This is a really important story.
I& #39;m glad to see the @nytimes spotlight on it, c/o @DanaGoldstein @elizashapiro.
Not so sure about its headline, tho.
1/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/21/us/coronavirus-teachers-unions-school-home.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/2...
I& #39;m glad to see the @nytimes spotlight on it, c/o @DanaGoldstein @elizashapiro.
Not so sure about its headline, tho.
1/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/21/us/coronavirus-teachers-unions-school-home.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/2...
When some unions are securing agreements for only 3-4 hours of work per day and v limited face time, as article notes (LA& #39;s agreement detailed here in @EdSource)...
Is that "resisting new demands" or successfully negotiating less work for same pay?
2/ https://edsource.org/2020/la-unified-teachers-union-reach-agreement-over-distance-learning-guidelines/628559">https://edsource.org/2020/la-u...
Is that "resisting new demands" or successfully negotiating less work for same pay?
2/ https://edsource.org/2020/la-unified-teachers-union-reach-agreement-over-distance-learning-guidelines/628559">https://edsource.org/2020/la-u...
One other thought, on community attitudes.
This line is spot-on... up to a point.
"Complicating matters, there is little agreement among parents on what they want from teachers right now."
I think "what they want from schools" is more accurate.
3/
This line is spot-on... up to a point.
"Complicating matters, there is little agreement among parents on what they want from teachers right now."
I think "what they want from schools" is more accurate.
3/
Yes, parents are VERY fragmented about how much schooling they expect / want. Every day, we see threads like the one below with varied opinions.
BUT... are those attitudes an accurate gauge of how parents feel about the union approach? I think not.
4/ https://twitter.com/laura11D/status/1252580679277326336?s=20">https://twitter.com/laura11D/...
BUT... are those attitudes an accurate gauge of how parents feel about the union approach? I think not.
4/ https://twitter.com/laura11D/status/1252580679277326336?s=20">https://twitter.com/laura11D/...
I know parents who are hesitant about their capacity to support high volumes of scheduled synchronous instruction for K–1s... but were still disappointed to hear that unions were behind local resistance to virtual classes.
Also, parents shocked to hear unions seeking $...
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Also, parents shocked to hear unions seeking $...
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reimbursement for home wireless or cell phone costs. Comments like:
"But they don& #39;t have to pay for transportation now. Their costs have gone down, and salaries haven& #39;t!"
"But T& #39;s have always texted before about work matters, right?"
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"But they don& #39;t have to pay for transportation now. Their costs have gone down, and salaries haven& #39;t!"
"But T& #39;s have always texted before about work matters, right?"
6/
I think it& #39;s a mistake to commingle attitudes about instruction with attitudes about union demands.
I sense that many parents with incomes in jeapordy are very sympathetic with individual teachers& #39; challenges, but not so sympathetic with the union muscle-flexing.
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I sense that many parents with incomes in jeapordy are very sympathetic with individual teachers& #39; challenges, but not so sympathetic with the union muscle-flexing.
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Ultimately, what makes this article so important is that it highlights the role of unions in what they have seen of their school systems.
District leaders and individual teachers have been talking about their efforts to stand up instruction being stymied by unions for weeks.
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District leaders and individual teachers have been talking about their efforts to stand up instruction being stymied by unions for weeks.
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And many parents have had no idea that unions were taking activists roles in many districts. Which is what makes this piece so very important.
Again, thank you to @DanaGoldstein @elizashapiro for the good, balanced coverage of the issue.
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Again, thank you to @DanaGoldstein @elizashapiro for the good, balanced coverage of the issue.
9/
My read of the average person& #39;s attitude is along the lines of...
Cut teachers lots of slack. Don& #39;t expect instruction to be the same. Sure, it could be fair ease up on things like evaluations.
But DO plan instruction for my kids, as best you can.
10/ https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/04/20/should-teachers-be-evaluated-during-coronavirus-school.html">https://www.edweek.org/ew/articl...
