I get my car washed on Washington Street, which is just across from the Normal Street offices of the School District.  In the afternoon, the breeze blows in a westerly direction, and with it will sometimes arrive discarded paper and other bits of information.

A few weeks ago, the breeze brought a copy of an email from Superintendent Terry Grier to all elementary principals, dated 5.11.2008 . Now, so far I like him- I like what he’s had to say, and appreciate he went to work ahead of schedule and threw himself into the political inferno that was our budget “crisis” of 2008.  I’ve attended an event where he spoke, and he’s friendly and congenial, has an amazing CV, and has probably forgotten more about education than this silly parent will ever know.

This email that blew in the breeze across Washington Street goes into detail about a new cost-neutral school improvement strategy regarding placement of kindergarten students on which I’m still edumacating myself, and I’ll hopefully have more later for you on that subject.

But for me, the last paragraph is the most interesting and provocative.  I’m going to risk a lawsuit by quoting directly from the email- if the district lawyers read this, and take objection with it’s publication, please let me know and I’ll be happy to publish your order to cease and desist and remove the quote if necessary.  So, onward:

” In addition, please remember Dr. Bill Sanders research on the importance of students, particularly disadvantaged students, NOT being assigned to weak teachers (teachers not being able to produce a minimum of one year’s academic growth) in kindergarten through third grade.  His research STRONGLY calls for our best teachers to teach disadvantaged children in their early years” [the caps are his]

Let’s see, where to start?

First, why does the SDUSD maintain teachers on staff with a proven track record of being unable to produce a minimum of on year’s academic growth?  These are teachers that should be terminated. It’s that simple- we should not have teachers on staff that cannot provide a minimum service standard.  Are we (parents) allowed to know exactly how many teachers are so substandard?  And how long have these substandard teachers been on staff?  Will they remain on staff?  How many of our children will be taught by these “weak” teachers?  Why don’t we hire strong teachers, and get rid of weak teachers? (sniff, sniff- is that the union I smell?

Second, why is just fine and dandy that children who are not “particularly disadvantaged” (it’s too much typing, let’s call’em NPD and PD) are assigned these teachers who cannot do their jobs?  Is there some standard by which staff should discriminate (ding! special word!) which children are PD from those who are NPD and thereby deserve the lower quality education?  Should my family apply for the free lunch program or something so our child can qualify as PD?

I’ll grant you, in any workforce, there are employees who are stronger or weaker than some statistical norm.  But none of the teachers we pay for should fall below the line of being unable to produce a minimum of one year’s academic growth.

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