By Jan Greenhawk

September 28, 2023

This article was originally published on eastongazette.com

Someone call Indiana Jones. We may need him to find missing documents in Oxford.

During a Commissioner’s Meeting Tuesday night, Town Manager Cheryl Lewis disclosed that she had found a document outlining the town’s financial investment policies which had apparently been “missing” for more than a decade. She found the document after she did “research” on whether such a policy existed. Ms. Lewis has been at her job for approximately eleven years working with town bank accounts and funds and apparently never knew of such a document which had existed since the 90’s.

The announcement of the discovery of the document coincided with continued discussion about Commissioner Katrina Greer’s idea to move millions of dollars in the town’s funds from Bay Vanguard Bank to the Maryland Local Government Investment Group to increase the interest on the money to almost five percent rather than the lower rate provided by Bay Vanguard Bank. Bay Vanguard has a branch in Oxford which was one of the reasons Ms. Lewis gave for wanting to keep the money there. In three months, however, keeping the money in Bay Vanguard cost the town possible earnings of $30,000 in additional interest.

The sudden document discovery also coincided with Greer’s proposal that the town enlist a committee of citizens with financial and money management experience to advise the Commissioners on money matters and investment.

Curious coincidence if you believe in coincidences.

When Lewis announced that she had found the document in her version of “my bad,” Greer stated that she was embarrassed for the Commissioners and, in particular, Lewis. Lewis stated that the policy had been created in the 90’s and she had just never seen it before.

In the 90’s, the State of Maryland required all towns and municipalities to create such a policy in order to be in compliance with State law. It seems odd that all the Town Commissioners, Town Manager Lewis, and town lawyers of the past decade either didn’t know about it or ignored it.

Oxford is a small town. In fact, appointed Commissioner Delean Botkin described it as a “tiny town” in an attempt to brush aside the need for financial matters to be handled carefully with the advice of a financial advisory committee for the town.

However, Commissioner Greer pointed out that the town has had approximately $30 million dollars run through accounts in the past decade including a huge grant for the water/sewage treatment facility. That is a large sum of money to most people. And even small towns deserve a return on their funds and assurance of fund security.

The issue has caused lively discussion in the town. Many citizens are questioning why different banks and accounts where not investigated in the past. Others are afraid that Bay Vanguard will close its “branch” if the town’s money is taken out. Bay Vanguard is a bank headquartered in Baltimore with over $555 billion in assets. Hardly seems feasible that they would leave town for the removal of this relatively small amount.

Others have pointed out how badly the Bay Vanguard Bank stock is doing:

BV Financial, Inc. (BVFL) Stock Price, News, Quote & History – Yahoo Finance

Regardless, as one citizen pointed out in a passing conversation, “it’s clear that the people running our town have no idea what they are doing.” That may sound harsh, but in the past eight months we have seen mis-managed personnel/hiring decisions, refusal to listen and act on citizen complaints, refusal to answer citizen’s questions, nepotism, suspect appointments, unclear hiring practices, ineffective law enforcement procedures and most important, non-transparency.

Maybe we shouldn’t expect any different from our commissioners since they get paid a pittance for their service. However, they RAN for those positions of their own volition. No one held a gun to their heads. In fact, many of them begged for us to vote them into office so they could change things. One bragged to me that she had managed a $50 million budget in her time on the school board. She should know better than allowing one person to control all the money.

So far, only Greer has delivered on her promises. She is the only one raising questions and seeking information.

Even if we can’t blame our commissioners, we certainly deserve better from our highly paid employees.*

At the very least, they should all do their due diligence and research. It’s what they are there for. And maybe they should open the town’s books to people who are financial and money management experts. We used to have a certified public accountant that did the books. We haven’t for a decade.

Let’s not forget that in the past couple of town audits, not having advice from such a committee has been cited by auditors as a flaw in town financial practices.

Seems odd we would ignore that.

So many coincidences. So many things hidden.

Like I said, Oxford needs Indiana Jones. Or maybe someone like Sherlock Holmes.

*To be sure, there are good people working in the Town of Oxford. Our town maintenance manager and crew work tirelessly to keep the town clean and to keep town property in good shape. Before, during and after storms they are on duty for days at a time picking up debris from down branches and trees and just doing clean up. If you ask them for help, they are there.

Our police officers are responsive and polite when they are here and on duty.

We have a thirty-five-year employee in the town office who is always there with a smile and a professional attitude.

SPECIAL NOTE: The author was not present at this meeting. Information was gathered from the livestream archive and others who were present.

UPDATE!!!!! The following is taken from an article by the Star Democrat: Oxford uncovers investment policy – Star Democrat (newsmemory.com)

According to the town attorney, Lindsey Ryan, the policy was not attached to the ordinance it was supposed to be attached to. This was after Commissioner Katrina Greer asked if Oxford had an investment policy.

In a text message Wednesday, Greer said it was “unacceptable” for town administration to say they did not know about the policy.

“Knowing the town laws and comporting with them is the primary function of an administrator,” she said. “This is deeply concerning that a highly compensated long-term employee did not know about a town investment policy.”

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By Jan Greenhawk

September 25, 2023

This was originally published at eastongazette.com

In our mission to be more proactive in school systems and to hold school officials and school boards accountable for what goes on in our public schools, it is easy sometimes to confuse and conflate terms in our arguments. It’s also easy to misunderstand labels.

Don’t feel bad if you have made a mistake in terminology or details, the public-school bureaucracy wants it that way. Like most government agencies, they use acronyms like MCAP, ELL, ESSR, SEL, CRT, etc. It’s such a prevalent strategy that we used to publish a list of acronyms for new teachers and parents so they would know what all the acronyms meant.

However, when you are speaking to education administration you HAVE to know certain information. One thing you must know is terms and what they mean. The other is history and how we got where we are today, what has been tried in the past, etc.

We are going to tackle terms today. Two of the programs in school systems are Community Based Schools and School Based Health Centers. Honestly, neither of these terms are new. Both have been around for quite a while. They are different with different requirements and missions.

Let’s begin with Community Based Schools. The Maryland State Department of Education defines Community schools as:

In Maryland, a community school is any school that receives Concentration of Poverty Grants. The grants are formula-based and awarded to schools on an annual basis. The determining factor for eligibility is the 4-year average of the percentage of the school’s students living in poverty (excluding 2020-2021 school year), as determined by the compensatory education enrollment. This is essentially the number of students receiving free and reduced-price meals.¹

People are often confused and think that the designation as a Community School means that a school is unsuccessful academically. While it is often true that schools in areas with high poverty may not do well academically, that is not a requirement for being a Community School.

