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| Economy |
| Rhode Island Town Fires Every High School Teacher |
| 2010-02-16 |
| Central Falls is one of the poorest towns in the state. It looks like the pictures everyone's seen of Detroit or Flint. There are lots of boarded up windows, abandoned buildings, decrepit factories with broken windows, etc. It's an absolutely depressed community. According to Wikipedia, the median income in the town is $22k. Teacher salaries at the high school average $72-78k. Apparently 50% of the students at the school are failing all of their classes, and the graduation rate is also under 50%. In an effort to turn the school around, the superintendent requested some changes be made whereby the school day would be slightly extended, teachers would perform some extra tutoring, etc. The union balked and refused the terms, so now she is firing the entire teaching staff of the high school and replacing them. This is yet another example of unions digging their own graves by refusing to negotiate or accept reasonable terms. Sentiment is on the side of the superintendent, at least among the folks I have discussed the issue with. Godspeed, Ms Gallo |
| Posted by:crosspatch |
| #21 I encourage everyone to e-mail this to their local NEA shop steward (or the superintendent of their school district). A GREAT idea!!! |
| Posted by: Flailet White6069 2010-02-16 20:38 |
| #20 This makes it a known bug. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2010-02-16 19:17 |
| #19 Ah, here's the key info from further down the page at the link: Gallo knows she can get it done because state Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist has mandated the overhaul, giving Gallo federal and state authority to transform the school |
| Posted by: lotp 2010-02-16 19:07 |
| #18 I don't see how a town where the average yearly income is $22K can afford to pay $72-78K to teachers. Good move on the part of Gallo. You will probably see more of this. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-02-16 18:34 |
| #17 It came as no surprise to our family that the absolute worst teacher our eldest had in HS was also the union steward. |
| Posted by: mom 2010-02-16 17:41 |
| #16 John, you just very accurately described my sons high school. if we didn't teach him at home, he wouldn't know squat. ask me sometime about the grading rubric for the honors math classes... my dog could get a B in that class. mathematically impossible to get below a C if you attend each day. |
| Posted by: abu do you love 2010-02-16 17:27 |
| #15 Looks like no stimulus funds for Central Falls, RI. |
| Posted by: DMFD 2010-02-16 16:26 |
| #14 John, not so much romper room but study hall. Or detention hall for those who want to make trouble. With 50% of the kids already failing all their classes, what added value do these 100 teachers/administrators provide over that of 10 gym teachers who can enforce discipline? What value are they providing for $90/hour that having Johnny's mom volunteer for a few hours a week does not? |
| Posted by: ed 2010-02-16 16:09 |
| #13 Kind of related: a piece about striking Canadian mine workers being stubborn to the point of self-destruction. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2010-02-16 15:24 |
| #12 Would they want to read for 7 hours? They would probably just hang out at the library with their friends, listening to their IPods and playing on the library computers. |
| Posted by: john frum 2010-02-16 15:12 |
| #11 I wonder what would have the higher graduation rates, this school system or a library where students can read for 7 hours? |
| Posted by: ed 2010-02-16 14:28 |
| #10 No doubt teaching standards and test scores will be up. Aside from all the other problems of unions, they can't teach for shit either. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2010-02-16 13:05 |
| #9 Terminations worked well for President Reagan when he had the PATCO Air Traffic Controller problem. Something tells me Barry or his henchmen will step into this one on the side of the NEA candlelight vigilantes. This is a precedent the current administration does not want or need. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-02-16 10:57 |
| #8 Collective Sacking is the other side of the coin called collective bargaining. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2010-02-16 10:43 |
| #7 It ain't over until it's over. The process sounds like a violation of a union contract & so may not hold up in court. If it does hold up, that's when it will be big news. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2010-02-16 10:16 |
| #6 In the finest traditions of "collective bargaining" they were holding out for more money. Wrong answer. Now you stand among the ranks of the |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-02-16 09:50 |
| #5 My hero for the week. Sadly, this story will likely never get the traction it deserved. Share it, spread it. |
| Posted by: logi_cal 2010-02-16 09:40 |
| #4 According to Wikipedia, the median income in the town is $22k. Teacher salaries at the high school average $72-78k Basically says it all about our 'educator' class. Oh, and the tax base works 11 and a half months a year for that, not 9 to 10 months. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2010-02-16 08:51 |
| #3 Francis Gallo for President 2012 |
| Posted by: BrerRabbit 2010-02-16 08:41 |
| #2 No worries. I'm sure Obumble will come along and bailout the union [and let the schools starve]. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2010-02-16 08:12 |
| #1 It's a good start. |
| Posted by: Mike 2010-02-16 07:15 |