Florida Education Appropriations

At this moment I am watching the Florida legislature debate and supposedly clarify the 2009-2010 state education appropriations budget. Here are my impressions.

A few of these people are actually concerned about adequately funding schools in the state. Some of the legislators are wrapped up in promoting special high cost programs in their individual districts. It is my suspicion that they are trolling for local votes rather than displaying an actual concern for education.

Most of our legislators are playing politics. Interjected between bouts of Obama bashing and praising are deceptive comments about the level of student funding. Representative Flores states that the funding level per pupil will actually be increased during the next fiscal year. She also states that the revenue funding is the same as in 2006. So why is Florida having to receive a special dispensation to receive additional funds? Flores states that the overall funding is less than in 2006 so Florida does not qualify for the special funding according to their criteria.

If we are receiving more money per pupil then why is our school having to cut off some lights each day and to reduce heating and a/c use? Why are field trips and extracurricular activities sharply curtailed? Why are they moving to a radically different school schedule for next year so they can stack more students in the classrooms? Categorical funding is the answer. We have tons of money build schools but this money can't be used for the students or to buy needed supplies and to keep the schools running. The result is that the students will not be receiving an adequate level of education next year. Don't you just love state educational politics? I am so glad that I will not be facing this type of deceptive crap next year but I feel deeply sorry that my fellow teachers will be stuck in the impossible situation of having to instruct students in hot or cold classrooms with few supplies. It just makes me sick. The least our elected officials can do is to be honest (for a change) and say that the students of Florida will be shafted. It's probably because it would show just how uncaring or education many of our state politicians really are.

Why Do State Legislators Keep Saying This?

The Florida state legislature is currently discussing budget cuts. Included in these talks is the cutting of education budgets anywhere from 0%-10%. If I were a betting person I would bet on 10% like they did last year. That makes around a 20% cut in our school budget over the past two years! Since we have already conserved as much as possible the next steps include items such as eliminating the planning period and having a six period day. Though not said yet the implication is that salaries may also be cut as well. "Everything is on the table" is the current philosophy. Though I am thankfully going to avoid the worst of this by retiring at the end of the year it really bothers me that my fellow teachers remaining behind, and some will probably have go, will not have the funding to adequately teach and will be even more stressed out than this year. Classes will be stacked with students, science teachers will not have any time for preparing labs, and salaries are pitiful and may drop.

Last year our state increased funding for state prisons while decreasing educational funding. This is probably a good thing because without a good education I am certain that more of my students will wind up in prison. While slashing our school budget the state legislature keeps spouting off about how much they value educators and the job we do. If they keep throwing this type of manure around they will need bigger shovels!

Bartram High and Teaching

It has been brought to my attention that many people from the local area are actually reading my little blog here and that some of them think that I am not happy as a teacher and that I think Bartram is a horrible school. I would like to put out my thoughts about that.

You know, a blog is a little bit like a diary. It is a place that you go to write about the things that impact you the most. Looking back at the earlier posts from the beginning outsiders may see some of the comments as very negative towards the school, teaching, and education in general. What everyone should realize is that a blog is not the real world. It is simply a brief series of posts that talk about a few specific aspects of life happening at that moment. It is also a place where one pours out frustrations on those days when everything seems to be going wrong, and we all have them!

The purpose of this blog was to give a special inside look into the funny, odd, interesting, and sometimes chaotic and neurotic world of teaching at the high school level. When all is said and done, I would like it to be clear that I love teaching. It is a special profession that lets you make a real difference in a child's life. The school I work at is also special. Bartram has one of the best groups of teachers, administrators, and staff of any school in the state. Their humor, intellect, and drive inspires me every day.

The day that I stop enjoying teaching is the day I quit. Yes, it has its moments where you want to scream and run off down the road, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. This school is enhancing the lives of many students in so many ways. I am proud to be a part of this profession and this school. The parents in our county should be proud that their children have the opportunity to enjoy an education such as our school system provides them. We have one of the best school systems in this part of the country and don't you ever forget it.

So keep on reading, folks. Yes, I will still tell it like it is when things happen that shouldn't. I suppose I am just naive and too honest to change that aspect of my personality. Still, it's a great job and I love every day I come in (except for that day I had to catch the baby pigs in the hallway!). Hi parents. Hi Dr. Joyner!

Don't Go In The Water

Everyone contemplating a trip to Florida MUST watch this short video before hitting the beach. Your life may depend upon it.
WARNING!! - FRIGHTENING VIDEO LINK

The Faculty Meeting

Yesterday morning we had our monthly faculty meeting. As we entered the auditorium bleary-eyed at 7:45 AM we received a packet detailing how we were going to be evaluated. You may ask why we are getting this so late in the year. Well, because of our state's glorious STAR plan that forces teachers to teach for the horrible FCAT state test our county had to revise their evaluation sheet to reflect the levels needed to implement the plan. Did I mention that a teacher can actually receive a mixture of mostly 'above average' scores and two 'satisfactories' and be out of the running for the extra money! Silly, isn't it? That's our wonderful educational system in action here in Florida.

The principal spent a lot of time explaining that parent comments, room visits, and verbal/written comments from those visits would be used as the basis of our evaluations. Though I've never received anything but great evaluations for 27 years now, the thought did worry me a little. Seeking clarification, I raised my hand and loudly asked "From what you are saying, would it be correct to assume that if no administrator has given a teacher any written or verbal feedback about their performance this year so far, this would mean that the teacher is doing a good job?" Loud laughter and applause from the teachers probably meant they were all thinking the same thing. The principal responded, "Well, yes. I mean, no news is good news." Guess what? The next day after my comment an assistant prinipal appeared in my first period Anatomy class and sat taking notes for over an hour. (heh, heh, heh!) Retaliation for my question or just coincidence? What do you think? He got to see me at my best all period interacting with groups deeply involved with making circulation drawings. They couldn't have been better behaved and more on-task if I had paid them!
When he left I patiently waited for written or verbal comments about the class. After a day I'm still waiting. You know, this old teacher hasn't stayed on the job this many years by being stupid.

I just wonder what insanity will follow this whole STAR plan. The school board met again yesterday and again they approved the plan. There is talk that the teachers will have to vote again whether or not to ratify the plan. There is a lot of pressure on us, mainly 'scare tactics', to vote yes to the plan. The truly ironic thing is that rumors are now flying that the state legislature in both houses are discussing a motion to scrap the STAR plan before it even begins and give the monies to the county for use in education. That sounds like a sane, rational approach so I'm almost certain our state representatives will not follow through with it. And life goes on.

The FCAT test

Well, we are halfway through that enormous waste of time and money called the FCAT. The kids just wasted 2 days with the reading and math sections. Next week is the science and norn referenced tests, which will waste 2 more days of teaching. Yes, that's 4 days of teaching lost to this pitiful excuse for a comprehensive test. I emailed 6 state representatives about this garbage test. Wouldn't you know that 4 of the emails bounced! They can't even keep their email buffers clear and we expect them to make decisions about education??

Our new governor Charlie Christ wants to bribe us further to teach the test by "rewarding" the 25% of teachers who best teach the FCAT with a 10% bonus. This is up from the 5% bonus that Jeb Bush wanted to bribe us with. I think I will tell Charlie where he can put my bonus. This simply disgusts me. Our county turned down the state bribe by 70% against, 30% for. In true democratic tradition we are now threatened with having to implement their program anyway, at our own expense. Why did we even bother to vote on it? When it comes to education Florida is rapidly becoming the fascist bubba mecca of the South. There's nothing like good old boy politics to completely screw up the educational system in a hurry.