Some also think that being designated a Community School means that the State of Maryland will come in and take over the school. That is also not correct. While the State may become more involved in Community Schools, they do not do a “take over.” The Maryland State Department of Education details what happens with a Community School:

Wraparound Services

Community schools work in collaboration with community partners, local governments, and other stakeholders to identify and address structural and institutional barriers to achievement. Leveraging the power of the collective allows community schools to provide resources to students and families where they need it the most—neighborhoods that have been historically underfunded and underserved. Community schools provide a wide array of wraparound services that enhance student’s ability to be successful.

Examples of wraparound services:

• Extended learning time
• Extended school year
• Safe transportation to and from school 
• Vision and dental services 
• Expanded school-based health center services 
• Additional social workers, counselors, and psychologists
• Additional mentors and restorative practice coaches
• Healthy food in-school and out-of-school
• Access to mental health practitioners

There are many hoops a Community School has to jump through in order to get these services. They also cost more money to the State and local taxpayer. One of the big problems with Community Schools is that the overreach of government in these schools can easily turn into encroachment on parental rights.

School Based Health Centers are a similar but much bigger problem. Here is the definition of School Based Health Centers in Maryland:

The Maryland School-Based Health Center Program provides comprehensive primary, acute and preventative health services and chronic condition management to students, families, and communities in clinics physically located on a school campus. There are currently 89 active school-based health centers across 16 jurisdictions in Maryland. School-based health centers play a critical role in increasing access to health services for students in Maryland schools, especially in underserved communities. School-based health centers are known to improve both the health and educational outcomes of students. Their strength lies in their ability to innovate and integrate into the local school and broader healthcare system.​​​²

If you look at the Community Schools list of services, you will see School Based Health Centers as one of those services. Almost 29,000 Maryland students were enrolled in these centers during 2021-2022 and they conducted 42,400 visits in that year. Centers also provide birth control and pregnancy services. The program is funded through various sources, including federal funds, grant funding, local governments, and school systems.

From the Maryland Health Department website:

All children are eligible for the SBHC in their school. The nurse practitioner and physician prescribe medicines as needed.  Some medications may be obtained at the SBHWC; others may be purchased at your local drug store.  SBHWC staff will explain how to take the medication and answer your questions about it. With permission of a parent, children may be seen for sick care without a parent being present.  The nurse will contact the parent on the day of services.  Parents are encouraged to be present for all well child visits.

Some districts contract these services out to private vendors while other use their county health departments. Five schools in Talbot County, Easton High School, Easton Elementary School, Easton Middle School, St. Michaels Elementary/Middle/High Schools have School Based Health Centers. Services provided are generally billed to Medicaid.

Community Schools and School Based Health Centers are considered by many to be an intrusion on parental rights. Parents need to be aware that when they sign school enrollment forms in the beginning of the school year, they are generally signing permission for their child to be treated medically in that school. Many parents choose to opt out of having their child treated in school except in emergencies.

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment allows students (via themselves or their parents) the following:

The PPRA won’t protect a child from treatment in the schools all the time, but the text can help parents back up their actions to opt their child out.

In a time when locals are struggling to fund schools so they can fulfill their primary mission of teaching children the basic academic skills, Community Schools suck up needed funding AND distract schools from that primary mission. And, of course, they take space and extra personnel in the buildings.

They are also an invasion into the privacy of families and a flagrant usurpation of parental rights.

School Based Health Centers create many more problems. Aside from funding issues, they also allow the schools to be much more involved in a student and family’s personal medical decisions, even those dealing with pregnancy, birth control and sexually transmitted diseases.

As we saw during Covid, schools were not above manipulating students into getting the Covid vaccine, despite evidence of possible medical harm and over parental objections.

Here is a story from Baltimore City where they are still coercing students as well as parents: (Watch the video!)

City Schools holds vaccine clinics at district office (wbaltv.com)

Baltimore City is saying that students who are not vaccinated are not in “compliance.” There is no law or mandate that students in Baltimore City schools are vaccinated against Covid. They are worried about needless vaccines while neglecting their job, educating children.

It’s interesting that the claim from the State of Maryland says that School Based Health Centers are known to improve both the health and educational outcomes of students. A screen shot of a video on FOX News:

They have School Based Health Centers in Baltimore. Based on the info above and in this video, they don’t work.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/baltimore-schools-need-a-complete-overhaul-of-the-curriculum-blanca-tapahuasco/vi-AA1h9o1w?ocid=socialshare

Whenever schools take their eyes off their academic mission, our students are hurt.

Many in government claim that the Community Schools and the School Based Health Centers will help students stay healthy. The claim is that the government needs to keep students get medical care, particularly if they are poor. But, isn’t that what County Health Departments are for? Don’t we spend millions on Health Departments already?

The most damning part of the Community Schools/School Based Health Centers program is that they can hide from parents treatment given to their children. Consider this headline:

Maine Dad Says High School Clinic Sent 17-Year-Old Daughter Home with Secret Baggy of Zoloft, Sicced Child Protective Services on Him For Complaining – The Maine Wire

The parent in this story had signed permission for his daughter to be treated. He probably, like most parents, didn’t think that this would mean they would prescribe and send prescription drugs home with her in a baggie.

When SBHC’s can provide all these services without parental knowledge, they can also transition students as in another story from Maine:

Republican Lawmakers Condemn Secret Gender Transition for 13-Year-Old Girl at Damariscotta Public School

https://www.themainewire.com/2022/12/republican-lawmakers-condemn-secret-gender-transition-for-13-year-old-girl-at-damariscotta-public-school/embed/#?secret=6He9aae1Qc#?secret=SkhczpjQYC

Public School Worker Who Began Secret Gender Transition on 13-Year-Old Maine Girl Has Conditional License – The Maine Wire

And they can do this with personnel who may not even have a license to practice.

Parents and taxpayers need to speak up about these two programs. They are the beginning of a process that takes way the rights and responsibilities of parents to make decisions that will affect the lives of their children. They are an encroachment on the privacy of families. And, like the cases above, they could be dangerous to our kids.

But, when we do talk about them, we need to know our facts.

.

1. Office of Community Schools and Expanded Learning Time (marylandpublicschools.org)
2. Pages – About the Maryland School-Based Health Center Program

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By Staff Writer

September 25, 2023

This article was originally published at eastongazette.com

Does your school district have a Transgender/Gender Nonconforming Policy? Parents Defending Education has published a list of districts in the country which have policies that openly state that district personnel can or should keep a student’s transgender status hidden from parents.

The list for Maryland is below with links. A link to a national list from Parents Defending Education is at the end of this article.

