Dear Unit A Members:
On December 13, 2013, NBEA held a meeting to discuss the pervasive problems
plaguing our school system. Some of the topics discussed at this meeting
included reports from our members regarding the following:
· Micromanagement by administration
· Open contract violations by administrators
· Numerous teacher termination hearings
· Multiple teacher suspensions
· Unrealistic goals developed by administrators
· Educator evaluations that are being used as punitive rather than
constructive tools for professional development
· Significant increase in number and variability of grievances
brought to the union
· Notably increased assaults on educators by students without
adequate recrimination
· Reports of long term emotional distress among our members resulting in
increased referrals to the Employee Assistance Program and area physicians
As a result of this meeting, a District Climate Task Force was created to
summarize member concerns and present them to the Superintendent. This process
was conducted over several meetings and the Task Force ultimately submitted
these issues in writing and requested a written response to each from Dr.
Durkin. Members received an e-mail copy of the concerns and the
Superintendent’s responses on April 1.
More recently, one of our members at the high school was assaulted by a student
who threw a chair across her desk, nearly missing her. This incident was
captured on cell phone video and subsequently posted on the internet. The
student was reprimanded appropriately (arrested) only after the video was made
public. This same teacher is now facing disciplinary action and possible
termination from her teaching position.
As a direct result of recent events, we feel it is imperative to meet
collectively to determine if our concerns, particularly assaults, were
reasonably and fairly addressed by the administration.
The General Meeting will take place on Friday, May 2, at 3:15 P.M. in the Keith
Middle School Auditorium. Unit A Members may enter the auditorium as early as
2:30 P.M.
We encourage all members to re-read the responses sent to the NBEA by Dr. Durkin
prior to attending the meeting. It is our hope to have an open discussion to
determine the effectiveness of Dr. Durkin’s plan to decrease the “climate of
fear” that remains prevalent at all levels of the NBPS.
The Board of Directors and Faculty Representatives implore every member,
system-wide, to participate on Friday, May 2nd. Once again, your attendance at
this meeting is critical, because our solidarity and the strength of our
collective voice are the most powerful tools we have at our disposal to instill
change.
In unity there is strength.
Very Truly Yours,
Board of Directors
New Bedford Educators Association
21 comments:
Come as you are---or are we wearing a certain color? If retirees are not allowed inside, how about an outdoor visibility for those appalled at the dismantling of our public schools?
Durkin's first year has been filled with controversy. This is an indication that if something is not done immediately, we can expect more of the worst. These practices are detrimental and someone must be held accountable. Nothing positive occurred for the teachers or the students. We all lost a full year of productive teaching and learning. We DREAD year two...
Lou, do we have to fear additional retaliation from the superintendent for showing our solidarity or voicing our concerns?
Now is the time to form the brother/sisterhood of teachers. The police have it. Firefighters have it. They have each other to rely upon and stand united. Let us stand together by attending the meeting with a huge turnout. There was a good turnout for the December meeting but I know I myself heard way too many excused from coworkers of why they could not attend. We need to examine all of our options and rid our schools of the people who are working against teachers. You need to be there.
Since our last meeting, Dr. Durkin has succeeded in further dividing our teachers. Self-preservation has taken over. This is destructive to all. The heart of a teacher must feel how wrong this is.
Durkin can only survive surrounded by the submissive. She is trying to break us. We need to conduct our own full-fledged investigation on superintendent, mayor, kulak, school committee, and commissioner of education. What is the deal with their "hugh-stakes" relationship? This is big and bad. Too many political secrets. We want a forensic audit of the budget, too.
Here is the name of a great Federal Hill lawyer: Anthony Caprio. Call him individually and collectively.
Documentation needed for portfolio. All media articles and statements of response.
Many SPED and MCAS laws were violated or broken. Some were directly reported to Larkin, but nothing was ever done. I want to know how, if any, were reported to the state. Testing conditions were horrible this year.
How about New Bedford Strong t-shirts for the meeting.
There certainly better at least be a Vote of No Confidence this time! If nothing else, it will show that we have all been more than fair and have had enough!!!!!
Let's take a poll right here. Who will attend the meeting and take the vote?
I think we should have "elephant" tee-shirts made up with "PIA" embedded in them to represent the "elephant in the room". This is the issue Dr. Durkin continually ignores by blaming teachers for the lack of learning in our diseased district.
I hope every union steward in every building has been told to get out the vote! The last meeting was well represented by HS folks, not so much by others as far as I could tell.
As I remember it HS was the minority in attendance, and I am a HS teacher. Hope the HS has better representation this time. The whole district should be there, period!
I will attend and take the vote!
You must be joking. The elementary teachers have been showing up for everything. Where were the high school teachers at the rally or the vigil? Be careful what you say here.
I am a faculty rep and it is well known within the NBEA leadership that it has been the elementary teachers that were the largest representatives at the Dec. meeting, the rally and the school committee demonstration. HS teachers need to do their part.
As a middle school teacher, I hope we are well represented. It was embarrassing last time. It is time to come together!
I believe the retirees will go and show support, but most of the teachers being forced to retire early or being "laid off" have had enough and just want TO GET OUT OF NB. . . . . .May 2 meeting or not! Their sanity has been compromised with this ridiculous superintendent, mayor, school committee, and ST. They have had to show up and teach every day with their mind on other things--their future, where will the next job be etc. Some teachers who still have their jobs in September are scared (will make up an excuse) to go for fear of retaliation--someone might see them walking in, etc. The superintendent will get what she wants--divide and conquer the teachers. I wish you luck with the attendance; you are going to need it!
Any teacher who doesn't make an honest effort to show must be cut from the same cloth as Dr. Dickin, no heart & no sole! Let her put Toto in her basket and ride off into the distance, the long and stormy distance.
The underlying theme is that Durkin is vindictive and will continue to exact revenge on anyone who disagrees with, or she feels crosses her. She is a very sick woman who derives pleasure from hurting others. My stomach churns thinking about the student rape crime Durkin tried to cover up to protect her reputation. She is a danger to society, yet favorable to mayor, SC, and ST. What a travesty. Parents have a right to know who this woman really is and what she is capable of.
___________________________________
What you allow is what will continue.
To the blogger who stated "teachers who still have their jobs in Septmber are scared" ... Shame on you ... You are not a police officer, fire fighter or member of the armed forces and as such you should not be scared to go to work. If you are scared it can only be for two reasons; both of which are completely unacceptable. You are afraid to be physically harmed by your students because of the lack of behavioral/discipline support from administration or you are scared your job which, has been contractually negotiated, can be revoked at the whim of a "bully". Regardless which one of the two reasons best describes you ...remaining complacent in an attempt to fly under the radar will not resolve the problem. Ye of little faith ... Come into the light where your union colleagues will embrace and protect you. Fear is not an option in this profession!! United we stand!
Post a Comment