Boston Teachers Union e-Bulletin #40 (2009-10),  04/28/10

Greetings!
Members of the Boston Teachers Union:

     Today is an unfortunate day for hundreds of our colleagues, both teachers and paraprofessionals, who work in any one of the following six schools: The Burke , the Dever , the Trotter , the Harbor Pilot , the Orchard Gardens Pilot , and the Blackstone . Many of our colleagues at these schools are about to be notified that they are not welcome to remain in their school. They will not be given a reason. In order to ensure eligibility for certain federal funds, once a school is labeled by the school department as a so-called "turn-around" school for Title I purposes, the status each of these schools finds itself in, at least 50% of the staff MUST be evicted. Their individual circumstance--rather their misfortune--is that they happen to work in an underperforming school. Please note that the school department cannot assert--and will not assert--that these individuals contributed to their school's so-called underperformance. How could the department? It has no evidence that any of these individuals has done anything wrong.  No, their only 'crime' is that they happen to reside in that school. Some of these individuals have never been evaluated. Many have been evaluated and, indeed, have received excellent annual reviews. This is a tragedy all around. And it didn't have to be this way.

      The school department did not have to choose any of these particular six schools for federal Turnaround status.  In fact the school department did not have to choose ANY of our schools for this status. But, once schools have been so labeled, their staff is subject to the 50%+ rule. Long story short, the school department has willingly chosen to place these six schools in a position where more than 50% of the staff in each will be excessed.

       We believe that this decision serves only to scapegoat selected staff, who are, by and large, innocent victims.  A majority of these six schools have been mismanaged and underfunded for years. Rather than deal with these issues, the school department has looked the other way--and now has found a convenient way to lay blame for the school's sliding into underperforming status.

        Lastly, there is no evidence that the huge turnover of staff will help these schools. In choosing this 'reform' path, the department cannot cite any data-based evidence that this type of wholesale staff upheaval works. What the department has chosen to do is to offer a plan that looks bold and appears to offer a quick fix--but is unproven.

         We support our displaced colleagues and have negotiated a good mechanism for them to take positions at other assignments. We will work with them to make sure all of their rights are protected. But as we move forward and make the best of a terrible situation, we decry the school department's attempt to deflect blame from where it truly belongs.

          Thank you.

           The BTU Staff

Sincerely,

Richard Stutman
BTU President

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