National Data:

Number of total districts: 1044

Number of total schools: 18,331

Number of total students: 10,704,667

Anne Arundel Public Schools

transgender.pdf (aacps.org)

Baltimore City Public Schools

General Order 18-05 Interactions with LGBTQ Persons – Draft Revisions (9-27-2022).pdf (boarddocs.com)

Carroll County Public Schools

StudentServicesManual.pdf (finalsite.net)

Frederick County Public Schools

443 (fcps.org)

Harford County Public Schools

PROVIDING SAFE SPACES FOR TRANSGENDER AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING YOUTH: GUIDELINES FOR GENDER IDENTITY NON-DISCRIMINATION (hcps.org)

Howard County Public Schools

Guidelines for Supporting Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students 10.8.18.pdf (hcpss.org)

Montgomery County Public Schools

2019-202020guidelines20for20student20gender20identity13.pdf (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)

Prince Georges County Public Schools

board-policy-0103—inclusive-environments-for-lgbtqia-people.pdf (pgcps.org)

Source: List of School District Transgender – Gender Nonconforming Student Policies – Parents Defending Education

By Jan Greenhawk

September 22, 2023

This article was originally published at the eastongazette.com

A year ago, the State of Maryland delayed the publication of scores from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program for four months because they were so bad. The State claimed it was for administrative purposes as they tested specific test items to see if they were an accurate assessment of student skills. But, eventually, they released the scores in late January.

The scores were bad. At the time the State Superintendent brushed the scores aside and said “they weren’t as bad as he thought they would be.” One wonders if he will say that this year as he takes a quick exit from his position at the helm of Maryland schools.

Once again, the scores are bad. Very bad.

On Wednesday night, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction for the Talbot County Public Schools Dr. Helga Einhorn presented the county’s 2023 scores at the Board of Education meeting.

There was no spin. No “look on the bright side.” Nothing that was an attempt to make the scores look better. To use the old adage, “it is what it is.”

You won’t find the scores on the Maryland State Department of Education website yet. As is usual, the State releases state scores first, then allows locals to release theirs, and then allow individual schools to release theirs. In this way, they let everyone have the right to get first crack at making the public aware of the condition of their schools.

In English Language Arts Grades 3-8, Talbot County had 42% of students score in the “proficient” or higher range. Mind you, “proficient” means that a student can do basic work in the subject. There are four score ranges, politically named, beginning learner, developing learner, proficient learner, and distinguished learner. No one wants to tell any parent whose child is in the first two levels that their kids have no academic skills. The State average is 47%. Talbot was ninth from the bottom.

Top in the State was Worcester with 68% of their students proficient in English Language Arts. Bottom was Baltimore City with 25%.

Tenth grade students fared better on the test, with 55% of tenth graders scored proficient in ELA. Of course, that is slightly over half of the tenth graders in the system, meaning 45% are NOT proficient in ELA.

The picture was worse in Math. This was true both in the State and in Talbot County.

It is a disastrous picture. Talbot only had 18% of students grades 3-8 scoring in the proficient range in math. This was 7th from the bottom in the State. Only Baltimore City, Prince Georges’, Somerset, Dorchester, Kent, and Charles scored lower. The top in the State, Worcester, scored at 47%. The State average was 25%. Two sub-groups in Talbot, African American and English Language Learners, scored less than 5 % proficient in math.

There were other scores. In Science, 29.5% of Talbot students scored proficient. The State Average was 34.5 %. In Government, 33.1% were proficient. Nothing to cheer about here.

There were no reasons given for the poor testing performance. It’s been three years since the pandemic and the Blueprint is being implemented.

According to Talbot Superintendent Sharon Pepukayi, they have implemented math coaches in the schools to help train teachers in the best methods for teaching math. The system is focusing on math and reading in a way they have not in the past.

Is it enough?

It might be if there wasn’t so much standing in the way of success. Between all the mandated programs of the Blueprint, teacher shortages, system overreach into Community schools which provide “wraparound” services for students, discipline issues, CRT, mental health counseling, there may not be enough hours and days in the school year to cover the 435 standards in math and the 122 standards in English Language Arts that the tests require.

When I was a teacher, I remember someone doing a workshop about why American schools needed to change their focus. This was in 2004 and the consultant said, “The problem with American schools is not that they don’t do enough. The problem is that they do too much.” Then he went on to explain, “The American curriculum is ten miles long and an eighth of an inch deep.”

With so much to do, teachers are rushing through content with no depth nor student mastery or true competence. Add to that all the other initiatives they are asked to conduct each day, and the rush to get through it all is paired with less and less time. Teachers adapt by teaching to the middle, the mean, at the expense of students at the top or the bottom of the class. Students on the top end of the learning pyramid are able to grasp content, but it is not necessarily with the expertise that they should have. Those at the bottom are perpetually lost. Yet, they get passed on to the next grade.

Another concept I was taught when I was teaching was the importance of “time on task.” The Japanese thrive on this idea, making sure that classroom time is productive and uninterrupted. The American classroom is one intrusion after another, making it impossible to get through good, solid instruction. One special project after another stops the flow of learning.

There are other ways to remove distractions. Get rid of laptops/iPads in the classroom unless students are using them for a very narrow, specific purpose. Technology is more of a distraction and a crutch than a real aid to learning. Stop paying companies like Apple millions to create a generation of eager consumers for their products. Teach kids to use their brains to solve problems, not technology.

Finally, allow teachers to teach. Give them the tools, the strategies, the authority to teach. Make sure they are competent in their content. Mentor them, listen to them, help them. But let them teach without asking them to do things they are not able to do.

The problem with these solutions is they are not glamorous or expensive. They won’t get anyone kickbacks or big publicity. No one will sell books or become a consultant based on these ideas.

But maybe, just maybe, the kids will thrive, achieve, and learn.

Sadly, one wonders if that is what the education establishment wants. Because they are doing a great job of doing just the opposite.

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By Jan Greenhawk

September 22, 2023

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A year ago, the State of Maryland delayed the publication of scores from the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program for four months because they were so bad. The State claimed it was for administrative purposes as they tested specific test items to see if they were an accurate assessment of student skills. But, eventually, they released the scores in late January.

The scores were bad. At the time the State Superintendent brushed the scores aside and said “they weren’t as bad as he thought they would be.” One wonders if he will say that this year as he takes a quick exit from his position at the helm of Maryland schools.

Once again, the scores are bad. Very bad.

On Wednesday night, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction for the Talbot County Public Schools Dr. Helga Einhorn presented the county’s 2023 scores at the Board of Education meeting.

There was no spin. No “look on the bright side.” Nothing that was an attempt to make the scores look better. To use the old adage, “it is what it is.”

You won’t find the scores on the Maryland State Department of Education website yet. As is usual, the State releases state scores first, then allows locals to release theirs, and then allow individual schools to release theirs. In this way, they let everyone have the right to get first crack at making the public aware of the condition of their schools.

In English Language Arts Grades 3-8, Talbot County had 42% of students score in the “proficient” or higher range. Mind you, “proficient” means that a student can do basic work in the subject. There are four score ranges, politically named, beginning learner, developing learner, proficient learner, and distinguished learner. No one wants to tell any parent whose child is in the first two levels that their kids have no academic skills. The State average is 47%. Talbot was ninth from the bottom.

