Sunday, November 17, 2013

Editor's File: Schools' road to change will be rough | SouthCoastToday.com




"This editorial was designed to scare teachers away from the meeting." - a member

"Fear of change? Abuse and change are not the same."  - a member

"Teaching is tough. It’s not supposed to be masochistic." - a member

"Bob Unger completely ignored the human suffering that is going in our schools under Pia Durkin." - a member

"You don't improve education by demoralizing the people who have to do the work every." -  Diane Ravitch




23 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is another reason why people who support teachers should not buy that paper. They are already on they verge of failure so let's all do our part and put them out of their misery.

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty sure I've "seen anonymous" sources in the S-T before. Seems that we don't have any consistency on whether those can be used (they are used routinely in journalism). Only consistency I see is whether it's okay to use anonymous sources when they don't agree with the editor's personal opinion.

Anonymous said...

Until the violence stops and discipline is restored the high school has no chance of success. Pretending it doesn't exist eliminates the administration's credibility amongst staff and students alike. Shame on any administrator past or present for not doing what's right. You are also part of the problem.

Anonymous said...

If there are hundreds of cars at our general meeting then we will make a true statement. If anyone is targeted by administration for attending this meeting they will have many options available for filing a lawsuit against the city and Pia personally. I want to see Pia or the city of New Bedford defend against dozens of wrongful termination lawsuits and try to find the millions needed to settle. You target someone for being in a union then expect to lose in court, that harassment is both un-American and illegal.

Anonymous said...

How bout the HR supt violating employees 504 plans? Wait til those lawsuits come out . Good job Mr. Mayor and School Committe for not doing any background checks YET again

Anonymous said...

Are other supporters allowed to attend this meeting or is it only for teachers?

Anonymous said...

Mmmm teachers taken out in wheel chairs? Spleens busted< Sped teachers walking out? Janitors leaving? Seems like rigor is really working . God i REMEMBER the STRIKE DAYS years ago Let s go for it We made a DIFFERNCE

Anonymous said...

Anyone who doesn't attend this meeting out of fear of reprisal...well, they just deserve what they get!

Anonymous said...

"The fact that nothing has happened to you YET is NOT a reason to not attend this meeting." Except for work overload, some of us have very little to complain about. We have administrators who are caring and intelligent. They care about our well being as educators and as people, and understand that we need the support and trust of our leaders. I wish All administrators understood this idea! However we may feel about our working conditions, we must support our colleagues working in schools with administrators that are less than.

Anonymous said...

If we don't stand up for each other, nobody will!

Anonymous said...

Bob Unger, in his usual fashion, never mentioned anything, once again, about the main problems in our schools which are the students lack of interest, poor attendance, tardiness to school, refusing to do the work and homework, poor behavior, and blaming everyone else for their poor grades and that people are picking on them. Why didn't he mention in his article that some of the parents just don't care about their child's education?

When will Bob Unger give up a day to go and sub in the high school to see what the teachers there are dealing with daily? Let him experience what the rest of us go through every day.

Anonymous said...

I thought Mr. Unger's piece was interesting, and possibly different from many that may write to this blog.
I thought it started clumsily and found its pace midway through the article, but then again lost its shine a bit at the end.
So let me start at the end first. To say that the new superintendent "must" recognize in seeking allies is a fundamental trait required in the profession we are in. In all fairness it is fundamental in any profession unless you consider yourself a "short-termer" which by the way she is. It is embarrassing to even articulate or mention at $180,000 per year, the top salary in the city, that this must occur. She of all people should know the best way to influence people and get results is to listen first, comprehend, reflect, engage in meaningful discussion, and speak in one voice secondarily. It's honey not hemlock that works. Lord knows there is enough data and research on this topic. For someone so tied into research and data why hasn't an effort to show humility, and an understanding of our school culture, and positive reinforcement been so difficult. Why has it been data, data, data to build teacher and student confidence in learning for the future.
I'm telling you from all the testing that we are doing, 70 percent or higher of the student population could careless about testing. And why, because history has shown that the vast majority will pass anyway, whether or not they pass exams. Ask a student the last time he or she has studied for an exam. They will tell you they don't!
If I were the superintendent I would be passing out flyers December 13 in the NBHS parking lot which say "give me a second chance to get it right." Show some compassion, humility, and eagerness to work with teachers to move this district forward. Your current strategy, although I believe you have cooled a bit, has not and will not work, for teacher or students.
Having a union meeting so early in your tenure shows intellectual ignorance and arrogance on the superintendents behalf, and a positions of backs to the wall on the teacher's side. Why! This behavior leading up to this point is counter productive and makes absolutely no sense at all.
Has the bull in a china shop worked in your last positions? Given what I read the answer is a resounding no, but you still land on your feet.
So here in New Bedford, a city with no other means, or so the political groups believe is where you'll end your career. The end of the road, but one last attempt to prove that your way is the right. Well, history has prove it is not the right way as you have been dismissed one way or another in other districts.
It is time to show you can change, and change our district from a negative hell hole to a district where teachers and students are eager to come to school and succeed.

