horrible teacher- what did you do?

[Anonymous]

My kid is in a DCPS (I won't name it) and one of the specials teacher is unbeleivably awful.
No one except the principal we have (awful too) would protect her- I mean really, she would be out of any other school.
Has anyone dealt with this in a DCPS and what did you do?
It seems a bit drastic to go directly to Michelle Rhee, but seriously, any other principal would have put this woman on the list of teachers to go to M. Rhee long ago.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

I think you're obligated to do the right thing and follow the chain of command.

You say the principal would protect her, but is that necessarily bad? For one thing, the complaints of one parent (unless they are of the nature of a criminal accusation) shouldn't automatically result in the accused immediately losing a job, right? However valid the complaint, that would nonetheless be considered frightfully draconian in any position wouldn't it? A person - even an incompetent one - should still be entitled to due process.

So let's back up and think of another possibility. Suppose your complaints to the principal result in the principal working with the teacher to develop a personal improvement plan. Perhaps more training is in order. Perhaps more staffing. Perhaps an appointment with a doctor who can prescribe an anti-depressant. I'm just speculating wildly here, but I'm sure you get my drift that there may be a remedy short of getting rid of the teacher and that is helping the teacher to improve.

As a parent you have the right (in DC anyway, not sure about everywhere else) to insist that your child's teachers are fully-qualified for their positions. You have a right to request proof of their qualifications from your school's administration. Having said that, what makes a teacher "qualified" isn't necessarily what makes a teacher GOOD. However, before you go over the head of the principal to the Chancellor, you have an obligation to follow a proper procedure and I believe that begins with making your objections known to the teacher's immediate supervisor - the principal.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

i agree with the poster above. but if that ultimately gets you nowhere, then, yeah, take it to rhee. she sure as heck knows how to fire people!

[Anonymous]

OP here- Just to clarify-- the problems have been going on since last september (2007). The problems were brought to the teacher, then the principals attention. The principal apparently sent the teacher to another school for one time to watch a "good" (My words) teacher. That was the extent of her mentoring. This year the teacher has been worse- she knows she has a free p[ass from this ineffective principal. There are several parents who are feeling as I do and who have gone to the principal. Finally, after a year, the teacher has been told she is not allowed to show Scooby Doo videos. She has now shown herself to be worse than just a bad teacher of the subject- kindergarteners were found unattended, and locked out of the building, having been sent on an errand for her, kindergarteners were made to put their heads on the desk for the entire class and then miss recess for talking during instruction, and so on.
I think on paper she is certified but she is the type of teacher I do beleive would be not tolerated by pretty much any kind of effective leader.
But I am not sure what to do now , when the chain of command seems happy to have the box with her position checked off.

[Anonymous]

My experience with awful teachers is to document everything. Dates, events, video showing, etc. Send a letter to the principal and have any other concerned parents sign it. Make sure you cc the letter to the assistant superintendent for your elementary school and to Rhee. If that doesn't get a response, call the Post.

[Anonymous]

PP 22:06 here:

Okay, it sounds like you've followed the chain of command and gotten no results.

Before you go to Rhee, you need to get your case in order. Start documenting everything. I mean EVERYTHING. You need to be able to show a calendar "On Dec. 1st, the Kindergartners were locked out of the class. On Dec. 2, they had to put their heads down on their desk for an instructional period. On Dec. 4th, their classtime instruction consisted of watching a 22 minute Scooby Doo episode."

If you want to be effective, you have to be able to substantiate your case, not just sling accusations.

[Anonymous]

Well I can't be the only one who'd like to know what school this is. Frankly, if you want to get some eyes and attention on the problem you could always start here.

[Anonymous]

It's Murch

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is in a DCPS (I won't name it) and one of the specials teacher is unbeleivably awful.
No one except the principal we have (awful too) would protect her- I mean really, she would be out of any other school.
Has anyone dealt with this in a DCPS and what did you do?
It seems a bit drastic to go directly to Michelle Rhee, but seriously, any other principal would have put this woman on the list of teachers to go to M. Rhee long ago.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

FWIW, I have heard that Rhee is extremely responsive. If you've worked with the teacher and principal, then there's no more time to waste, and it's not drastic. There is data to show that the effects of even one year of having a bad teacher can be long lasting. You and the other parents owe it to the many kids who have suffered this idiot, to do the right thing.

[Anonymous]

My kid is at Murch too, and I bet I know who it is!

[Anonymous]

Al Shanker once famously said "the kids don’t pay union dues. NEA owes them nothing. They’re just the grist passing through the mill"

Well, Rhee obviously does NOT suffer union fools gladly and it sounds like you've got quite a pair of them in the teacher and principal. As long as she's looking for textbook cases to prove that the teacher's union is not on the side of children's education - why not give her ammunition?

[Anonymous]

my kid has a teacher who texts on their iphone during classtime
but I can't prove it, since I'm not there
should a secondgrader even KNOW what type of phone the teacher has?

[Anonymous]

PP 22:24

Have you talked to the teacher or the principal about this?

Perhaps the teacher has a sick parent whom she's keeping track of, or some other important and not unreasonable activity (especially not unreasonable if this tool allows her to stay in the classroom instead of making a phone call or taking time off). Yes, it's possible that she's doing something frivolous such as sending her vote to American Idol, too.

My point is that you don't know if you don't ask and try to get more information. It could turn out to be something very reasonable and then you would likely feel (and look) very badly for having been so unsympathetic and for having jumped to such unflattering conclusions.

[Anonymous]

I am not a Murch parent, but even I know which teacher this is. Yes, I would go straight to Rhee.

[Anonymous]

As a future Murch parent, my related question is about the principal: Is she this unresponsive about everything? What's her deal?