Top in the State was Worcester with 68% of their students proficient in English Language Arts. Bottom was Baltimore City with 25%.

Tenth grade students fared better on the test, with 55% of tenth graders scored proficient in ELA. Of course, that is slightly over half of the tenth graders in the system, meaning 45% are NOT proficient in ELA.

The picture was worse in Math. This was true both in the State and in Talbot County.

It is a disastrous picture. Talbot only had 18% of students grades 3-8 scoring in the proficient range in math. This was 7th from the bottom in the State. Only Baltimore City, Prince Georges’, Somerset, Dorchester, Kent, and Charles scored lower. The top in the State, Worcester, scored at 47%. The State average was 25%. Two sub-groups in Talbot, African American and English Language Learners, scored less than 5 % proficient in math.

There were other scores. In Science, 29.5% of Talbot students scored proficient. The State Average was 34.5 %. In Government, 33.1% were proficient. Nothing to cheer about here.

There were no reasons given for the poor testing performance. It’s been three years since the pandemic and the Blueprint is being implemented.

According to Talbot Superintendent Sharon Pepukayi, they have implemented math coaches in the schools to help train teachers in the best methods for teaching math. The system is focusing on math and reading in a way they have not in the past.

Is it enough?

It might be if there wasn’t so much standing in the way of success. Between all the mandated programs of the Blueprint, teacher shortages, system overreach into Community schools which provide “wraparound” services for students, discipline issues, CRT, mental health counseling, there may not be enough hours and days in the school year to cover the 435 standards in math and the 122 standards in English Language Arts that the tests require.

When I was a teacher, I remember someone doing a workshop about why American schools needed to change their focus. This was in 2004 and the consultant said, “The problem with American schools is not that they don’t do enough. The problem is that they do too much.” Then he went on to explain, “The American curriculum is ten miles long and an eighth of an inch deep.”

With so much to do, teachers are rushing through content with no depth nor student mastery or true competence. Add to that all the other initiatives they are asked to conduct each day, and the rush to get through it all is paired with less and less time. Teachers adapt by teaching to the middle, the mean, at the expense of students at the top or the bottom of the class. Students on the top end of the learning pyramid are able to grasp content, but it is not necessarily with the expertise that they should have. Those at the bottom are perpetually lost. Yet, they get passed on to the next grade.

Another concept I was taught when I was teaching was the importance of “time on task.” The Japanese thrive on this idea, making sure that classroom time is productive and uninterrupted. The American classroom is one intrusion after another, making it impossible to get through good, solid instruction. One special project after another stops the flow of learning.

There are other ways to remove distractions. Get rid of laptops/iPads in the classroom unless students are using them for a very narrow, specific purpose. Technology is more of a distraction and a crutch than a real aid to learning. Stop paying companies like Apple millions to create a generation of eager consumers for their products. Teach kids to use their brains to solve problems, not technology.

Finally, allow teachers to teach. Give them the tools, the strategies, the authority to teach. Make sure they are competent in their content. Mentor them, listen to them, help them. But let them teach without asking them to do things they are not able to do.

The problem with these solutions is they are not glamorous or expensive. They won’t get anyone kickbacks or big publicity. No one will sell books or become a consultant based on these ideas.

But maybe, just maybe, the kids will thrive, achieve, and learn.

Sadly, one wonders if that is what the education establishment wants. Because they are doing a great job of doing just the opposite.

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By Jan Greenhawk

September 20, 2023

This article originally appeared on the eastongazette.com website

I was a public-school teacher.

I sent my two kids to private school for eight years and then had them finish the last four in the local public high school.

I chose a private school for my children because I was seeing so many things going on in the local public schools that would keep my kids from getting the education basics I knew they needed to have a successful life.

When my husband and I made that decision it was more a matter of overcrowded classrooms, whole language reading, and a disregard for tried-and-true, sound instruction. And, by the way, what was taught wasn’t decided by the teachers, it was the whims of the administration in our district at that time.

I’ve never regretted that choice.

I had no idea that public schools would be invaded by insanity in the twenty plus years later. Throughout the pandemic, the public schools ran slipshod over the needs of their students, shut schools down and moved to hastily prepared “virtual” learning, mandated that students sit for 8 hours a day (if you include bus rides to and from school) in unhealthy and mentally cruel masks, allowed non-medical personnel to illegally test and quarantine kids, and usurped the rights and responsibilities of the parents.

I had no idea that school curriculums would turn away from content knowledge and skills and turn to dividing students by race and confusing them about gender. I had no idea that pornographic material would be on the shelves of school libraries and schools would fight to keep them there.

And now, the madness continues while state test scores stagnate or drop. Now kids can be counseled that they are not the gender they think they are by school personnel who keeps this info from parents. Some states openly state that parents should be kept from knowing the struggles their children are suffering.

After being called terrorists for speaking up at Board of Education meetings, parents have decided enough is enough. Many have decided to head for private schools where they anticipate more input and control over what is taught, better discipline, more focus on academic achievement and less inclination to cave to useless Covid measures and wild activist programs and teachers.

Pre-plandemic, there were roughly 50.8 million students enrolled in public schools and only about 5.8 million in private schools. Many parents thought the public schools were doing a fine job with their children. At the very least, they couldn’t see how there was a big enough difference between public and private school education to justify the average private/parochical school tuition of $11,000 a year investment, especially when local taxes that those parents pay support the public school system in their area.

In fact, many private/parochial schools were losing ground in attendance to public schools.

Suddenly, with the pandemic, private/parochial schools started to gain ground. They started offering more financial assistance to parents, hoping to capitalize on the sudden interest from the public. They knew that if they could get the kids in the door, follow through on parents’ hopes for a strong education and disciplined environment, and do their job correctly, those students and families would be more likely to stay. In some more highly priced schools, 75% reduction in tuition was offered.

In 2020, upwards of three million students were suddenly absent from public schools. Half a million of them were kindergarten children whose parents did not want their non-reading children chained to virtual learning. In the Fall of 2021, an additional 1. 5 million joined the others in the public-school exodus. (2)

Seeing the trend, private school administrators, who tend to view the parents of their students as customers, were busy talking to parents, accepting their input, trying to make sure they were meeting their needs.

But, like so many who can’t sustain a good, successful model, it seems as though the private/parochial schools are starting to work REALLY hard to kill their golden goose.

It started with the local parochial school attempting a mask mandate. No one is quite sure, but rumor had it that threats had been made from the public sector that they would release a story that Catholic Schools didn’t care about the safety of their students. Say what you want about the public schools, but they weren’t going down without a fight. It worked.

