As a graduate of DC Public Schools (Banneker 1989), I've had my share of great teachers who were involved, excited and made learning enjoyable. I also had my share of stinkers who were just marking time, knowing that they had a safe job and even if they were horrible, there was not much the system could do about it. And every year, most of the horrible teachers got switched to a different school, and a new batch of bad teachers got switched from elsewhere to take their place.

I know that the problems at the school aren't all the fault of the teachers, but why not completely start over with (hopefully) good, excited, enthusiastic teachers that can, potentially, make a difference because they all WANT to be there instead of being assigned there by a faceless system?

For years, I have listened to what is equivalent to teacher bashing from the news media to complete strangers who haven't set foot in any school since they graduated. There are those of you who believe that teachers should be made the scapegoats for all that ills today's schools. Please note that two key words to much of what is negative in our schools now and how this negativity and failure can be eliminated are the words home and parents. One may fire every teacher in the system, however unless real education (not just testing) and proper parenting becomes a priority to the parents of poorly performing students, schools will continue on their downhill spiral. This is not to say that all parents are not doing their job, most are as they are the first teachers. But, in the same token, one must remember that most teachers are doing their jobs... along with everyone else's. Everyone including parents, school administration, politicians and teachers should remember that teachers are not substitutes for proper parenting nor are schools home. Schools should be institutions of education not factories of discipline. If politicians had the nerve to address the real issues, parent's had the honesty to admit that they are not fully engaged in their child's education/lives and if teachers were allowed to teach instead of wearing everyone else's hat, then public schools would improve.

A good teacher in the classroom is the key to student achievement. That being said, DCPS dysfunction has chased many good teachers into charters and the surrounding counties.
The key here is defining good teaching. The reason TG encountered the paycheck collectors was because DCPS had no process for holding teachers accountable for their practice. Once that is put into place, the quality of instruction in classrooms throughout the city will improve.
Having an objective, rigorous, criteria-based process through which EHS teachers and administrators would reapply for their jobs and filling the vacancies with new candidates could give the school a fresh start without punishing good teachers. (I'm sure there are some there.)
As TG mentioned, the annual reshuffling of mediocre teachers one of the processes that truly wreaks havoc with schools.

~I agree with the comment posted by: "SA" on April 23, 2008 12:54 PM

TerpTeacher -
Your comments were absolutely perfect! The reporter didn't capture the true feeling of what the parents want. The parents have asked the Chancellor to give the principal the authority to "select/interview/recruit" staff for the restructured Eastern. That will allow all stakeholders to been on the same page from day one. No one is advocating that people lose their jobs as those not retained at Eastern would be transfered to other schools. And yes, there are some good teachers at Eastern and many of them have no issue with reapplying for their jobs as they feel they're more than confident they would be asked to stay.

The difference between a good teacher and a bad teacher is the difference between falling asleep and staying awake. Students are the best judges of teacher performance. They know when they are engaged and learning or bored to death. It's refreshing whenever students speak up and tell it like it is. Michelle Rhee should listen to them.

I have three children in DCPS schools, enrolled since 1996. There are some very fine teachers in the DC system. And there are horrible, horrible teachers who do not even come close to teaching what the standards require. The problem is, there is no legitimate, realistic way to fire these teachers. No principal has the time to comply with the Draconian demands placed on a termination by the Union -- and the hearing officer would likely send the poor performing teacher back anyway. Every time they get a piece of paper that they do not like in their file, teachers can file a grievance and stop the entire process. The system needs to be revamped so it rewards excellence and penalizes incompetence. Right now, some of the most incompetent teachers in our school earn the highest salary. It is nonsensical. To the Post reporters: please do some digging and find out how many teachers have been involuntarily terminated by DCPS in the last, say, 5 years. I bet it will be in the single digits.

