All is not well in one of the schools my children attend. A group of parents have been working in the background to try and get a handle on problems that can best be described as the anithesis of a proper learning environment. But instead of getting better, it is getting worse.
While most of the teachers at this school are caring, dilligent, professional and holding up their end of a profound commitment to education - they are also frazzled and frustrated - and some of the good ones may or may not return after the winter break from my information.
What follows is an identity-cleansed version of the latest in a long line of emails regarding untenable problems at the school. It is a report of a recent meeting between one involved parent and one of the best teachers at the school...
"During our meeting..., (the teacher) expressed a heart-felt concern for many problems he/she is experiencing this year. It sounds like her/his back is against the wall and is barely hanging on. Of the concerns expressed, two stand out in my mind:
First, often times when a disruptive child is removed from another class, they are sent to (his/her) class. (He/She) said this creates chaos in (his/her) class and is unable to attend to the child and loses the attention of the class. Apparently, there is no designated area for kids to go to when removed from a class.
Second, he/she is scheduled all day long without time to prepare lectures or have a moment of rest. In fact, she/he eats lunch each day in the classroom while on the go. She/He seemed completely frazzled and preoccupied during our brief meeting. (The teacher) said he/she has asked school officials to provide some type of relief but is told they don't have the resources.
Both of these issues, I believe, are a result of a lack of human resources. I plan on discussing these issues with the school administration. The more of us that are willing to do so in constructive fashion, the more likely we are to get results."
I know that several members of our school board read this blog, and I'm telling you that things are bad and getting worse at this school - just talk to the teachers privately if you need proof of this because I doubt you can get the picture through speaking only to administrators.
It is time to get this thing fixed and it is in the best interest of all concerned to discover and fix this school's problems quietly, privately, and quickly or... we can do it out in the open.
7:30:11 AM 
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