The Archdiocese caved, much to the dismay of the parents who had already signed enrollment contracts. On top of that, parents found that their kids were being subjected to the same classroom bully tactics regarding the vaccine from Covid Cultist teachers as public-school students. Sometimes they were asked to raise their hands if they had been vaccinated so teachers could point out and publicly shame those who weren’t. Other times the teacher virtue signaled her achievement of getting stuck with an injection that is neither safe nor effective and then placed a big old value judgement on those who hadn’t. There were videos shown in class from CNN promoting the vaccines.

And let’s not even discuss the school “medical” staff who found it necessary to “quarantine” cupcakes brought in for student birthday celebrations just in case Covid was lurking in the icing. (I must admit, it is a clever way to get extra snacks if the staff wants them.)

In fairness, when enough parents complained, these practices stopped, at least temporarily.

Other private schools in the area did equally stupid things. One parent was threatened with their child being removed from her school because the parent spoke out about mask and vaccine mandates in a meeting.

Schools were promoting overt racism and instruction in sexual preferences in their classrooms too. It didn’t matter what parents paid; they still got a hidden agenda. That local school my kids once went to? The headmistress listed her “preferred pronouns” at the bottom of her emails and referred in a meeting to the population of our area with the characterization of us being stupid and backward. Seriously? What a difference 20 years makes.

Imagine writing a check for $16,000 a year for THAT! There are more examples.

For one, there is this story from a parent whose child attends an exclusive parochial school outside Baltimore:

EXCLUSIVE: Private Catholic School Quietly Introduces Social Justice Course, ‘Disguised as Religion Class,’ Required for Graduation | The Epoch Times

The parent in this story discovered that “social justice” i.e. CRT, and some vague gender ideology was being taught in a required class but was being billed as a religious class. Here are some excerpts from the story in Epoch Times:

“My daughter came home yesterday and said she was confused,” she recalled. “When I asked her to show me what confused her, she wouldn’t show me. That’s because she knows it’s something I won’t want to see. You shouldn’t want to hide things from your parents.”

The parent did not disclose her name because she feared for retaliation. She goes on in the article to describe the ambiguous grading practices of the course and some of the troubling discussion topics. Also from the Epoch Times:

Michelle Christman, a JC alumnus and 2022 candidate for state senator, says she isn’t a fan of “social justice warrior programs.”

She also doesn’t like that the school appears to be hiding things from parents.

“The school needs to be transparent,” she told The Epoch Times. “When you’re talking about a private school, a parent is paying for that. There needs to be clarity as to what is being taught. Especially in today’s day and age.

“We are absolutely seeing what these social justice warrior programs have done. They’re taking the United States’ history and sweeping it under the rug. Children don’t even understand what freedom is, or what’s in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.”

Ms. Christman is also alarmed that parents such as Mrs. Fletcher are reticent to come forward publicly.

John Carroll High School charges $20,000 a year for children to get a “Catholic” education.

Parents whose children are enrolled at Salisbury School in Salisbury, Maryland can relate. The other night at Back to School Night, parents and students were greeted by the following poster in the doorway to a science teacher’s classroom:

Maybe this poster doesn’t bother some, but it is in the doorway to a CHEMISTRY classroom where students are supposed to learn CHEMISTRY, not gender ideology. Perhaps this teacher was trying to show support for LGBTQ+ people, but that is not her job. Her job is to teach chemistry to ALL students.

A student who saw this poster in the doorway to their teacher’s classroom commented that he/she didn’t care about people’s gender or sexual preferences, but he/she just wished teachers would allow kids to learn about the subjects they teach, not some ideological stuff. The student feels uncomfortable constantly having sexual identity and preferences shoved in his/her face.

While this teacher has a right to her private opinion about these issues, it is NOT her right to foist them upon students, especially when the comments on this poster make many students feel uncomfortable and unaccepted. Can an average student who is not LGBTQ+ expect fair treatment from this teacher? Who knows. But, kids will make an assumption that they cannot.

What can a parent do?

Across the country, parents are beginning to sue private schools for breach of contract when those schools teach CRT, DEI, gender ideology.

Parents increasingly sue elite schools for ‘woke’ ideology | Fortune

As the article states, parents generally sign contracts with private schools before handing over anywhere from $16000 to $50000 a year for their child to be enrolled. What happens after that is often subject to change (from Fortune):

When Jerome Eisenberg enrolled his daughter at the Brentwood School in Los Angeles, where Adam Levine met some of his Maroon 5 bandmates, the investment manager says he expected her to get a traditional liberal arts education. 

But after the murder of George Floyd, the $50,000-a-year school said it was reimagining its purpose “with an eye toward anti-racism” and diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. In Eisenberg’s view, Brentwood was pulling a “bait and switch” on parents. He sued the school last year for breach of contract, civil rights violations and emotional distress. 

The results of suits have been mixed (from Fortune):

Parents determined to challenge private school teaching and policies face a number of obstacles. Public school parents can argue that the government is infringing on their First Amendment rights by forcing DEI or similar instruction on their children. Parents largely waive those rights when they enroll their kids in private schools. 

“Private schools are bound by their own policies and not the US Constitution,” said Jennifer Rippner, a law lecturer at Indiana University, Bloomington’s School of Education.

When parents do sue private schools, it’s usually for breach of contract, according to New Hampshire education lawyer Linda Johnson, who represents independent schools and consults with them on managing their legal risk. The process sometimes starts off with “a 10-page, single-space letter addressing everything that the parent thought the school did wrong to try to justify a repayment of tuition,” she said.

Many of the disputes arise out of school disciplinary action, Johnson said. In the current environment, that can have political overtones. 

Those parents who don’t win move their children to other schools or homeschooling. But, they can find allies in their cause, groups such as Parents Defending Education and Moms for Liberty. Those groups understand that parents don’t send their children to any school, much less private schools, to have them taught distorted values and causes that don’t align with their parents’.

“We have a nation that’s awake now to the rampant educational failure that’s happening in our schools, and the fact that they’ve become indoctrination centers instead of places of learning,” said Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice. 

For now, parents need to be very careful when signing that enrollment contract with a private school. They need to get assurances that their child will get the academic education they will pay for and not indoctrination. And, if that isn’t the case, then they need to be ready to fight back or make a change.

Disclosure: The author of this article is a chapter chair for Moms for Liberty.

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Jan Greenhawk

Jan Greenhawk is a former teacher and school administrator for over thirty years. She has two grown children and lives with her husband in Maryland. She also spent over twenty-five years coaching/judging gymnastics and coaching women’s softball.

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By Jan Greenhawk

September 15, 2023

This article appeared in the eastongazette.com

State Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury stated that he will not seek renewal of his contract for another year. This comes after much controversy over Choudhury and his methods and management style during his tenure in charge of Maryland’s Public Schools.

Throughout his time in Maryland, Choudhury has been rude to state legislators in session, faced allegations of workplace harassment of employees, and has threatened to take full control over Maryland School systems and their curriculums. The workplace allegations were based on the reports of 30 plus employees at the State Department of Education.

