The Wrong Lesson Indeed

Yesterday's Oregonian had a mind boggling front page article on what Beaverton schools' budget cuts have done to the teachers and classrooms. It's a lesson in What Not To Do, lest you appear to be really really stupid.

Beaverton School District of 51 schools slashed its budget and cut 344 positions resulting in nearly 400 transfers to fill holes as the layoffs created a domino effect. In late July they laid off 204 teachers, and have since returned 106 to full or part time positions.  Important info here: the teachers union and district have no rules for transfers other than licensure. Competence, experience, grade level, or subject don't have to be considered. Say what?

Here's what some of the changes have wrought as "about 160 teachers were placed in significantly different positions":

• A high school government, world history and economics teacher the last 5 years was moved to 7th grade math. She had never taught math before, nor middle school.

• The top district librarian was moved to elementary school. She's since taken a leave and is subbing.

• A high school language arts teacher moved to elementary English language development.

• An elementary teacher to middle school science.

• An elementary music teacher to English language development.

• A middle school art teacher to 4th grade.

• A German teacher to Spanish.

Teachers trained in IB and AP were moved to schools without these programs and teachers lacking IB and AP training were moved in, costing 1/3 of the district's training budget to get them up to speed.

Here's one of my favorites:
A teacher who was working with seriously ill students at their homes was laid off, and a high school math teacher was assigned the job. The first teacher was called back and put into the math teacher's position.

 The district wouldn't allow them to swap back because it would cause even more disruption in the classroom and cost the district two days of pay.

I think they've disrupted the classrooms past the point of reason.

Teachers had no choice in the moves, and principals had no say in who came and went. 

Some of the teachers have resigned or taken unpaid leaves of absence rather than be put in a position to fail the students.

Can we please have a discussion about treating teachers as PROFESSIONALS??????