School Board And Administration Cannot See Beyond Themselves
School Board And Administration Cannot See Beyond Themselves
To the Editor:
It was interesting to read the Board of Educationâs response to the critics of the early release program designed to provide teachers time for development. More evidence that they are out of touch with reality.
The Board of Education and administration need a wider view than their own parochial looking glass. In Suffield, Conn., teachers have the same obligations for development; however the solution in that town is completely opposite. In that school system teacher development time is taken from long weekends and vacations.
For example, Columbus Day weekend the kids have a day off but teachers have a development day. In the same context, teachers start the school year several days earlier than Newtown teachers. On Martin Luther King weekend the teachers have a workshop while the students are on break. Same with the February break.
Every time taxpayers want to hold teachers accountable we are given arguments against that goal. This situation is one more example of the fact that the Board of Education simply doesnât understand the concept that when you get to the bottom of a hole you need to quit digging.
The administration and Board of Education can and should amend this policy. If other communities can do it, we can too. If the teachers donât want to go along with something that requires a little extra effort on their part, then I submit that in this employersâ market we can easily remedy that problem.
Yours truly
RP Gottmeier
13 Antler Pine Road, Sandy Hook                           August 22, 2010