I've gotten a lot of questions about the Reynoldsburg strike lately (how it's going, what it's like, what we're fighting for, etc.). I've also spent a lot of time being hurt and angry and had a lot of ideas floating around in my head that I just can't seem to get rid of. So I'm going to do what I do and write them all down. If you actually take the time to read this all, you may or may not agree with me by the time you get to the end of it. That's okay, as long as it least helps people to gain some perspective from the inside.
Reynoldsburg teacher Emily Anna wrote this.
I've gotten a lot of questions about the Reynoldsburg strike lately (how it's going, what it's like, what we're fighting for, etc.). I've also spent a lot of time being hurt and angry and had a lot of ideas floating around in my head that I just can't seem to get rid of. So I'm going to do what I do and write them all down. If you actually take the time to read this all, you may or may not agree with me by the time you get to the end of it. That's okay, as long as it least helps people to gain some perspective from the inside.
1 Comment
Board of Education – I didn’t plan on writing to you. Parents want me to speak out to reporters and the community in public. Students have turned to me for answers on what to do and wear for school. I was there when our teachers voted to strike, and have been allowed to visit them on the lines every day since by my parents. With that being said, I’m not writing on behalf of myself, or my fellow seniors and students, or parents, or teachers. I’m writing for everyone. Just a voice in the crowd.
The responsible option: recruit enough teachers to ensure quality - the funds are there (9/24/2014)9/24/2014 Dear Board, Superintendent, and Treasurer,
I have read the recent documents posted on the district website. It appears money is the board's issue. First of all, $2.44 million over three years strikes me as a bargain to ensure our students receive an excellent education. The modest salary adjustments proposed by the REA will reward our teachers for their loyalty during lean years when they did not get a pay raise and encourage them to remain loyal into the future. The purchase of the services of 16 additional teachers, as Mrs. Miller projects, to cap class sizes seems reasonable to me. I recall at the community meeting on open enrollment Mr. Dackin estimated around 180 students would fill classrooms to capacity - Dear Superintendent Thomas-Manning and Board of Education,
I am 6th grade student at Baldwin Road Junior High, and although I am not old enough to vote for the Board of Education members, I am old enough to understand what is happening in our community. I love Reynoldsburg. I have gone to Reynoldsburg schools since kindergarten. I think our community wants the best for their family, friends and most of all our teachers. Letter to the Superintendent, Sept 18, 2014
Dr. Thomas Manning~ I just wanted to take a moment to give one last plea before you meet with our teachers today. I am writing you as a Reynoldsburg resident, a Reynoldsburg mom, a Reynoldsburg graduate, and a Reynoldsburg teacher that left the district this past summer. Before I try to explain why I left this district, I really need you to know why I came here in the first place. Put simply…..I love it here. I love living here, being a Reynoldsburg alumni, raising my children here, and calling the ‘Burg home. For all those reasons, I wanted to teach here. I wanted to be able to work with the kids that I shared the community with. I learned quickly that even though the grass may look greener on the other side, you can bet the water bill is higher. Dear Ms. Thomas-Manning, and members of the Reynoldsburg School Board:
I am taking time to write to you today concerning the second study that the district has chosen to release (tweeted July 24th) regarding teacher pay (http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/report/2014/07/23/94168/mid-and-late-career-teachers-struggle-with-paltry-incomes/ ). Although the argument seems to be that teachers make far too little money mid-way through their careers (and I won’t argue that point), the comparisons made don’t hold water. My family has lived in Reynoldsburg for over 12 years. Our children are both Reynoldsburg high school students; one a senior and the other a freshman. We have experienced many ups and downs in Reynoldsburg City Schools and I believe we are at the lowest point in our children's' education. Some of our best teachers have left the district and we are now facing the possibility of a teacher strike. In addition, our schools are on a destructive course of creating a stunted curriculum that limits opportunities for student learning and makes Reynoldsburg an unattractive community for development.
As negotiations for the new contract continue, I would like to follow up on our meeting from a few weeks ago.
When we met, you emphasized that the school district had been researching strategic compensation for three years, and gave me some of the details about two studies that the district had conducted. At the time, you did not have on hand the folder with further information about the studies, but said that you could get it for me. In a later email message, I recommended putting this information on the FAQ, phrasing the question like this: Letter to the Editor, published in This Week News, August 7, 2014
As teachers resign/retire from Reynoldsburg City Schools, the district finds alternatives to replacing them, like canceling the class, hiring a paraprofessional, offering online classes and enrolling more students in each class. |
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October 2014
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