Former employees complained about Choudhury, saying he created a “toxic” workplace. Local educators who met him on county visits, described him as aloof and arrogant.

He seemed to have little or no influence on improving state test scores despite his being proclaimed a “creative and bold” leader by some. This departure will add to Choudhury’s history of “voluntarily” leaving school districts after short tenures.

In recent months, despite full and undying support from State Board President Clarence Crawford, Choudhury was losing favor with many in power, including Governor Moore who didn’t comment on Choudhury in particular but said in a recent interview, “I want transparency. I want accountability, and I want a superintendent that believes in it and can deliver it. The results we’re seeing right now are not satisfactory results, and I demand better.” That quote seemed a precursor to the end for Choudhury who often sparred with state legislators and the Accountability and Implementation board of the Blueprint for Maryland’s future. It was also a bad omen when the State Board did not renew his contract when they were supposed to in August.

He was also accused of erasing text messages from his government cell phone, which is against the law. His department was accused of hiding test scores of failing schools as well.

It’s unclear as to whether Choudhury will finish his term or leave before the end of his contract in June. There were also no details on when or how the search for a new State Superintendent will being.

State Senate President Bill Ferguson, a former teacher, issued a statement thanking Choudhury for his work “during an unprecedented time of upheaval in education” as schools grappled with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. He also noted Choudhury’s dedication to the goals of the Blueprint.

” It is vital that Maryland’s next superintendent of schools embody the same commitment to improving educational outcomes for all students,” said Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat who is a former teacher. “Our State’s public schools need a leader who can ensure every child is ready to thrive in a 21st century economy upon graduation.”

Portions of this article were taken from THE BALTIMORE BANNER.

Maryland schools superintendent Mohammed Choudhury won’t seek second term – The Baltimore Banner

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Jan Greenhawk is a former teacher and school administrator for over thirty years. She has two grown children and lives with her husband in Maryland. She also spent over twenty-five years coaching/judging gymnastics and coaching women’s softball.

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By Jan Greenhawk

September 15, 2023

Article originally published at eastongazette.com

If you are the Governor of Maryland or a legislator, you may be able to ignore when counties like Caroline, Talbot, Garrett etc. protest state mandated programs. After all, those counties are small and won’t carry much water for your legislative agenda, or even more important, your re-election.

But, when counties like Montgomery, Baltimore, Prince George’s and even Baltimore City start pushing back on huge spending boondoggles like the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, you know you have a problem.

The Blueprint, which is costing counties millions of dollars above their education budgets and increasing property taxes by as much at 10% in some areas, is quickly becoming political and practical poison for those in power in Annapolis especially during a time when the Governor has stated that the State is out of money. Like dominoes, counties across the state are resisting the strain on their budgets and lack of local control.

Projections of the cost of the bill and its unfunded mandates are staggering:

The legislative services department noted in its evaluation of the state’s financial condition that “the cash and structural budget outlook deteriorates…due to the costs of ongoing K-12 education enhancements.” Backers of the Kirwan plan (Blueprint) have often repeated the notion that it will cost $4 billion by 2033. However, the true cost will be more than $4 billion annually. Thus, it will cost the state and local governments more than $40 billion by 2033. This came as a surprise even to Democratic politicians like Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, who called the cost to the city a “gut punch.” -( Source:Marylanders should get ready for tax hikes – MarylandReporter.com).

County executives across the state are pushing back.

From Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D):

“We do not have a truly cooperative, interactive relationship, at this point, but nobody does,” Elrich said. “Montgomery County is not unique. You’ll find these kinds of arguments all around the state between county governments and the local school boards. We’re like a money machine but we have no power in how the money gets tapped at some point.”

“The county has no authority,” he said. “We can’t even, for example, look at a budget line item and say we don’t think you should do that program. We’re not going to fund that program and we want you to fund a different program. County has no ability to do that. ”- Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich ( D) Had to raise taxes 10% just for Education.

And, from Howard County:

“I think that there is an important conversation to be had about a county executive and a council or commissioner-based system who have so much funding responsibility and zero ability to actually ensure where those dollars go and that they’re used effectively,”-Calvin Ball, Howard County Executive, (D)

Stuart Pittman, Anne Arundel County Executive:

The question of whether county governments should have greater control over their school districts has been an ongoing conversation for the so-called Big 8 jurisdictions and the Maryland Association of Counties over several months, according to Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman (D).

“I think it’s mostly focused on transparency in budgeting,” he said. “Most of us feel like we don’t have a good sense of what their finances really look like and maybe there’s a more collaborative approach.”

Smaller counties point out that they not only don’t have the funding to support the education excesses required by the Blueprint, for example, the Head of Budget and Management from Carroll County, addressed the Maryland State Board of Education in the Spring and told them that the Blueprint will hurt schools in his district. He stated that the Blueprint will take resources away from schools in Carroll County and put them in schools targeted by the Blueprint. This will cause overcrowded classrooms in those schools that were previously successful.

Calvert County School Superintendent Andrew Townsend said the 10.5% increase in school funding is “unprecedented “and needed to meet the mandates of the Blueprint for Maryland.

State Delegate Jeff Ghrist, whose district includes parts of Caroline, Queen Anne’s, Cecil and Kent Counties has pointed out many times that districts such as the ones he represents can’t possibly meet the physical and staffing requirements of the Blueprint, much less the monetary.

In Talbot, county council members state that they want to have more local control of their education spending since it comprises 42.1% of the county’s yearly budget and drastically impacts taxes in the county. The council had to tack on a 4.8 % education tax supplement onto citizens’ tax bills on top of the taxes already levied. While paying more, citizens will have less input into education spending than ever before.

The pleas for sanity fell on deaf ears with some legislators.

Senate Majority Leader Nancy J. King (D-Montgomery), who chairs two Budget and Taxation subcommittees that deal with education issues, said there is no need to change the current system.

“I would be absolutely, 1000% against that,” King said, adding that Elrich and others lack the experience to make decisions for the school system.

“He needs to do his job and let the school board do their job,” she said.

King, a former school board member, said complaints about lack of oversight amount to “a nice political thing to say.”

“All these people, they want to re-do the budget. They want to re-do how school systems run, it’s like they don’t have enough of their own jobs to do,” she said.

Somebody check King’s hearing, because she isn’t getting the message, especially from the people. Marylanders don’t want expensive, frivolous mandates imposed on their schools particularly when they see miserable state test scores.

Sixty-three percent are against raising taxes to support the Blueprint according to a poll done by the Maryland Public Policy Institute. Forty-eight percent of Democrats and 84% of Republicans are against the spending.

Poll: Voters Don’t Like Higher Taxes to Fund the Kirwan Commission’s Education Plan » Research » Maryland Public Policy Institute (mdpolicy.org)

But, it could just be citizens, like State Senator Nancy King said, ” don’t have enough of their own jobs to do.” You mean, those jobs they hold to make ends meet and pay expensive tax bills in their counties and state, Nancy?You mean the jobs they hold to overcome inflation and put food on the table?