Feel the might of the Blue and White... I do believe that there are good teachers at Eastern...but they were not hired together and they shall not or will not be fired together! But one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch. Once again it took a stand of an elected group within Eastern to get it riled-up. But if it was not for them...I guess the teachers would have assumed the status quo and would have felt they escaped another bullet. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to look at the formula within and afar and realize that something is terribly wrong at EHS. How does the last two superintendents view Eastern with the same disdain for the faculty...but was afraid to do anything about it because of the political pressure? Now you have the politcal structure in place and the leopards and cougars [veteran teachers] have refused to change their spots. The bullseye is not on the principals any more, it is on the faculty. As one of the faculty members was quoted in the post..."we kept the school together." Well can one assume that it means you kept it together in a failing mode year after, year after, year after and years before. The only thing that changed during those years of keeping a failing school together was the principals turnover and firings. What part of restructuring does one not understand at Eastern...even today the washpost said it will take years to overhaul the entire school system...but I did not get the understanding that it will take years to overhaul Eastern. What is the problem with a teacher reapplying for her/his job? Is it for one to believe that the E in Eastern stands for elitists? A teacher's goal is to teach within DCPS...it was not the goal to have a life-time warranty clause for Eastern High School. Remember the Titanic sailed and sunk together...so that theory that teachers [Titanic] kept it together, already lets me know how this drama is going to end. Chancellor I beg of you man the life boats...save us, please! Load the life boats with "educating our children and dedicated teachers first." The most insulting word I heard from a student was when he was explaining a horrendous situation that he experienced with his teacher.. he stated that his teacher called him "stupid." The emotions that was generated in front a room full of adults within that meeting was enough for me to solidify the problems within Eastern are so entrenched that a dumping is not the saving grace but a redeeming choice. We all have seen that bumper sticker..."Have you hugged you child today?" It probably made you smile...but what if you saw a bumper sticker that says Has your child's teacher call him stupid today? Oh! I can sense the irritation...therefore I rest my case.

If you excite the imagination of children they will flock to the classroom regardless of age, race, or soci-economic background. I'm a native Washingtonian and I've heard horror stories about Eastern's staff for the past few years. Thank god you have somebody looking out for these babies.

I have had some teachers in my life who didn't teach, and there were some who were vested in what they taught. However, I think that it is a combination of teaching abilities and systemic failures. Someone wrote that parents need to be more involved. True, but the Eastern High School PTA is calling for changes (PTA= Parent Teacher Association I presume). This means parents do care. First of all, the teacher:student ration needs to be reduced drastically. The classrooms are too large. Then there needs a way to find each students target area problems, their strengths, learning style, and professional interests. Their coursework should reflect all of these things. Of course, this takes a heavy investment of time and capital, which the DC government is trying desperately to cut.

I am the sitting PTA/PTSA Vice President at Eastern SHS; I am also a member of the LSRT. I am also a very involved parent, I attend every meeting from SHAPPE to the board meetings to budget meetings. Oh, and might I also state that I have a full time job where I am a Supervisor of a full staff. Not to mention that I am the sole parent of two teenage boys, and 11th grader at Eastern SHS and a 19 years old who formerly attended Eastern. I merely state these facts to let everyone know that I take my childrens education as seriously as the teaching body takes the comments being leveled at them. It was amazing to me to return to Eastern SHS after a five years hiatus and find that nothing had changed for the better but instead it had gotten significantly worse with the school not reaching Adequate Yearly Progress in Math and Reading for 5 straight years. Now let's break down five straight years of failure. To me that means that 5 classes of America's best and brightest have been turned out into society ill-equipped to handle what life will offer them academically, through basic skill like reading and math comprehension. That reality should shake everyone on this blog to their core. At what school in the surrounding Counties or in various parts of DC would that be acceptable. Well, it isn't acceptable to me either. Now, let's get down to business. What failing company would be allowed to fail its shareholders for this period of time and not think that there would be a major shake up on the horizon. It is "extremely personal" to me to remove any barrier in education that is allowing the failure of our most precious resource, our children. My son is my responsibility and I take his education or the lack thereof "very personally" so for whom this is not personal in the teaching body, maybe that is the problem, because I take my job and my ability to perform it very personally as it is a reflection on me and my capabilities. I will "continue" speaking up for me and my child "personally" and for all of thsoe parents who are unable, unwilling or not knowlegable to do so for their children. Remember, it takes a Village. So before the Village Idiots continue to dumb down our children let those parents who have education at the forefront speak up and speak out.
Mind you there may be good teachers there, and if so, let them reapply for their jobs once the 2008-2009 Administration is placed at the helm of Eastern SHS.
Oh, as as for the statistics of Eastern SHS teaching body it is extremely impressive; thus the sadness.

