incompetent teacher -- what can parents do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have taught in high and low poverty schools. The teachers were nastiest in a W feeder. I think it's because they have too much time on their hands. They're not worrying about hungry kids, so they have time to mess with one another. It was the pits and I went back to a high needs school.

Definitely not my experience of both types of schools.

[Anonymous]

Maybe I just got unlucky with my w school. But I wasn't alone. So so many of us fled.

[Anonymous]

Any word on that teacher?

[Anonymous]

Found out she's there but there's a sub this week. Know someone who got their kid out of the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS and Starr took way too long to take action on teachers that were physically abusing kids. So I can only imagine how they handle performance issues that are nowhere near as serious.

Wow - thats like getting a Catholic school education for free!

[Anonymous]

Seriously. But the good principals know how to move the bad teachers out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to Fairfax after a principal at my child's MOCO school told me the teacher was "untouchable". He had been trying to get rid of her for almost six years. 9 parents from the classroom met with the principal to try to get her out. The principal told me he couldn't stand her. He admitted she had no business in the classroom. But again, she was untouchable. Fairfax was dramatically better.

What does this even mean? How is a teacher untouchable?

It seems to me that it might be difficult to get rid of a teacher, but not impossible. 6 years of bad reviews and parents who complain loudly enough should surely provide ample fodder. I think it would take a very strong principal who ran a tight ship and was forceful. Knowing nothing other than this story, I'm more skeptical of the principal and the principal's ability to lead the school than anything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is exactly why teacher's unions are a bad thing. I can't believe people don't jump on this!!

Eliminate teachers unions and you will soon see schools filled with the relatives of school administrators and local politicians. Patronage hiring is already ruining local government. Now you want to ruin schools, too?

Lots of towns in Texas like that. No teachers' union. Lots of nepotism. Still can't fire incompetent teachers. And good teachers are reluctant to go to districts where they know they have no power.

& the Catholic schools. They never fire so and so's daughter/BIL, etc no matter how incompetent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I just got unlucky with my w school. But I wasn't alone. So so many of us fled.

I bet they were real sorry to see you go.

[Anonymous]

That may be true but that's okay with me. I don't need to be liked by people who treat me that way. The teachers who left were very good. The people who stayed (the guilty ones) may have been happy to see them go, but for all the wrong reasons. The exodus wasn't good for the school or the kids. Life is short though. I don't advise anyone to stay in a workplace like that. Fortunately all the people I know who left have been really happy since.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the OP. Word from my child, who is now in 8th grade, is that this teacher has returned. Seventh grade parents, talk to your children and find out what is going on in their World Studies classes. Be proactive and make your concerns known. Go to back to school night and observe the teacher. Call the principal. Call MCPS headquarters and talk to Eric Minus, who is the superintendent in charge of Pyle. You can find his email on the mcps web site. Find out what the plans are for dealing with this teacher. Good luck.

And for anyone who needs/wants to take the route I did last year -- call around to the neighboring middle schools and talk to the heads of the World Studies departments. See if any of their teachers are interested in tutoring. It's not perfect, but you can do an end run around the lousy instruction and help your child learn the curriculum.

Original OP, back again because I saw this thread was active. Quoting my advice to parents from last year. This is the time to make noise and advocate for your child, and/or put other systems in place to try to compensate for a lousy teacher. It is survivable.

[Anonymous]

The teacher is currently on sick leave but will be back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The teacher is currently on sick leave but will be back.

It's been posted as a potential long-term sub job. That means that it might end up being short term or it could be all year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS and Starr took way too long to take action on teachers that were physically abusing kids. So I can only imagine how they handle performance issues that are nowhere near as serious.

Wow - thats like getting a Catholic school education for free!

Not funny. Child abuse is never funny.

[Anonymous]

I heard she will be back in a week?