Hundreds of city teachers await word of school placements
Hundreds of Baltimore city teachers are awaiting word of whether or not they will set foot in a classroom next year.
On Monday, we ran a story that explained some of the back story of how teachers come to be displaced. The story also explored some of the concerns of the Baltimore Teachers Union regarding the current climate for veteran teachers in the district. "Age discrimination" was referenced, which the district disputed.
A veteran teacher from Patterson High School went out on a limb to share her experience, from receiving an email informing her that she (and 43 others) would not be returning to the school next year, to attending a job fair that resembled "an auction in a sweatshop," according to one school leader who attended.
Patterson is undergoing an internal turnaround after 16 years of failing to meet state standards, and the district said that teachers who were not up to the challenges of Patterson's new structure, would be of better use at another school. The school system raised the point that Patterson not only hadn't made AYP for years, but that students were graduating and couldn't pass basic tests.
While many thought that this was a story about a bunch of veteran teachers complaining about losing their jobs, it was also about how teachers who have dedicated their entire careers to a city school were/are being treated. Moreover, there is a growing concern about the rising number of veteran teachers in the surplus pool every year, which the two recent buyout offers will help trim.
Lots of people have asked about the email that was sent to Patterson teachers, so I have posted it below. It was sent on May 12 at 6:12 p.m. by a staff member in the district's Human Capital office.
"As you are aware, Patterson High School has been identified as a turnaround school, and will implement school-wide strategies to dramatically improve student achievement. As part of this process and the annual budget process, every staff member and position within the school was being carefully considered. Based off of this careful analysis, school leadership has determined that Patterson High School is not the best match for you. As a school district that values mutual consent, you will have ample opportunity, however, to find a position and a school assignment that does maximize what you can offer our students.
In order to facilitate your reassignment, the Office of Human Capital will communicate updates regarding available opportunities for the upcoming school year; therefore, please continue to check your district email account regularly. In addition, we ask that you mark your calendar now for the Voluntary Transfer Fair on Wednesday, May 25. The fair will be an opportunity for you to meet principals, learn of other career opportunities, and help ensure that your placement is successful. This letters serves as automatic registration for the voluntary transfer process; therefore, there is no need for you to register online for the event.
We appreciate everything that you are doing for our students and our communities, and we look forward to working with you over the next few months to ensure that you find an assignment that best fits your needs and skills."
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
Zero-basing is a fairly common practice, especially at turn-around schools.
Posted by: baltimoremom | June 8, 2011 6:58 AM
I wonder what kind of people make up the "leadership team" that decided to displace these teachers? What are their credentials, and how do they know what kind of teacher fits Patterson's needs?
Patterson's plan is to replace tough, seasoned teachers with young, sprightly, jargon-spewing lambs-to-the-slaughter.
I'm sure they watched enough Dangerous Minds and Stand and Deliver to know what they're doing.
Children, raise your hand if you'll be shocked to see zero real improvements to Patterson test scores in five years!
Posted by: President of the World | June 8, 2011 3:02 PM
This doesn't sound like zero basing though.... Zero basing would include starting with a new school administration team as well. Instead it sounds like the administration is remaining in place and they've chosen (in a very impersonal way) to choose which teachers they would like to transfer. Is this how principals are now transferring teachers, or was it done this way only with Patterson?
Posted by: Anonymous | June 8, 2011 3:25 PM
Where in the hell is the union? What happened to years of service with excellent evaluations? How is it that the city(and state) can require years of graduate work, extra degrees and certifications, (with the teacher assuming huge tuition and book bills) and then just when you are highly qualified and experienced , you can be zero based, excessed, etc.There is definitely age(money!) dicrimination at work. How do you excess an excellent more expensive teacher and replace her with a first year. MONEY!!!! I am sick to death of our do-nothing union. While I realize I will still be paying union dues(agency fee), I am officially quiting the union next year. BTW, my job is in place and fine but my school has been turned upside down this spring and there is NO rhme or reason to staffing decisions except principal whim and fiscal decisions. We need to go to court.
Posted by: elisabeth | June 9, 2011 12:35 AM
Where is the union, you ask? I presume that is a rhetorical question as the union is where it always is. Tooting its own horn for negotiating a contract that will be difficult to manage and failing to be vocal about supporting teachers who have worked in the system and done everything right. How about the BTU meeting where Ms. English was asked to state plain answers about the displaced teachers and all she could do was restate what she said in the paper? I too am fed up with belonging to a union that has no teeth and no leadership. The heck with them.
Posted by: vetern teacher | June 9, 2011 5:51 PM
@Vetern Teacher-regading the contract. I was at several meetings with M. English when she stated that if the city was not ready to be accountable for the AU's , the contract would be nulled.(or some such comment). The city has yet to even get basic facts staight on my Employee Self Serve-our online HR source.Several other staff members havesaid the same thing. BASIC information.Therefore , how are the going to ever keep track of AU's? What a quagmire.
Posted by: Wise Educator | June 16, 2011 2:08 AM
Let's clear up one misconception. Ms. Tisha Edwards is fudging numbers here. There were only about 16 teachers who were actually involuntarily transferred for this turnaround snow job--not 43. 27 teachers, who could've returned, either voluntairly transferred or left on their own accord The turnaround process retained roughly 75% of the staff. How can you justify turning a school around when most of the staff is returning. The bottom line is that Alonso wanted to get rid of the principal D'Ana. Mission accomplished. However In order to do so, he had to make it look like it was to "turnaround" the school by surplusing 16 veteran teachers. As if 16 out of 170 were the reason for Patterson's failures.
Posted by: oneringydingy | June 16, 2011 6:38 PM