LEA Teacher Certification List and at this point I don't know what emotion to invoke with this knowledge. I have broken down this report so as to let each of you better understand my anguish with regards to this information and the institution called Eastern SHS.

1. There are 53 Teachers on this list

2. 3 Teachers have PhD Degrees, 34 have Master's Degrees, 14 have Bachelor Degrees, 3 have Associates Degrees, and 10 have no information recorded.

3. 18 Teachers have been at Eastern SHS for over 20 years

4. 4 Teachers whose Certification License is either listed as Provisional and 1 Teacher whose Certification License is listed as Standard

5. 6 Teachers whose Provisional/Standard Teaching Licenses have expired or are going to expire by October 2008 5 of these Teachers field of study is Special Education and one is Biology

I was "originally" pleasantly surprised that we had so many Master's and PhD Degreed individuals at Eastern SHS; almost as quickly as that sense of pride came it was replaced by anger and disappointment at the level of education that is being given to the children of Eastern SHS with all of these acadamiens in one school. One would think that void of teaching supplies (as has been the complaint) that an individual with a Master's Degree in Education and/or a PhD in Education could as they say "make it work."

Often times many of us do not have all of the tools necessary to do our job however, or at least in my case, I have to make due with what I have and I am still required to put out a quality product by any means necessary. I don't mean to minimalize Teaching and Instruction however; I cannot support this degree of miseducation of Eastern SHS students and then see the amount of supposedly educated teaching staff while the children not benefit from all of this knowledge currently in the building. This report just hurts and makes a mockery of parents "having" to send our children to Eastern SHS.

Ward 6 Education Forum
HOPE TO SEE MANY EASTERN SHS TEACHER, PARENTS, and COMMUNITY MEMBER THERE.
I will be there as I ALWAYS am!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, Teachers--DON'T TALK ABOUT IT--BE ABOUT IT!!!

WHEN:
Saturday
April 26, 2008
10 AM - 12:30 PM
WHERE:
Miner Elementary
601 15th Street, NE
Breakfast and babysitting will be provided free of charge.
TO GET INVOLVED:
Contact Lisa Raymond at lisajraymond70@ yahoo.com or call 202-460-9874 for more information.

Ward 6 is proud of its schools; yet, quality is inconsistent. Some children attend public schools throughout from Pre-K to their high school graduation; but too many children continue in failing schools or their families choose an alternative to public school or even leave the ward when their children reach school-age.
Come participate in this Ward 6 Education Forum and let's build an Agenda for Excellence together. Let us work together to ensure that every school and every classroom is excellent.
At the Forum, you will have the opportunity to engage in focused conversation around key topics such as:
 How do we serve our children best from ages 3 through grade 6?
 How can we strengthen our middle grades programs?
 What type of high school would serve the needs of Ward 6? One large high school? A traditional high school with a separate magnet program? Separate, smaller high schools in the same building? What types of magnet or other programs do we desire?
 How do we ensure that all Ward 6 families have the best possible choices for educating their children and that we support and encourage diversity in our schools?
 How do we give all of our families quality, walkable public school options? Do the current boundaries and feeder patterns make sense?

As a teacher at Anacostia Sr. High School, I applaud Ms. Glenn for her efforts to give the students of Eastern the education they deserve. It is about time that the citizens of this city started standing up to the unbelievably bad education that their students are receiving in DCPS. Personally, though it rains through my roof and I had to acquire my own materials to properly assist my students, I do strive to "make it work" despite all obstacles. Michelle Rhee is the best thing to happen to DCPS in a long time, let's finally give the students of this city an excellent education.

I can relate Anacostia teacher however I cannot allow Ms Glen to refer us as "village idiots". Again-- this is a deep, societal and systematic----Wake up,Ms Glenn. Have you met the classmates of your teenage boys who run through the halls screaming, setting off fire alarms constantly, smoking tobacco and marijuana daily, sneaking in weapons, jumping each other- male and female, obstinate, belligerent?? Sure that is a minority of the students. I'd say about the amount of bad teachers there are.