Maybe we should start a “Go Fund Me” to buy Nancy a pair of hearing aids. Do they have them to prevent being tone deaf?

County leaders renew push for oversight on education spending – Maryland Matters

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Jan Greenhawk

Jan Greenhawk is a former teacher and school administrator for over thirty years. She has two grown children and lives with her husband in Maryland. She also spent over twenty-five years coaching/judging gymnastics and coaching women’s softball.

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By Jan Greenhawk

This post was published initially on the eastongazette.com

September 7, 2023

Every time state test scores are released, the same cry comes up from the educational and political establishment, ” If we had more money, the scores would be better.”

So, when Maryland State scores came out in August, it happened again. Sure, they added the pandemic as part of the excuse, but it still boiled down to money. It didn’t matter which jurisdiction was doing the whining, it was still the same.

Same BS, different year.

Despite the fact that districts are coming off some fairly fat economic years with all the ESSR funding and the new Blueprint coming into effect, there wasn’t enough money to make the scores better.

For example, let’s take a look at the Baltimore City Public Schools. Granted, ESSR II and ESSRIII funds were supposed to be spread out over five school/fiscal years, however, no matter how you look at it, the city got a lot of money. $650 million to be exact. Prince George’s County came in second with $396 million.

On the losing end of the ESSR sweepstakes were counties like Talbot ($14 million), Queen Annes ($10 million), and Worcester Counties ($21 million). Still, a nice windfall.

As for the Blueprint, the funding formula for districts is based on student population. But, some students earn districts more than others. This inequality in funding is based on the concept of “equity.” Students who are English Language Learners, Special Education, or poor cost more money because they need more support or cost the county more.

For example, the base per pupil spending in Maryland Public Schools is $8,310 per student per year. For every K-3 “struggling learner” as defined by the state the county gets an additional $665. A special education student will gain the standard per student expenditure plus $7146.00 (86%) or $15,456. An English Language Learner will gain the standard per student expenditure plus $8310 (100%) or $16,620. Compensatory aid for students who get free lunch is $6232.50.

So, if a county has an ELL, Special Education Student who gets free lunch, they hit the jackpot. You do the math.

These student numbers are determined by September 30th each year. With all that funding per student, one would think our kids would be knocking the socks off state testing. Apparently, those who developed the Blueprint thought that money would be the answer. You be the judge.

Here are the recently released Maryland State Assessment Scores for the Spring of 2023:

The above are the reading scores.

The establishment will crow about how pleased they are with these scores, and how it looks like they are “not quite as bad” as last year. With the exception of the tenth-grade scores, no other grade level had 50% of the students proficient or above. ” Proficient.” Not excellent or great, just proficient. This is out of a four-point scale with the top ranking called “distinguished.” Let me ask you, do you want a merely “proficient” carpenter building your house or a top level, distinguished carpenter, especially if you are paying top dollar?

Even more frightening are the math scores. The State doesn’t even attempt to spin these numbers. They are just bad.

There are only 1-2% of students who are considered distinguished in math. It’s going to be hard to compete internationally with just 1-2% of our population accomplished in what is basic math.

Never fear, however, there are a certain percentage of students who are ” on the cusp of proficiency” meaning that they are “almost there” in both reading and math. The fact that the state felt they needed to report this on a chart on their page shows you that they know these scores are so bad they have to celebrate “almost.”

No parent wants their child to be the “almost there” student. I don’t want bridges build by “almost there” engineers, or the law read by “almost there” judges.

I understand that these scores cannot be turned around in a year. Maybe not even two or three. It took us a long time (and a lot of money) to sink this low and it will take a while for us to dig our way out.

Problem is, we keep skirting the issue with all these ancillary, needless and expensive programs like the Blueprint that waste time and take the decision making out of the hands of the local districts and elected officials. School systems are so tied up funding the Blueprint, there’s no money left for locally designed and effective solutions.

I also question the determination of the education establishment and our government to actually fix this problem. When questioned about schools, particularly those in Baltimore City and how bad they are, Governor Moore deflected from proposing a solution or even a serious answer to the problem. He blamed climate change. Yes, he actually did.

His kids go to private school and so did he.

Truth is, If the problem gets solved, the Unions won’t be able to cry about teachers’ wages and local politicians will not be able to demand more money from taxpayers to “fix the problem.” It’s mediocrity and failure by design, and it is a big money maker.

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By Jan Greenhawk

Article originally published on eastongazette.com

September 4, 2023

Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International — CC BY-SA 4.0

With the school year barely a week old in many districts, systems are struggling to staff classrooms.

In an informal survey of certificated openings in fifteen out of the 24 Maryland school districts, there were 473 openings as of 8/30. This doesn’t include positions that may exist in systems which don’t specifically list openings but hide them behind generic job search platforms. It also doesn’t include part time and non-certified classroom staff openings. There are approximately 60,000 certified teachers working in the Maryland’s Public Schools.

Having vacancies this late in the summer is bad for students!

Some districts such as Worcester, Queen Anne, Caroline, Cecil and Garrett have less than ten openings. Others like Baltimore County and Baltimore City, list between 60 and 79 vacancies. The rest are between 28 to 52. Again, this is for certificated classroom teachers only, not support or administrative staff.

Is this normal? Not really. Usually, systems advertise positions by the middle of April. At that point, teachers who wish to leave systems have told their districts, teachers who have not been rehired are looking, and college students in their final year of school are on the hunt for a job. Normally, by the end of July most positions have been filled. There might be one or two hard to fill jobs still being advertised, but that’s it. To have so many positions still unfilled by the end of August is almost unheard of, especially when most Maryland districts started the year on August 29 th.

Teacher shortages have happened before. I remember there were shortages at different points during my career. The Covid pandemic made things worse. Teachers left after the difficulty of the two years of virtual and hybrid learning.

In 2022, over 5,500 teachers left Maryland systems. Forty percent voluntarily resigned. Twenty-five percent left the classroom for other educational positions, particularly administration. Twenty percent retired. The rest were either fired, took a leave of absence, or went into another profession.

Maryland isn’t the only state facing teacher shortages. The map from the U.S. State Education Agencies and ABC below shows that of February 2023, many states are facing the same problem. Altogether, there are 55,000 teacher vacancies across the U.S. There are over 270,000 underqualified positions, meaning that non-certified teachers are filling positions as well as teachers not certified in the area they are currently teaching.

US Teacher Shortage (teachershortages.com)

Most of the US is dealing with a teaching shortage, but the data isn’t so simple – ABC News (go.com)

The problem is growing exponentially as enrollment in teacher education programs is declining drastically.

The Unions tell everyone that teachers leave because teachers’ pay is too low. In reality, teachers talk about poor working conditions, lack of support from administration, burnout, poor morale, and student behavior, especially violence.

