Culture of Safety

The snow covered playground at Madison Square Park in New York City.

It is not exactly a newsflash to report that it has been one hell of a winter.

We've been bombarded by so much snow that even the little kid in me is screaming, "Enough!"

More importantly, the adult that I am is left scratching my head wondering at the Mayor's decision (past and present) to keep NYC public schools open when everyone around us closes due to inclement weather.

Former Mayor Bloomberg rationalized keeping schools open because parents need to work.  He seemed to publicly contemplate, "Who will watch the children on such short notice?"

Current Mayor Bill De Blasio and Chancellor Carmen Farina posited that schools must stay open because otherwise children wouldn't have a hot meal.

There was some lip service paid to keeping children safe but they ultimately decided that safety was a parental prerogative.

On Wednesday night, before the last big storm hit, I attended choir practice where the weather was the central topic of conversation. Local schools in Trenton were already closed in anticipation of the onslaught. We talked about the fact that NYC public schools rarely close.  Our organist--an amazingly talented young woman who works as a nurse--was outraged by this because she has witnessed firsthand the consequences the lack of precaution has wrought.

She argued that we must foster a "culture of safety" instead of applauding individuals who brave the storm to get to work.  I thought of the postings in my school thanking everyone who fought the elements to come in during the blizzard.

Then she told the heartbreaking story of cardiothoracic surgeon who was one of the "heroes" until he slipped on the ice and suffered brain damage as a result.  He was never able to practice again and now spends his days in and out of a lucidity.

I couldn't get to work the next day due to the fact that I live about two hours away and commuting was out of the question.

When I returned on Friday I heard that a school bus carrying children to our school was in an accident.  The bus hit a guard rail because the roads were covered in ice and the driver couldn't stop the bus from skidding.

One little girl slammed her head into the seat in front of her causing her glasses to push into her face.  Her sister told me she is okay but her eyes are bothering her now and she has "marks" on her nose.

The news was filled with similar stories.

We always tell the children that our main priority is to keep them safe.

Is it?

Sometimes I question the decisions of those in charge and hope that they see schools as more than a babysitting service with a meal plan.

ED-OPOLY

There is just too much to write and I am a bit stumped but here goes...

While cleaning out my mailbox on the last day of school I came across a July 19th New York Times article by Jennifer Medina entitled Schools Plan to Pay Cash for Marks that someone had copied and placed in the employee mailboxes. The article details a 'broad incentive program for families' good habits'.

It seems that billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg has decided to play a game with education and his Community Chest cards read something like this:

Receive for Services - $25 for attending parent-teacher conferences.

You are rewarded for test taking:

$5 per fourth grader
$10 per seventh grader

Perfect score on standardized tests, you get $25

Advance to eighth grade with perfect test scores (Collect $500)

Of course we are not talking Monopoly money, this is the real thing raised privately and earmarked to 'improve the performance of black and Hispanic students' because it is only money that is keeping them from achieving in school. It could not possibly be the egocentric, elitist system that continually ignores diversity and promotes a deficit model of education which blames the child (or family) and not itself. Yes, throwing money around indiscriminately will fix everything.

Although I applaud the acknowledgement that something needs to be done, this is perhaps not the best solution. Education is not a game. It is a right. Waving a five dollar bill in front of a ten-year-old is not going to correct the underlying problem. Wouldn't it be wonderful if those folks with political power and the clout to raise $53 million to fund this effort took a moment to look inwardly. To honestly ask themselves if they are part of the problem. If they'd decide to go out and get to know the schools, the students, the families and then formulate a plan to dismantle the injustices of No Child Left Behind and the relentless pressure of high stakes testing. All of this testing is taking away from the learning. Promoting knowledge that is here today and gone tomorrow. Currently, we have schools and teachers who feel pressured to teach to the tests.

Perhaps not the best way to Advance To Go!

"No, Thank You"

It was the night I was celebrating my commitment to teaching.

The closest that educators come to the Academy Awards is a graduation ceremony. Going up to collect the diploma is equivalent to walking the red carpet. Shaking hands with the dean of the university is an interview with Joan Rivers. It may not be glamorous but it is all we've got.

And we work hard for our few moments in the sun. Attending classes after a full day of teaching, spending the weekends writing papers, conducting ongoing research while our friends are out enjoying a late afternoon brunch, scooping up items or collecting 'garbage' because it has a purpose for that project the students are creating, it's all part of being a teacher/researcher. It is who we are, every minute of every day.

The lifestyle does not come with much respect from those with political power but it does carry a certain cache with some parents and students. Well, on the night of my certificate ceremony celebrating the completion of the Hello Friend/Ennis William Cosby scholarship program for Young Readers at Risk, at which may I add, I gave a speech detailing how teaching was my bliss, that I cherished how blessed I was to have found the perfect match, the supreme career -- on that night I was approached by a woman who offered me a scholarship to become a school principal.

Really!

Was she not paying attention?

She was taking the perspective that education is a business and who can blame her? When we have Boston-born Republican businessman-turned-political Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg espousing his agenda this comes as no surprise. In his world one works their way up the ranks to obtain wealth and power. The bottom line is the almighty dollar, what can I do for ME? This is NOT the way things operate in education.

Mr. Bloomberg has alienated many parents who feel excluded from influencing decisions about the system. “His problem all along has been a lack of buy-in with the stakeholders of the system: parents, teachers and principals,” said Tim Johnson, chairman of the Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Council, a parent group. Saying that an election every four years “is not enough to check and balance a mayor, especially a mayor with billions of dollars,” Mr. Johnson added that the parents “are more frustrated than ever,” especially given the several reorganizations undertaken by Mr. Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel I. Klein. (The New York Times, September 20, 2006)

It is all about perspective. Mayor Bloomberg or Chancellor Klein have outright disdain for teachers, absolutely no respect. I truly think this would change if they would honestly commit one week to planning, managing and teaching in a New York City Public School. How wonderful if these businessmen would allow themselves to open their minds to 'hear' what dedicated educators around the city have to tell them.

I am a teacher. I want to teach. I do not want to 'move up' to obtain more power and wealth if that takes me out of the classroom. I do not see my position as a stepping stone. I am happy to do what I do. If I wanted to be in business I would have done that. I assure you that with my education and dedication I could be raking in the bucks, but I would not be fulfilled doing that.

Therefore, on the night of my certificate ceremony I simply responded to this woman with --

"No, thank you!".