How far does one have to go back to remember the Eastern High School of the glory days? Not far, was it just this generation where you had the band marching in the President's Inauguration and you had the choir singing and recording. You had students winning back to back Trachtenburg (sp.?) scholarships. I do believe that you had a couple of sport teams make it to the playoffs. Therefore academics, athletics and activities were all striving at the Pride of Capitol Hill. Then all of sudden all heck broke loose; they [DCPS] fired that principal who reigned supreme. Why? because they felt that he was a tad bit too obnoxious for their focus. So, the merry-go-around of selecting principals began with headquarters being at the controls. But at times headquarters let the teachers handle the controls and this is when the chaos started to unravel. When the teachers saw a weakness in the decision process of hiring principals for Eastern; such as hiring a principal with a resume that one could say was quite bogus. The teacher did what others do in the corporate world they "tried" to take-over and it was not organized. Basically and plainly put it was the fight of the fittest and in the wild kingdom...only the strong would survive. As the statement was "they were not hired together" believe me they all could not and would not work together for the betterment of the children. Hence, long before this episode I do believe there was another Eastern parent group who's motto was "throw the rascals [teachers] out." Then again it was discussion and sympathetic conjoling from DCPS...please be patient, as one former superintendent told the executive body of the PTSA "I am not allowed to do with Eastern as I like..." The school whispering began "hush here's a secret...we are going to turn it into the Latin School!!!" The parent group was relunctant but soon came around and said GREAT!!! Why? because that meant a restructuring would take place and the best teachers would assume the rightful place at Eastern. Yet, again it was not the dog-fight it is the fight in the dog; so the barking and biting began. I mean every DCPS headquarter professional that came to Eastern...was biten in the posterior by the pit-bull faculty. So, what became of Eastern, it became the typical out-of-sight and out-of-mind theory for an inner-city school. What was has been there all the time for every superintendent to use immediately but relunctantly did not use it and that was the NCLB policy. So, on June 12 we get a Chancellor she begins the simplistic way of solving the problem; she uses the NCLB policy and then all of sudden boxing gloves are being laced-up. Now teachers, parent groups and community want to fight in the NCLB Title Fight! In this corner you have "Faculty Fury" 10 knockouts and 0 losses and in the other corner you have Parent's Punch...(stop laughing). I understand that there's 56 teachers at EHS, so hypothetically you lose a percentage to a dumping; isn't that the way NCLB was given to the public, it was dumped on us? I guess the ultimate question how will we all fair after this dumping. I feel that it will be another SDDD (Same Dumping, Different Day). Back to the title fight..."the new heavy weight champion in promoting the education of our children is??????" If it was only that simple as knocking someone unconscience in a fight, so that we could get on with the business of educating our children. When elephants fight nothing gets damaged but the ground.

1) T.P. Long,"Babies"?!! When was the last time you set foot in a school, specifically a middle or high school and actually spent some time there? Please refer to the comments by DCPS teacher. The rest of you need to also!

2) "Mind you there may be good teachers there..." Ms. Glenn, you validated your credentials as an employed parent and leader quite well which you would not be able to do if there hadn't been "Village Idiots" in your life. However, how much money have you personally invested in purchasing tools consistently for your place of employment to "make it work"? The point is most teachers don't just "make do". Most of them use their own funds (I guess that means depriving their own families) to buy the items so that they won't have to "make do" and teach your children. Additionally, take a trip west of the park to the "other DCPS school system". Some of the PTAs over there actually raise the funds to provide their children's schools/teachers with the necessary funds and equipment so that the teachers won't have to "make do". As a parent leader in your child's school, perhaps you can convince the other parents in your child's school to follow suit...which brings me to another point. What percentage of the parents at your child's school 'generally' attend the PTA meetings? Many times, the only time parents show up for meetings is when there promises to be drama and possibly/probably the news media. Other times, you can count the parents in attendance on your fingers and toes...maybe. Plus, how many parents actually take the day off to attend the meetings that are scheduled throughout the year to discuss their child's progress with the teacher. Take another trip to the "other DCPS school system" and compare the travesty.