Monday, December 23, 2013
Mr. Unger: So why do I do it? It's personal....submitted by a member
I would like to address Mr. Unger's comment about the cowardliness of bloggers signing anonymously. The statement alone demonstrates how out of touch he and the ST are with regards to the culture and relationships between the mayor, SC, administrators and teachers within our system.
When I first read the comment I thought he may have been joking to some extent, but then quickly realize he was serious.
Everyday teachers and administrators enter buildings where a fatal fate could await or evolve. We shield students from other students, and attackers should they exist. We are consistently defending our character from students who attempt to shred every piece of respect and empathy we have spent a lifetime to establish.
My classroom has such a dysfunctional mix of students that anything could happen at any time. Has it stopped me from giving my best everyday? No. Does my family worry about my health and welfare? Yes, Everyday.
So why do I do it? It's personal. Few people will understand the depth of commitment I have to these children, so I keep it to myself.
How much longer will I do it? Not much. A person can only give so much without ultimately being called a fool by those who once respected him.
People with affluence donate money to help people and children. People without money donate time, and for those of us that get paid for helping others, we are fortunate.
But there come a point where things that once made sense, now, makes no sense at all. And that is where we are in this education debacle, here in our city.
Professionals are no longer treating professionals like professionals. Empathy is non-existent.
There are so many ways we as caretakers of our city can make strides, but this path we are on is not.
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18 comments:
Unger has a corporation obligated to pay lawyers in perpetuity for anything he writes. And yet he portrays himself as braver than a young teacher whose job is on the line when that teacher is careful to post anonymously?
We sign anonymously in fear of our jobs and becoming a target of some of the higher-ups. It doesn't seem fair that we feel we need to do this, as professional adults, but that is reality!
Isn't part of the Ed. Reform movement, by design, to create fear, doubt and hopelessness in those of us that have called this profession our life for so many years? Mr. Unger could do some research or someone from the ST should. Their skewed reporting only supports one side. Who pays their salary? Obviously, they do not fear for their jobs by publishing their name to the one sided reporting they do. I have yet to see any reporting done in a balanced way. I look forward to reading one report that includes information which includes all current views of what is happening to public education in our city. I will not hold my breath, because the ST supports only one side to this debate over what is best for our children. It is perfectly clear which side that is. Unfortunately, anyone depending on our city's newspaper for true reporting will be left in the dark.
The newspaper uses anonymous sources all the time. Unger even wrote about how important it was a year ago, saying it made all the difference to good reporting on sensitive issues.
He's a hypocrite.
I sign anonymously because, despite my adequate evaluations and endless effort at rigor, I am fearful that I will be somehow targeted for more punishment if I go against my oppressor. I am anonymous because I have a child in college and I couldn't bear to tell her she can't go anymore. I am anonymous because my wife wouldn't be able to pay the mortgage if I am retaliated against. You be in my shoes for a minute and say honestly you wouldn't be afraid either. It isn't about courage Unger...it is now just about survival.
I don't know why Mr. Unger is annoyed that individuals are signing the many post "anonymous."
How many times has the S-T or other newspapers received information for news articles from anonymous tips? Guess it OK for the newspaper!
What about the anonymous tip-lines for police departments from callers calling in crimes? Mr. Unger does that bother you?
If my memory serves me correctly, haven't reporters been summoned to court to reveal the anonymous source for various trials? I believe one Boston TV newscaster served some time for refusing to disclose the name of their source. Guess it's a different story when it fall on the news outlets.
how many are on stress medication?
Retaliation is very prominent in our schools.it happens all the time.its going on right now..
How does this Bozo Unger have a job? Talk about being out of touch with reality. I no longer subscribe to the ST rag.