Cut teachers lots of slack. Don& #39;t expect instruction to be the same. Sure, it could be fair ease up on things like evaluations.
But DO plan instruction for my kids, as best you can.
10/ https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/04/20/should-teachers-be-evaluated-during-coronavirus-school.html">https://www.edweek.org/ew/articl...
It& #39;s hard to get a representative sample of teacher attitudes, but I see too many positive tweets like this to believe that teachers are resistant to the shifts happening right now.
Ts are stretched & exhausted, mind you... but I see much positivity.
11/ https://twitter.com/mandercorn/status/1252625546099425280?s=20">https://twitter.com/mandercor...
Ts are stretched & exhausted, mind you... but I see much positivity.
11/ https://twitter.com/mandercorn/status/1252625546099425280?s=20">https://twitter.com/mandercor...
. @cgewertz did a nice job of capturing teacher attitudes here... and the fact that many, probably most, T& #39;s are working herculean hours while managing the burdens of childcare and personal stress... which must be said in this overall convo.
12/ https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/04/16/exhausted-and-grieving-teaching-during-the-coronavirus.html">https://www.edweek.org/ew/articl...
12/ https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/04/16/exhausted-and-grieving-teaching-during-the-coronavirus.html">https://www.edweek.org/ew/articl...
In general... things are about to get messy in K–12, as budget pressures force hard decisions.
@Daarel& #39;s pieces on expected drops in state funding is an important read:
13/ https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/03/19/districts-states-brace-for-crash-in-k-12.html">https://www.edweek.org/ew/articl...
@Daarel& #39;s pieces on expected drops in state funding is an important read:
13/ https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/03/19/districts-states-brace-for-crash-in-k-12.html">https://www.edweek.org/ew/articl...
With & #39;precipitous drops& #39; in funding to districts, good info about how unions are influencing the dynamic, and affecting what is or isn& #39;t happening for kids, feels really important. I hope @DanaGoldstein @elizashapiro will keep reporting on it.
14/ https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/04/13/how-will-coronavirus-affect-school-spending-9.html">https://www.edweek.org/ew/articl...
14/ https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/04/13/how-will-coronavirus-affect-school-spending-9.html">https://www.edweek.org/ew/articl...
And generally, I hope all coverage takes care to explore community attitudes about union asks, and not just about instruction and/or individual school experiences, because I think there& #39;s an important distinction at play.
15/15
15/15
HT to @alexanderrusso, I hadn’t seen this before, and it’s germane.
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https://twitter.com/alexanderrusso/status/1252651907761528834?s=21">https://twitter.com/alexander... https://twitter.com/alexanderrusso/status/1252651907761528834">https://twitter.com/alexander...
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https://twitter.com/alexanderrusso/status/1252651907761528834?s=21">https://twitter.com/alexander... https://twitter.com/alexanderrusso/status/1252651907761528834">https://twitter.com/alexander...
“Teachers’ availability for student interactions via email or online platforms varies across districts.”
@JennyManriqueC’s overview of district-union agreements for @thegrade_ is timely!
17/17 https://kappanonline.org/manrique-russo-how-teacher-contracts-shape-remote-learning/">https://kappanonline.org/manrique-...
@JennyManriqueC’s overview of district-union agreements for @thegrade_ is timely!
17/17 https://kappanonline.org/manrique-russo-how-teacher-contracts-shape-remote-learning/">https://kappanonline.org/manrique-...
Interesting thread with teacher reactions:
https://twitter.com/matryanelateach/status/1252565549437026304?s=21">https://twitter.com/matryanel... https://twitter.com/matryanelateach/status/1252565549437026304">https://twitter.com/matryanel...
https://twitter.com/matryanelateach/status/1252565549437026304?s=21">https://twitter.com/matryanel... https://twitter.com/matryanelateach/status/1252565549437026304">https://twitter.com/matryanel...