Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/2862
UPDATE UPDATE TEACHERS FINALLY TREATED FAIRLY IN FAIRFIELD In March 2008 California Educator covered a story on reconstitution at Fairfield Suisun Unified Teachers As- sociation (F-SUTA). Members there charged that the invol- untary transfer of 41 teachers from their school sites was based on their union activism, age, skin color and sexual orientation. F-SUTA alleged that transfers were made under the pretext of reconsti- tution — a sanction under No Child Left her neck to symbolize the pain, suffering and shame she has suffered as a result of reconstitution. “I might as well wear a ‘Scarlet Letter,’ be- W cause I will feel shame for the rest of my life,” says the Fairfield-Suisun Unified Teachers Association (F-SUTA) member. “People are whispering behind my back now and won- dering what I did, and I’ve done nothing wrong. It’s devastating.” Williams is one of 41 teachers “reconsti- tuted” by the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District. But it was no ordinary reconstitu- tion. In this case, Williams believes the dis- trict used No Child Left Behind (NCLB) as a pretext to engage in anti-union, racist, ageist and homophobic behavior. Under true reconstitution, administrators 10 California Educator / MARCH 2008 hen Regina Williams appeared before the school board, she wore a bright red “R” around Regina Williams, of the Fairfield Suisun Unified Teachers Association, dons a Scarlet Letter “R” to show the shame she feels after beng chosen for reconstitution. teachers at four Title I schools last spring for involuntary transfer to non-Title I school sites this fall. Much to the amazement of F-SUTA mem- bers, the majority selected for reconstitution happened to be teachers who were active union members and prone to question dis- trict policy. Says F-SUTA President Melanie Driver, “A disproportionate number were African American teachers and teachers over the age of 40. One teacher was selected on the basis of his sexual orientation.” Even more amazing to teachers was that the district announced its plans one week be- fore STAR testing, which demoralized stu- dents and may have contributed to even lower test scores. Some tearful students were heard asking, “If we do good on the test, can we have our teachers back?” Fairview Elementary was just in year 3 of Reconstitution used to punish those critical of school policies PI in 2005-06 and made AYP that year. The school could have come out of PI by making AYP the following year. However, scores dropped by 25 points in 2006-07, which some teachers say is the result of students being traumatized a few days before testing. “My students were extremely upset to find tell all employees at a campus to reapply for their own jobs and then involuntarily trans- fer the majority of applicants to other school sites. Under federal NCLB mandates, it is one of several plans that districts may use to punish schools that fail to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for four consecutive years. But it is not the only option for schools entering years 4 and 5 of PI. Schools can al- so be closed down or converted into char- ters, can be taken over by the state, or can fall under the vague alternative category: “Any other major restructuring of the school’s governance arrangement.” The Fairfield-Suisun Unified School Dis- trict Board — at the urging of Superinten- dent Woodrow Carter, who has since left the district — selected the “Other” category to do something unique called partial reconsti- tution. Rather than reconstituting entire school sites, administrators hand-picked out that I was being removed from the school,” says Nancy Dunn, former vice president of F-SUTA and a teacher at Fairview Elementary for nine years before being sent to Dover Middle School. “It was devastating for stu- dents to find out that over half the teachers they’d grown up with in that school were be- ing removed the following year.” The involuntary transfers were not based Behind (NCLB) for schools that fail to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for four consecutive years. In the months that followed, F-SUTA and CTA fought back. They charged that the transfers were illegal and filed claims with the state’s Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) and the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and brought griev- ances to the level of arbitration in the teachers’ defense. PERB issued a com- plaint in the matter. A settlement reached last fall finally vindicated teachers, says F-SUTA Presi- on performance or classroom evaluations by administrators. Most of those targeted teach- ers, in fact, had glowing evaluations in their personnel files. Driver believes that targeted teachers were the victims of racism, ageism, homophobia and union-busting tactics. There was also re- taliation from the district office. At Fairview Elementary School, teachers were punished for “working to rule” — or not performing ex- tra duties such as supervising lunchtime clubs or providing after-school homework assis- tance — a union strategy protected by law LETTERS LETTERS 10-17 new 3.18.2008.indd 10 TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor: In the November edition, you ran an article titled “CalSTRS, CalPERS benefi ts pro- tected by law.” It was very confusing because 90 percent of the article discussed how well the investment fund is doing and how it can withstand the hit from the current fi nancial collapse. But if retirement is guaranteed by law, then why even discuss the fund? The article left unclear to what extent retirement is protected by law, which law is it, how does the law interact with the fund, and what hap- pens if there are a series of years like the last. Steven L. Rice, Simi Valley Many CTA members were concerned about the stability of those funds due to the recent economic downturn. With that article we sought to provide them with reassur- ance through our interviews with CalSTRS and CalPERS executives. We are committed to keeping you informed about retirement issues. Please look for more information in upcoming issues. Editor Dear Editor: While I thor- oughly believe that laughter is a time-proven strat- egy for teaching and learning, not to mention just INSPIRES > Page 22 LAUGHTER MAKES YOU SMARTER > Page 16 SERVICE LEARNING ROBOTICS TEACHER IMPROVING THE WORLD ONE PROJECT AT A TIME > Page 6 going through life, it is very important for educators to be aware of the poten- tial destructive powers of some humor as a tool. Your article in the December- January issue of California Educator lauds the use of “foreign accents” as a tool for humor, among many other ideas. I have personally received complaints from international students about faculty who use fake accents to make a point appear to be humorous. My point is that humor is very powerful, and should be used care- fully and judiciously. Laughter is valuable when it teaches a good, strengthening lesson. When it undermines or belittles, it can be more destructive than a serious lecture. Rachel O’Malley, San Jose State University dent Melanie Driver. Transfer rights have been restored. And teachers involun- tarily transferred were given $3,500 and the right to relocate to their old school sites if they signed a waiver promising no further legal action. Most opted to sign. “The settlement corrects the wrong that never should have happened,” says Driver. “It is clear by all of the evidence that these teachers were discriminated against. This settlement means that these teachers are vindicated. Justice has been served, and our students and community will benefit from this impor- tant victory.” 3/21/08 1:45:56 PM 6 California Educator | MARCH 2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .