Comments by SilentNoMore

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Written on Editorial: The vote freezing implementation of the state's Common Core standards was a vote for mediocrity:

I am a third grade teacher and with Common Core we will no longer teach grammar and spelling as a subject, but within the content of writing. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to teach either of these skills without the students having a basic foundation? Can you even begin to imagine the marks on a student's paper when teachers are correcting their work? Our children have begun to loathe reading because they are no longer reading fiction, everything is non-fiction, so I can only fathom how long it will be before they no longer want to write.

Why are business leaders developing educational standards and not teachers who have been trained in learning theory and child development and actually understand how a child's mind develops? There's a huge difference between a five-year old and a twelve-year old, yet these "business leaders" expect for a five-year old to sit in front of a computer and take tests. Any teacher would tell you this is not developmentally appropriate.

You mentioned the $500 million for education the state won for Race to the Top. Let me tell you, NONE of that money has reached the classroom, not one penny, in fact most of it has gone to consultants. Do the research, as I have.

I am relieved Rep. Fitzhugh is standing up for education and students in Tennessee. He understands what is happening, firsthand, because his daughter is a public school teacher. When he says "Let's slow down", he is speaking for teachers and our students, not because he doesn't want higher standards for Tennessee.

If you really want to know who or what is driving Common Core with Tennessee politicians, look up and see the amount Students First has contributed to the campaigns, and then research Students First, TFA, Michelle Rhee, Kevin Huffman, and Chris Barbic.

Common Core is not about the children, unless their name happens to be Benjamin.

Written on Tennessee teachers push back on evaluation process :

By the way, exactly where did the 500 million go? It didn't go to the classrooms, the students, or the teachers, so where is the money? Is it lining the pockets of consultants, Friends of Haslam, Pearson, TFA, Students First, Michelle Rhee? Why did we sell our souls to Race to the Top if the money never made it to the ones actually in the race?

Written on Letter: 'Snow day' policy left teachers out in the cold:

Most of you are forgetting the most important fact; teachers are not paid as most salaried workers, and are only compensated for 180 days with students (state law) and 20 days for inservice, administrative, a few paid national hoildays, which is why teachers do not come in when students are out for bad weather. It has absolutley nothing to do with teachers not wanting to come to work in the snow or cold. The school board determines the calendar and designates the days each school year. Tuesday was designated as part of the 180 days for instruction, therfore teachers were not compensated and should have been out of school, as has been the pracitce of both of the former school systems. Tuesday was unprecedented for all teachers and school staff as the only ones who will be paid are the hourly employees, not teachers. Having said all of this, now, raise your hands if you want to work for free! Anyone? Anyone?

Written on Germantown, Arlington and Lakeland sign school superintendents to contracts:

Meanwhile the teachers are paying for toilet paper, hand soap, paper towels, and classroom and cleaning supplies.

Written on County Commission rejects school board pay raise on first reading:

in response to swinny60:

Kevin Woods was funded by Students First, an organization that has bought lots of politicians across TN.

Students First is Michelle Rhee's organization which does NOT support public education. Instead she/they support Teach for America, vouchers, and charter schools. Look at what's happening in Memphis already. Each year more and more schools are labled as "failing" and are subsequently being taken over by charters and the "Achievement School District". None of this is coincidental, privatizing public education is BIG business, just ask the governor. In 2012, Student First was one of the top 20 contributors to his campaign fund. Dolores Gresham, Chair of the Senate Education Committee takes their money, too. Our public education system is being sold off one vote at a time by greedy politicians who know nothing and care nothing about our children. Everyone should do some research before voting.

Written on In Memphis, principals are being coached like executives :

Are you kidding me? No wonder my students have NO grammar books, NO workbooks, seven year old, worn out, reading books that don't match the standards and I spend HOURS of time that could be spent with my family finding suitable teaching material. Not to mention the hundreds of dollars of my own money I've already spent on ink, paper, and supplies for my classroom. All of this so ten people can make six-figure salaries "coaching" principals on how to raise test scores?

I can give you some advice and it won't cost you anymore than what I make as a teacher.
1. Give them time to learn before you test them.
2. Test them on what the standards say they should have learned. Not what they are going to learn.
3. One test, just once a year, at the end.

Oh, and one more thing. Just because students do not show growth on an unfair test does not mean their teachers deserve low scores on their evaluations. These tests aren't designed for students to show any kind of growth. After all, the company that sells the test, also sells the intervention programs we buy. It's a money making racket for everyone but the teachers. Just ask these "coaches".

