Listening in on the School Board Meeting
Update #2: The Seattle Times is reporting that the district has put Carol Burton, the music teacher at Garfield, on administrative leave "while the district finds another job for her."
Ms Burton described the news to the Times as being like "getting kicked in the stomach."
SEA president-elect Phyllis Campano, in her testimony at last night's Board meeting, tried to talk about the issue but got waved off by President Patu due to Board rules about testifying about a specific personnel matter. She went on to speak generally about how administrative leaves are costly for the district and hard on teachers.
I note that Ms. Burton's lawyer says that Ms Burton would not have allowed the male student at the crux of the field trip incidents on the trip if she had known about his past history. That directly contradicts what she said during the district's investigation of the trip.
end of update.
Update: Shannon Stanton, Alki principal, is leaving as is Roxhill principal, Sahnica Washington.
end of update.
It appears that Shauna Heath, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, is leaving Seattle Schools. In Director Harris' director remarks, she referenced Heath and wished her well on her new life in Brazil.
The student speaker was Rochelle Bowyer from Center School. She did a great job in representing her school and how the issue of loss of arts there would be detrimental to the school.
Carlina Brown-Banks came forward to thank the Board for working to find funding for IB at Rainier Beach High. She generously called out that there are two other IB programs in the district - at Chief Sealth and Ingraham - and that the district needs to help support them as well.
My heart is gladden by all the great student speakers tonight. They offered superlative thoughts about both the IB programs, Center School and the Garfield Music program. (I do worry about the last speaker - a young woman from Garfield - who is missing her regular classes to teach the music classes.)
I have rarely looked at the district's "Gold book" on the budget but this year, I'm going to try to comb thru it and try to understand where the money is going.
I also note that earlier in the meeting, the issue of the cuts of family support workers at about eight schools in our district. As a couple of directors pointed out, there was discussion at the Mayor's Education Summit about having support in schools and wrap-around services and yet, these schools are losing that support. I think some on the Board are interested in understanding more about how the City funds these positions thru the Families and Education levy.
Board comments point out the irony that Loyal Heights drama group did a wonderful scene from The Wizard of Oz. (I missed that but I can't wait for the video to put available and I will link it here.). The irony is that it was followed by testimony from both Center School and Garfield High students about arts in their young lives and academic careers.
Ms Burton described the news to the Times as being like "getting kicked in the stomach."
SEA president-elect Phyllis Campano, in her testimony at last night's Board meeting, tried to talk about the issue but got waved off by President Patu due to Board rules about testifying about a specific personnel matter. She went on to speak generally about how administrative leaves are costly for the district and hard on teachers.
I note that Ms. Burton's lawyer says that Ms Burton would not have allowed the male student at the crux of the field trip incidents on the trip if she had known about his past history. That directly contradicts what she said during the district's investigation of the trip.
end of update.
Update: Shannon Stanton, Alki principal, is leaving as is Roxhill principal, Sahnica Washington.
end of update.
It appears that Shauna Heath, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, is leaving Seattle Schools. In Director Harris' director remarks, she referenced Heath and wished her well on her new life in Brazil.
The student speaker was Rochelle Bowyer from Center School. She did a great job in representing her school and how the issue of loss of arts there would be detrimental to the school.
Carlina Brown-Banks came forward to thank the Board for working to find funding for IB at Rainier Beach High. She generously called out that there are two other IB programs in the district - at Chief Sealth and Ingraham - and that the district needs to help support them as well.
My heart is gladden by all the great student speakers tonight. They offered superlative thoughts about both the IB programs, Center School and the Garfield Music program. (I do worry about the last speaker - a young woman from Garfield - who is missing her regular classes to teach the music classes.)
I have rarely looked at the district's "Gold book" on the budget but this year, I'm going to try to comb thru it and try to understand where the money is going.
I also note that earlier in the meeting, the issue of the cuts of family support workers at about eight schools in our district. As a couple of directors pointed out, there was discussion at the Mayor's Education Summit about having support in schools and wrap-around services and yet, these schools are losing that support. I think some on the Board are interested in understanding more about how the City funds these positions thru the Families and Education levy.
Board comments point out the irony that Loyal Heights drama group did a wonderful scene from The Wizard of Oz. (I missed that but I can't wait for the video to put available and I will link it here.). The irony is that it was followed by testimony from both Center School and Garfield High students about arts in their young lives and academic careers.
Comments
open ears
It would be interesting to track the timeline related to Family Support workers and the city of Seattle. I imagine we are looking at one of their 'course corrections' related to test scores.
This is one of the great faults of Seattle Public Schools. Everything is personal; nothing is institutional.
I walked out with a tremendous amount of respect for the Garfield choir students, but yes, I wonder about the amount of time that young woman was spending teaching other students. Maybe she was APP and already has enough High School credits to graduate? I don't understand how a school can offer High School credit for a class that has an unqualified sub and is, in effect, being taught by a 17 year old. Though I have a feeling this sort of thing happens more often than we know.
SO that is why this high school senior is not in her classes, It has nothing to do with being in APP and having enough credits. Can we just agree that this is leadership at its worst.
-choir student
If the district didn't make a good-faith effort to find a real music teacher than it does look odd.
Was he given a chance by the community or viewed as an inadequate replacement for Carol Burton and just gave up?
Or was he truly unqualified to teach this position.