I write as anonymous Unger, for not fear of retaliation against myself, as you see Unger, I have taught in NB for 35years and am at the magical 80% mark for my pension, which means I could leave tomorrow if I so desire. I write in fear of the program in which I serve. I have seen it cut and close to decimated a number of times in my tenure. I know all to well from many years of experience here in NB through many administrations what it is like to have a target on your back, and again I don’t personally, but for the program. I have seen well over 5,000 students pass through my doors over the last 35 years. My colleagues share equal numbers as well. That should speak to the validity of the program all by itself. It is a program that develops a child in so many ways to lengthy to list here. A program that the city will use at its will when it wants to display pride but then threatens to cast a way the moment the budget becomes a concern. You see, Unger and I will not address you as Mr. because you have not shown mutual respect to myself or my colleagues in your writings, I feel almost embarrassed that I will not identify myself or program for concern of reprisal to my program. I could go on for days, but Unger before you cast another stone please walk a mile in any NB teacher shoes.
Mr. Unger, are you getting the message that you are viewing the situation threw only one set of eyes, and that you need to step back a bit.
To my 35 year colleague; great post.
I love my job at New Bedford High School. It's a constantly changing challenge in which teachers tend to the needs of students who excel to those who continuously create disruption. NBHS is not an easy place to work and yet their are teachers who continue to give their lives to this school. The greatest blessing is when a student returns after graduation and says "thank you". I think that the people who support this change have forgotten the human factor. That there is the whole,NBHS which is made up of very many unique parts-students and staff. Education is about giving our children the opportunity to move forward in life but they most also learn accountability, that's probably one of the more important aspects of education and some learn that lesson more than others. Education is about people not data and probability. It's about the human connection!
Mr. Unger, let's put this in another perspective.
As a wonderful gesture, you purchase tickets to a performance you and your wife have been wanting to see for some time. And as luck would have it, it's coming to the Z.
Almost immediately from various locations in the audience, hecklers begin to annoy you and other interested ticket holders. To your dismay the commotion continues, and shows no chance of letting up. Now the performers are being affected and can no longer continue with any consistency or fluency. But as we all know, the show must go on.
Throw all hecklers out you say? Well, they are ticket holders just like you. You are told they can't be thrown out because there are too many liabilities to tossing paying customers out. Bad for business.
So what are the options? If we follow the path of our current thinking about our educators, the answer would be to throw out the performers; get the bums out, and get some new ones in.
I ask you, does this make sense?
There are other options, don't you think? Focus on the real problems, and the options and answers become clearer.
If I have ever heard a better analogy, about ANYTHING, I just can't recall. Hope Unger reads this and really gives it some thought because this paints a very good picture of the state of affairs before us! Excellent post!
Mayor Mitchell, the School Committee, and Superintendent ( using her name makes me feel sick) are going to lose some of the country's best teachers. What will happen when the new "crop" of teachers take over at the High School? Nothing will change and I think things will get worse. I can only say that it makes me sad to read the comments on this blog - I am sad for the teachers, most of whom care and work hard, the students who really want to learn, and the parents who send their kids to school daily ready to learn. Who wins here? I guess it will be the ones who go to school only to make trouble and harass their classmates and teachers. And Bob Unger should stay off the NBEA blog if he is so offended by its anonymity!
I am at the end of my rope with this city and the continued lack of respect for its teachers. I have worked in several other school districts and have never seen anything like this. I go in every day like all of my fellow teachers and give my heart and soul to my students in hopes that one day they will look make and know that I made a difference. With all of the "experts" in New Bedford blaming the teachers, firing half the High School staff...has ONE of them ever even volunteered to sub? I believe the mayor stated he wasn't qualified. I believe he is. I live for the day when the superintendent and the mayor sub for 2 to 3 days to get a real flavor of how life is in these schools..but we all know it will never happen. I am giving serious thought to moving on. I am not a quitter, just a realist.
I believe the Sub-Standard was recently bought by the Venture Capital Group Fortress Investments LLC. Does anyone have the contact info for them? Venture capital companys are usally interested in one thing. (Profits) Maybe it is time to let them know why the subscription rate for their new aquisition is circling the bowl.
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