Anonymous said...

What needs to be addressed here is the fact that little kids in Kindergarten are hating school. They have no fun, it's rigor, rigor, rigor. We are turning these kids off at such a young age what makes these so called experts think a child will want to finish school if they are being taught for a test and everything is about test scores. I went to school when it was fun, and the teachers taught us social skills and we learned about current events, now we can't deviate from the schedules we are given so how are we creating well rounded individuals. I am a professional, I went to college and I consider myself a pretty successful person and I was taught without Rigor !!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...



The atmosphere at the schools are at rock bottom,don't think there. Is one school that hasn't been affected by this reign of terror.

Anonymous said...

I have spoken to people who are willing to come to the meeting on December 13 to show their support of the teachers, some of whom are retired educators or people who have left NBPS. Not for happy reasons.
As for Mr. Unger's piece, teachers are not afraid of change, only when that change is for the worst; and this is the worst year NBHS has seen in a very, very long time.

Anonymous said...

Not just nbhs but also the elementary schools where children are taught in a robotic manner and teachers are pushed to the limit with stupid things like mastery objectives written for college students and principals who think this is just fine.

Anonymous said...

Is it TRUE that a veteran teacher at the high school was recently assaulted and beaten by a group of her own students, IN THE MIDDLE OF CLASS?

Is it also true that this teacher was asked WHAT SHE DID to incite that violence?

How long until the middle schools and the elementary schools also "trickle down" with similar acts of violence against dedicated teachers?

How long before someone is killed, and the public can wring its hands and say "we had no idea things were this bad"?

WHY is this story not being printed above the fold in the S-T; WHY is it not broadcast on WBSM, Channel 6 News, CNN?

How on God's green earth can anyone turn a blind eye to this level of violence or try to blame the victim?

I have always loved my job--it's part of me, part of who I am as a human being; but the day I live IN FEAR of my safety will be my FINAL day as a teacher. Someone explain what is being done about this, please?

Anonymous said...

I couldn't believe last night when Durkin said that only 2 teachers have been assaulted this school year, one by a 6 years old! She also said that if a teacher get injured trying to break up a fight between students that this is not an assault on the teacher. This is CRAP!!!!

My advice to everyone is if you see a fight CALL the office and have the principal, asst. principal, housemaster, asst. housemaster, SRO or whatever administrator is in charge of your school handle the situation. Your well being is and should be the most important thing to you. Some teacher is going to get seriously injured trying to stop these violent acts. It is just not worth it.

Anonymous said...

has anyone wrote the standard times about these attacks and treatment. if these acts are indeed happening it needs to be broadcast through mainstream media and not this blog.
have police reports been filed?
surely the police and fire departments must have some inclusion in these matters that will no doubt reinforce the seriousness of these matters.

Anonymous said...

I suggest we all submit letters to the editor over and over again. Maybe at some point the powers that be in this city will wake up and realize what's going on. Maybe someone at the Standard Times will actually investigate what is going on instead of creating the illusion that all is well.

Anonymous said...

Bob, when are you going to give up a day at the S-T and sub at the high school or Normandin? Your next column, if you care to sub, should be an eye opener to the readers of the newspaper.

Anonymous said...

Good point about subbing. That would have been a great 'under cover' assignment years ago, when journalists really tried to get to the bottom of a story.

Anonymous said...

Pia can thank the city of New Bedford for padding up her pension.Attleboro was smart enough not to do it