I noted a few weeks ago that there are lots of people who are certified to and desire to teach music at the high school level, and very few 1.0 FTE jobs. I have more than a couple friends who always dreamed of being a music teacher (whether that was band, orchestra, choir, or all of the above), got their certification, and then struggled mightily to find a full time gig. It is mind blowing to me that a permanent replacement hasn't been found.
Finally, for those demanding that Carol Burton go back into her past position immediately, well, I never figured that would happen.
What if there was a permanent replacement in place, and that person would be shoved out for Burton? Why would anyone even accept that position? Is that part of the reason Garfield can't get a permanent replacement in place?
Also, as I noted here a week ago, I've been involved in the private sector as a manager with unionized employees (I was part of that union, too, before I became manager). While I was there my boss chose to antagonize the union by terminating two long-term employees for what I felt was very questionable cause.
They took their cases to arbitration. As I expected, we lost. Neither one returned to work in less than a month after the arbitration ruling. There were all kinds of details that had to be worked out, and in one case, both parties had to return to the arbitrator for multiple follow-up rulings spelling out exactly what the back pay, vacation, etc would be because both sides interpreted his ruling differently. It took close to 3 months to get him back to work (and back pay continued to accrue...).
northwesterner
Berned
Is it the district's job to replace her, or the school's? Is it possible that after the first replacement left, the school decided to go the sub route, in hopes that they'd get Burton back? That seems like a big gamble, because even if a judge ruled in her favor it didn't guarantee that she'd be reinstated to the same position. In some ways it makes sense to put her elsewhere, somewhere she won't be responsible for field trips. So who is really responsible for the lack of a good replacement all this time--the district, or the school?
treble clef
After he left, why wasn't a long term sub with choir experience hired? Like Northwesterner said, there are people who would love that gig. Again, something smells funny. Bottom line, I very much appreciate the student's dedication to teach three classes, but as she said in testimony, she's not a qualified teacher. Why isn't a qualified teacher in front of those classes?
When he left, the school immediately prepared a hiring notice for a new replacement teacher. No one has been dragging their feet trying to keep the job open for Burton.
The district is paying three people right now for the position of choir/piano teacher at Garfield -- Burton, the teacher on leave, and a sub. Parents are paying AGAIN for a music director for the spring musical and for extra help for the choirs. The district has spent approximately $500,000 to date on this case, a case they were told long ago that they would not be likely to win. When you wonder why there's no money for IB programs or arts teachers, think about that.
When making decisions, the district leadership tells us that they put the students' best interest first and foremost. They also tell us that nurturing and preserving relationships among students and teachers and in professional learning communities are super important.
So, given Ms Burton's existing relationships with students, families, and colleagues, wouldn't it be in the students' best interest to reinstate her at Garfield?
How can a sub walk out in the middle of the day and still have a job? Boggles the mind.
How can there be no subs in the whole district who know something about music? Is there no attempt to find people qualified in different areas for the sub pool?
-sad parent
I continue to believe there need to be mass firings at the JSCEE. Is it time for a mass protest at the JSCEE? Occupy JSCEE until we see Nyland, Tolley, Pritchard, and others hand in their resignations?
Because clearly, these problems aren't going to be solved by asking nicely.
-HS Parent
We need a superintendent who will demonstrate leadership not pettiness.
Or maybe it just seemed like a fine time to head for Brazil, what with the economy in depression, the government in crisis, riots in the street, and disease-ridden mosquitoes flying everywhere.
And that is why students must step in. Hey at least in this State Subs are licensed Teachers in the rest of the country not.so.much
But hey let's trash subs more and really alienate the work force! Sub-depreciation day!
- Sub
We have a board that supports the community. They are also working to shape the direction of education in Washington state. We have a proactive board that is willing to take on Olympia and I'm thrilled.
GHSmom
GHSmom
And are you sure that's exactly what the judge says? Generally, the District gets to decide who works where. The judge said there is no cause for termination, but reassignment or lesser punishments are still at the discretion of the District.
The district has so much that is great about it - great, dynamic teachers, impressive schools, unbelievably talented kids. But as of the last sixteen or so years, the district appears necrotic and dysfunctional. Really sick. You have to ask, what kind of people would destroy all these good things? Until the administration sees an overhaul (including the superintendent) I would not advise anyone to trust their kids to the Seattle Public Schools.
-SPS Parent
Unfortunately, you know as well as I that it was never going to happen if she stayed. She never had any intent of fulfilling any of her AL promises (among others). So there really is no downside in this matter to her leaving.
On the other hand, if someone else comes in to replace her, there's at least a small chance that they will be more in tune with the real AL needs (kids' needs, rather than petty adult issues). I often feel like it could hardly be any worse than it has been over the past few years, though I know that's not true, because it can always get worse.
The biggest problem I see right now is that unless Tolley exits very quickly, he is likely to have the most say in Heath's replacement. Given that he's a huge AL-hater as well, this does not bode well. My hope is that Heath saw the writing on the wall with the new Board starting to exert a little influence, and bolted before the heat started turning up. Given that Tolley is also shopping himself around, I can only hope that he has the same read and leaves very soon as well, which could inject fresh/critical thinking into the curriculum and instruction section of the SPS org chart.
I'll just say that if she is not reassigned to Garfield, that it looks like SPS administration is trying to send a message to teachers and their union.