tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4453432983342577693.post4244397814688924975..comments2023-06-18T02:47:16.376-05:00Comments on Schooling Memphis: Challenge. (Lay-Offs Part II)Watching in Memphishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17334802083614133703noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4453432983342577693.post-66823252366644727112013-06-28T08:05:07.437-05:002013-06-28T08:05:07.437-05:00I'm one of the educators who has been laid off...I'm one of the educators who has been laid off from a central office position. The view from the inside is that the goal of this whole exercise was to encourage as much retirement as possible while keeping as many people in their current places. I certainly understand the desire to make as few changes in leadership as possible. We will be having a new superintendent within the next year and superintendents usually ask top leadership to reapply for their jobs while bringing in some of their own loyalists to take top spots. To have the district suffer major changes for several years in a row doesn't serve the interests of students. I take full responsibility for my departure. I made what I think is a principled decision not to reapply for my job. I just couldn't take orders about academics from a supervisor who has no academic credentials. My supervisor was returned to a high level position despite the fact that she doesn't have the minimum credentials listed on the job description. I did apply for other positions hoping that I would have an opportunity to move to another position but got very few interviews. One of the tragedies of the nationwide educational reform movement is that those who are most vociferous about what is needed to improve education have no education or experience themselves. Even the Teach for America activists have very little training and their experience with classrooms and kids is usually two years, often in elementary classrooms which are very different from middle and high school. When these types begin to pontificate about what is needed the word that jumps unbidden into my head is ingrate. There are people in this world who cared enough about children and education to devote years of their lives and thousands of their dollars just to get qualified to fill out the employment application. Their insights and perceptions are being totally ignored and they are being treated like ignoramuses by arrogant people who are completely clueless. The lay off hurts me less than it hurts many folks. I'm of an age where I can retire with both social security and Tennessee retirement and at least make enough to keep body and soul together. When I went to the transition meeting yesterday, there were about 50 of us learning about our options. I only saw one person who was under the age of 50 and most were not early 50's. I couldn't help but wonder if we didn't have an age discrimination suit. One of the things that is really painful is that those of us who can apply for our state pension are barred from severance pay. Well, actually we are not barred from it but we would have to sacrifice the district health supplement. If we were in a financial position to fully retire we wouldn't be trying to continue working. After years of loyal service to the children of this county, we are rewarded with a kick to the curb -- no sincere thanks, no financial help to make the transition. To add insult to injury, we all know that we are currently paying 3 superintendents -- only 1 of them is actually working. We also know that the district is spending a fortune on Teach for America and other dubious projects. But the district can't afford to throw a bone to those who have been loyal and dedicated. The ingrates should hang their head in shame. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com