R.I. School board fires principal & every teacher

[JohnDoe2]

R.I. School may fire all teachers

CENTRAL FALLS, R.I., Feb. 23, 2010

Video
R.I. School May Fire All Teachers

Trustees are expected to vote to fire all 74 teachers at a struggling high school in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Jim Axelrod reports.

(CBS) Central Falls, Rhode Island has long been among the state's most troubled school districts - one in five students live in poverty, reports CBS News correspondent Jim Axelrod. Many struggle with English in this immigrant community - and that's just for starters.

"We lose 52 percent of our students between 9th grade and the 12th grade," Central Falls Superintendent Fran Gallo told Axelrod. "They don't graduate."

Eighty-eight teachers at Central Falls High School could be terminated. Teachers are rallying for their jobs, anticipating the vote for a mass firing.

The teachers' union is also fighting back with a video on its Web site, featuring upset students at a recent school board meeting.

"We have teachers at the high school that have grown up in this community," said Jane Sessums of the teachers union. "That's what education at Central Falls is about - and what they're planning tonight will set that back and ruin it - and it's horrible for our students."

To remain eligible for some extra federal aid, the district had a choice - draw up a plan to improve with the existing teachers or fire the faculty and start over. The two sides tried to work out a plan -- a longer school day, extra teacher training -- but it fell apart when the two sides couldn't agree on how much more the teachers would be paid for their extra time.

"This has to be the saddest thing I've encountered in my 30-some years of education," Gallo said.

If the district's plans survive expected court challenges, the teachers will be out of their jobs at the end of the school year. The last thing the students want are any more disruptions.

"It may be them. It may be us," junior Stephen Cleveland said. "We just don't what the problem is, but I think the issue needs to be resolved and it needs go be resolved now."

The teachers and the school district appear to be digging in for a three-month battle that will only add more challenges to a school district that can't afford any more.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/ ... eoMetaInfo

[sdbrit68]

so its the teachers fault the immigrant wont learn english ?

[vortex]

Absolutely, sdbrit68. Teachers are losing their power of influence over the students in their charge and there are a lot of outside forces in play -- like why do I sit in a stupid class when there is my ethnic community and gang out there to communicate with -- and I don't have to know any English to survive and be successful.

[JohnDoe2]

Feb 24, 2010
School board fires principal and every teacher at poor-performing high school

11:58 AM

A Rhode Island school board has voted to clean house at Central Falls High School by firing the entire staff of 93, including all teachers, guidance counselors, p.e. instructors and the principal, The Providence Journal reports.

The move makes Rhode Island one of the first states to meet a federal mandate to identify and overhaul poor performing schools.

Central Falls High School was singled out because of very low test scores and a graduation rate of 48%, the newspaper says. Five other schools have been put on notice.

The 5-2 decision by the Central Falls School Board touched off an uproar in Rhode Island's smallest and poorest city as organized labor showed up to support the teachers while state and local education officials stood their ground, the newspaper says.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan also weighed in, saying he "applauded" the officials for "showing courage and doing the right thing for kids."

The Journal says the 93 people fired included 74 classroom teachers, plus reading specialists, guidance counselors, p.e. teachers, the school psychologist, the principal and three assistant principals. Their names were all read aloud in the school auditorium.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... h-school/1

[JohnDoe2]

The Journal says the 93 people fired included 74 classroom teachers, plus reading specialists, guidance counselors, p.e. teachers, the school psychologist, the principal and three assistant principals.

Sounds like the janitor and the lunch lady got to keep their jobs.

[JohnDoe2]

That's one way to solve the problem.