CARE group statement to the negotiation teams, 9/2/2014
A group of concerned Reynoldsburg residents calling ourselves Community Association for Reynoldsburg Education has been working for over a month informing ourselves as far as possible about issues related to these negotiations. We would like to assure you that our thoughts are with you as you enter into this current round of talks.
The difficulties in the contract process to-date have forced many of us in the community to rethink what it is that we value about education in Reynoldsburg. This document represents a short set of values that we wish for you to keep in mind as you proceed. It was drafted on September 2 in a meeting of 20 members of our group.
First, we strongly wish that a strike be avoided. Please do whatever it takes to reach a reasonable compromise.
Second, our research indicates that the initial contract preparation process has been flawed, and this should be acknowledged by all parties in order for everyone to move forward.
Third, we would like you all to keep your focus on what the educational experience should be for a child in Reynoldsburg.
Thank you.
Linda Winters, Neal Whitman, Mark Waite, Susan Riedlinger, Jeanette Kuder, Carl Haeger, Julie Hartmann, Debbie Dunlap, Kelley Caruso, Todd Caruso (authors on behalf of the wider group)
The difficulties in the contract process to-date have forced many of us in the community to rethink what it is that we value about education in Reynoldsburg. This document represents a short set of values that we wish for you to keep in mind as you proceed. It was drafted on September 2 in a meeting of 20 members of our group.
First, we strongly wish that a strike be avoided. Please do whatever it takes to reach a reasonable compromise.
Second, our research indicates that the initial contract preparation process has been flawed, and this should be acknowledged by all parties in order for everyone to move forward.
Third, we would like you all to keep your focus on what the educational experience should be for a child in Reynoldsburg.
- Children should expect teachers who have enough time to reasonably attend to each of them and their learning needs in class. (Should the matter of class size jeopardize an agreement, we highly recommend that the contract stipulate a binding, deadlined consultative process to establish a Board policy on class size ranges.)
- Children should expect teachers who have had time to plan quality instruction.
- Children should have their learning supported by sufficient and varied instructional resources, physical as well as electronic.
- Children should expect reasonable continuity in programs, teachers, and courses.
- Children in this economically diverse community should all have access to arts, music, libraries, and physical education taught by teachers. (We believe that most of our community values these experiences not as extras, but as a core aspect of children’s development.)
- Children are developing human beings, not products. (While assessment of their learning can provide useful instructional information, children should not be at risk of being stressed or limited by a system that disproportionately links their test scores to their teacher’s livelihood. We expect any fundamental changes in compensation strategy to be based upon an open, genuine design process that fully involves teachers and the community.)
Thank you.
Linda Winters, Neal Whitman, Mark Waite, Susan Riedlinger, Jeanette Kuder, Carl Haeger, Julie Hartmann, Debbie Dunlap, Kelley Caruso, Todd Caruso (authors on behalf of the wider group)