Written on Editorial: Trying to make apples-to-apples salary comparisons for top school administrators is unrealistic:

Why are the offices on Avery allowed raises while teachers were unknowingly put on a salary freeze for an undetermined amount of time? Did they get a waiver from the state to use our 1.5% to increase their salaries, too? This is beyond ridiculous!!! Meanwhile, we have no workbooks, limited supplies, limited classroom funds, our educational websites were not renewed, no full time assistants for our special needs students, no interventionists, and no band aids! I guess it would behoove them to come off their six figure salaries and see what their "expertise" looks like inside a classroom that's been put together with chewing gum, Duck Tape, and what the teachers of these classrooms have paid out of their own pockets.
I will never forget when Carol Johnson gave up her car allowance when MCS was in the middle of another "budget crisis". This, to me, spoke volumes about her character, something the suits on Avery have lacked ever since. What does is matter if we are paying "top salaries" if our schools do not have what they need to support the educational program? What kind of ethical leaders are we recruiting?

Written on Unified Shelby County school district will serve free breakfast, supper in every school:

in response to Dwntwner:

Below is the monthly maximum food stamp allotment in Tennessee. As you will see, the maximum a family of 4 can receive averages $167 per person per month or $5.57 per day per person. How many of you can feed yourself on $5.57 a day?

1 - $200
2 - $367
3 - $526
4 - $668
5 - $793
6 - $952
7 - $1,052
8 - $1,202
For each additional person, add: $150

My weekly budget for my family of four with two teenagers is between $100-$125 and I am able to do it without problem. I, also, feed all breakfasts and lunches out of this budget because I shop wisely and watch the cost of every item that I buy. My family eats healthy fruits and vegetables, lean meats, chicken, and fish. It can be done, but not when you buy everything brand name as I see most SNAP card recipients doing. Unfortunately, I can always tell when someone is paying with the "American Credit Card" by the items in their basket.

Written on Editorial: Test scores show education reform efforts are gradually paying off:

It looks like tying students' test scores to a teachers' evaluation, pay, and now their teaching license must be the key to "improving student achievement". Teachers have finally been brow beaten enough to teach to the test, because that is ALL that is emphasized in the classroom anymore.

Written on Tennessee teacher pay proposal lowers pay priority for advanced degrees, experience:

in response to teachone:

Everyone's missing the point. This has not so much to do with honoring advanced degrees - this is a small part of the big picture.

It has more to do with the overall attitude toward and treatment of all teachers in public education. Advanced degrees or no, teachers are being raked across the coals in every single area of their existence. And the beast is winning - great teachers are dropping like flies.

Bill Gates' social experiment is working. He has Huffman, Obama, everyone - Right AND Left - in his deep, giant pocket. All the uppers are on the take in the name of the little children and their teachers.

And folks, I hate to break it to you, but the almighty test? They are passing the kids to make themselves and the 'system' look good.

This is way, way bigger than any of us realizes.

You hit the nail on the head and anyone who doesn't see this needs to do a little research into Common Core, PARCC, Kevin Huffman, TFA, and Michelle Rhee. It's not a conspiracy theory; it's all true! Public education is being sold to big business and our children are becoming drones who can't think critically, have no imagination or creativity, but can work for The Man!


Kevin Huffman needs to be excessed, right on out of Tennessee! His TFA drones would not even agree to work for this, even IF they survive longer than their first year. Public education is being sold off to the highest bidder, one soul at a time.

Written on Missing paycheck for Memphis-Shelby teachers stirs concerns:

Several of you have commented that MCS teachers knew in March about the changes in the pay schedule, going from 24 pay periods to 26, but I am telling you, as an MCS teacher, I have seen absolutely nothing from the district stating this change and neither have my colleagues. We receive the green weekly "Transition Updates" that have to be decoded and read over with a microscope, but that's it. We've seen no pay schedule, no pay scale, no benefits, NADA!

We were not even told the board was taking the 1.5% COLA raise from the state, that all other Tennessee teachers are receiving, to "level up" the pay for MCS principals and SCS teachers. Will we receive the increase next year to cover the increase in our benefits this year (we heard about this on the news) or is it gone forever? Who knows? There's no transparency on either side. I'm just thankful I paid for a digital subscription to the CA, so I can read the comments and know what's really going on behind the "unified and harmonized" curtain.

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