially at the high school are getting sick and tired of coming to work every damn day actually trying to make a difference and make this place a better environment to work and learn and these counterproductive teachers and administrator are a part of the problem instead of the solution. You know who you are!! Retire! Change careers! You don't have to go home but you need to get the hell out of our schools!! You don't belong here! You hate children and despise your job. Well guess what? Your job is starting to despise you too! If those in charge just fix what we have, we won't need autonomous schools. There. Now I've kicked the can completely over.
Gee, all this bad rap about the principals at Normandin and Roosevelt makes me appreciate working at Keith with a wonderful principal and assistant principals. I hope administration, school committee,Mayor and superintendent make the right choice by hiring Mr.Peter Sykes as the new principal when Mr.Desrosiers retires. It would keep the continuity and discipline in tact.
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