Blaming teachers will not create the climate for positive change ... By Theresa Lawless

This is a letter that I sent to the Standard Times. I don't think they are going to publish it--it's been a few weeks. 

Just want you all to know I am trying to support you and now that I am retired I feel free to sign my name unlike those of you who are still working in the climate of fear that exists I am a recently retired New Bedford teacher as well as a parent whose children attended New Bedford schools and continued on to be successful in college and the job market. I feel I must respond to the plethora of letters regarding the actions of the NBEA.

First I would like to thank Henry Bousquet for his support of teachers. 

For several years teachers have been bashed in this newspaper and on local radio by people who are not at all familiar with what happens in the schools daily.

Teachers have been blamed for lack of student progress and a high drop-out rate. Unfortunately, there are many causes for these problems which are absolutely out of the control of teachers.

Attendance issues have plagued the schools. Many students are habitually tardy, absent or dismissed early by parents for appointments. In recent years, the courts have declined to act on the cases of truancy that have been brought before them. Students who do not have good attendance miss the material presented and also learn that school is not a priority. There is a policy that states that students who miss more than ten days in a school year will repeat the year. This policy has not been enforced by administration. How are teachers to be held responsible for that?

Behavioral issues also impede student progress. These issues not only impact the students who misbehave but they cause the students who are ready and willing to learn, to lose educational time when teachers must repeatedly stop class to deal with these disruptions. There is now a policy to reduce the number of conduct cards and suspensions. Wonderful goal! However, there must be some consequences for disruptive and disrespectful and even dangerous behaviors.

Class size is also an issue. Some primary classes have thirty students with one teacher. It is difficult if not impossible to provide individual attention with these numbers. At the High School with the closure of one house the result is also some seriously overcrowded classes. High performing students will still succeed under these conditions but the struggling students—the very ones likely to drop-out—will not be so lucky.

The schools have now adopted the Common Core Curriculum. Many teachers do not have the materials needed to teach what is required. Teachers are now responsible for researching and providing the needed materials. This is costing time and money for the teachers.

The union proposed boycott may seem extreme but teachers have felt they have not been listened to or given input into proposals for the “turn around”. This is what the union felt was needed to get everyone’s attention.

I worked at Carlos Pacheco School which was one of the first to be declared underperforming. Principal Marcia Faucher was able to bring that school up to a level one school. She created a team by including all stakeholders. Teachers, students and parents were held to high standards.

We did not succeed in a climate of blame and intimidation. We succeeded because we were supported, listened to and made to feel “we can!” Blaming teachers will not create the climate for positive change. Treating them as the experts they are in what needs to be done will.

Theresa Lawless