Cui bono?
The most horrible aspect about the LAUSD pogrom against experienced teachers is that children are used by the school district as tools in the game. All mention of teachers in teacher jail for "allegations" invariably turns to statements such as "They must have done something," and "We have to get the guilty ones out." This presumption of guilt is an excellent tool for John Deasy and his backers to whip up the hysteria that allows him to destroy the lives of more and more teachers. He never discusses the subject of false charges against teachers but just throws out sound bites such as "We will not compromise student safety."
The L.A. Unified School district had an effective child sexual abuse prevention program that was in effect from about 1987 to 1990. It was age appropriate and instructed the children in language that they could understand. They weren't scared by vague and fear generating language about "bad touch" and "good touch." Instead they were taught especially in the primary grades, that no one was allowed to remove their clothes except for mom, dad etc. for bath time and when they go to the doctor etc. Children were taught that if anything like this happened that they were to tell a trusted adult and if that adult didn't do anything then they were to tell another. Teachers were also taught the behaviors to watch out for in a child that might have been sexualy abused.
The program was cost effective; it only required one district co-ordinator who trained a cadre of teachers at each school and provided video tapes and other materials. Even though it cost little, it was axed about 1990 due to "budget" problems. If it had remained in place then the children that have been sexually abused in the LAUSD might have had the tools to recognize it and communicate it to a trusted teacher or another adult. How many millions of dollars would this have saved the LAUSD? How much pain would this have saved child victims and their parents? How would the present pogrom be carried out if such assaults had been nipped in the bud?
It is incomprehensible that this district could even consider not providing such education. Teachers are taught repeatedly that we stand in place of parents while children are in our care. What responsible parent does not want their child to be forewarned of the dangers that are common in this world?
Children, parents and teachers are the ones that suffer in this.
Taking your advice is like the hens
agreeing to the fox’s program for breaking the impasse. First, you
misdirect the reader’s attention away from the real issue, the lack of
money and its diversion to the purchase of “stuff” that enriches the
rich, iPads. Then you are unable to define what is an “incompetent
teacher,” or a “master” teacher.” Moreover, you do not acknowledge that
present practice puts the entire decision in the hands of the school
site administrator. If the principal doesn’t like you how are you going
to show that you are a good teacher? How would putting the process in
the hands of newly minted Teach Plus kool-aid drinkers who think that
the principal knows all make this more fair? We do not view reformers
as “focusing solely on students.” Since they make outrageous salaries
doing the same jobs we do – Steve Barr and Ben Austin to name two – we
view them as focused upon hijacking the people’s commons, that is money
for public education. The record of charter schools does not match what
is promised anywhere.