What happens when schools are short staffed? The usual answer is that districts fill positions with uncertified substitute teachers. Many of these substitutes have yet to graduate college. However, there is a shortage of substitute teachers as well. The next solution? Increase class sizes beyond what is normal. At the secondary level, districts will cancel elective courses or force teachers to teach out of their content certification.

In some states, there is a new move to shorten the teacher work week.

Schools Take on 4 Day Work Week to Combat Rising Teacher Shortage (msn.com)

There are many problems with a 4-day school week. What do students and their families do during these days when the students are not in school? In a time when many parents could be working more than one job, students could be spending days home with little or no supervision. Certainly, some families will be able to afford childcare on those days, but many will not.

School days will be longer to make up for the lost time and to fulfill the teachers’ contracts. This will build in wasted time during the day. Studies have shown that during longer school days, the extra time is filled with non-instructional activities thus negating any benefit of being in school longer. This will also negatively impact extracurricular activities such as school sports or the arts.

From personal experience, I can tell you that is true.

Four-day work weeks will also support arguments against increasing teacher pay. The message of opponents is currently that teachers only work ten months out of the year, can you imagine when you take away one day a week during those ten months?

Some states are also fast-tracking teacher education. In Virginia, the Virginia State Board approved a three-year pilot with a company called iTeach:

Alternative Teacher Certification – Online Teaching Certification (iteach.net)

This company promises to train and certify teachers within one year at a very low price. While this may sound great to those trying to fill empty classrooms, many urge caution, saying that the process will yield poorly trained teachers and this, in turn, will hurt students.

Currently, eleven states are using iTeach, including Florida, Virginia, and Arizona.

None of the proposed solutions are good for students. In the long run, they will also burn out teachers and denigrate the profession, thereby exacerbating the shortage.

There are creative solutions that will not hurt students.

First, most systems have a glut of middle management administrators. Many of these staff members are certificated teachers who have left the classroom to work at the central offices and move up in the administrative hierarchy. They work on projects which range from developing curriculum, observing teachers, attending meetings at the local and state level, etc. Put these people back into the classroom, at least temporarily. This will serve two purposes, giving kids a certified teacher and allowing middle level administration to remember what it is like to teach in a classroom with real students instead of theoretical children. This may also give them more credibility among the teaching staff.

Second, recruit retired personnel to come back part time to fill some of the holes. Suspend the rules restricting retired teachers from collecting retirement while taking a check for teaching. These teachers still have the content knowledge and skills to educate our children. While this may only be a temporary solution, it will fill the gap effectively until all positions are filled. Some systems in Maryland are currently doing this, hiring retired teachers as independent contractors to teach in schools.

Third (and our county has implemented something like this), creatively group elementary students and plan secondary classes so that the available staff can rotate in and out of class to provide constant, professional coverage while giving teachers planning time. This takes some creativity in scheduling and grouping.

Fourth, pay available teachers extra to teach classes during their planning time. This will be a contract issue with the union but can probably be overcome with some negotiation. This has been done before with teachers volunteering to do overtime.

These are all short term solutions to the teacher shortage. What are the long term solutions?

While unions will tell you that pay is the main thing discouraging people from teaching, I strongly disagree. Most people go into teaching because they have a mission, a vocation, to help others, particularly children. It’s like being a nurse, firefighter, or a policeman. If you are choosing that profession for financial gain, you are kidding yourself. I was inspired to become a teacher because I wanted kids to be excited about learning how to write and reading great literature. I had teachers who inspired me, so I wanted to be like them.

Teaching is also a profession that allows one to share holidays with family, including summer. It also affords employees a fairly consistent workday. And while taking home student work to grade can be daunting, a smart, organized teacher can get it done during the workday.

As I tell people, teaching isn’t rocket science, just knowledge, patience and a lot of devotion.

I believe the real issues that keep people away from teaching are the issues of working environment. When I started teaching over 40 years ago, schools were very different. Students have always been challenging to work with at times, but I always knew I had authority and control over discipline in my class. I knew that if I established myself as the “adult in the room” and had the backup of administration and parents, discipline would not be an issue.

Today’s teachers don’t have that. They are constantly being told that the students are in charge, that their behavior should be excused. Teachers are told that THEY must not hold students accountable because students may have difficult lives. I’m not saying that a student’s life doesn’t have an influence over his/her behavior, but it’s a teacher’s job to help a student overcome circumstances, not give into or ignore their bad behavior because of them.

And students are much more violent in school than they were ten years ago. This is due in part to recent legislation in Maryland that excuses criminal behavior and violence for any child under 13 years of age. The students know this and take full advantage. Watch a video of someone breaking up a school fight and listen to the students tell teachers that no one can touch them or stop them because of the law.

Teachers are being asked to do too much. Instead of focusing on academics, they are told to be activists, to promote political and ideological ideas. Class time is eaten up by so many things that have NOTHING to do with academics, making it impossible for teachers to teach. So, while students attend school for approximately six to eight hours a day, many teachers report that they lose as much as 50% of instructional time on classroom management/discipline, non-academic activities, irrelevant and administrative disruptions. (The Passionate Learner, Robert Fried)

They’re also told to ignore parents instead of work with them. This not only makes the teacher’s job harder, it alienates the student from their parents. Once that happens, the teacher loses the value of the family to make discipline and teaching easier.

In Maryland, the focus on filling teacher vacancies needs to be changed from weakening the standards to be a teacher to putting more time and money into training teachers in content and classroom management. Instead of fast-tracking teacher education programs, officials need to allow college grads in education programs to spend at least one year as a paid apprentice in a classroom with an experienced master teacher. Money that is currently being spent on additional middle management central office positions and additional Blueprint programs that have no business in schools could be moved to fund these apprenticeships. Research has shown that teachers matter more to student achievement than any other aspect of schooling. (Rand.org) Why not invest the time and money into developing the best we can?

Finally, teaching needs to be showcased by education schools as a profession for knowledgeable, skillful students, not a throw away job for those who can’t do anything else. Recruiting teachers from other professions helps with that, as it shows how valuable teaching is as compared to the professions they came from. We need to allow the profession to gain respect again. And that means recruiting the best and brightest, not those seeking affirmation and acceptance from students or a place to bide their time until something better comes along.

Many of these ideas have been suggested by teachers for a very long time. But no one, not even their so-called Union, ever listens. The powers that be just keep piling on all the extras while not addressing what really needs to be done. They keep pretending if they add more social workers, more middle management, more program coordinators, that everything will work itself out.

It hasn’t so far and it won’t in the future.

Author

Jan Greenhawk

Jan Greenhawk is a former teacher and school administrator for over thirty years. She has two grown children and lives with her husband in Maryland. She also spent over twenty-five years coaching/judging gymnastics and coaching women’s softball.