Thank you Mr. Lang. Wish you were still in charge ... Submitted to NBEA

Punishing teachers that take on the tough job of working in the Inner City is shameful.

Anyone that believes students in poor communities are given the same resources to succeed as students in wealthier communities is either dishonest or a dumba**. Many students in rich towns have smaller classrooms, better technology, and go home to house with parents that are interested and engaged in their child's success. What do we get in New Bedford, giant classes, old technology, not even enough paper, and unfortunately many of our students go home to a house that does not have a parent that is able or willing to help that child succeed.....the parent may have a 2nd job, work the night shift, not speak English, not care, have addiction problems, or just not be around. People can keep pretending that these aren't real issues, but they are being dishonest. 

Just like Lou said at the rally, New Bedford is really dealing with a poverty issue. 

How can you remove half of the city's high school teachers and think this is a positive solution. Now, New Bedford teachers at the Elementary and Middle Schools are scared as hell that the mass firings at the high school will be coming their way next. Many teachers have already transferred and resigned, others have updated their resumes, while even more have already applied to work in another district next year. Where are you going to find hundreds of new and certified teachers ready to teach in a challenging place like New Bedford? You are also scaring the best and brightest from ever applying to work here. If this nonsense was in the news when I started in the system over a decade ago I never would have applied to teach here. Why would anyone? There are jobs everywhere. The economy is rebounding. Nearly every single teacher that was laid off in New Bedford last year found a new teaching job within a few weeks.

This damage will take years to undo, most people won't stick around to find out how it ends...they will leave and be better off doing so. What a shame.