Representing a group of approximately 30 parents, Nancy Hofmann and Andre K. Rush wrote the following letter presented to the Harford County Board of Education at a Board business meeting on Monday, July 29. A copy of the letter was provided to The Dagger for publication.
On behalf of the students who attend Magnet programs at the Science and Math Academy at Aberdeen High School, the Global Studies Program/International Baccalaureate Program at Edgewood High School, and the Natural Resources and Agricultural Science Program at North Harford High School, we urge you to rescind, or at the very least postpone, your decision to impose a depot stop transportation system.
Our request is based on several factors, detailed below.
• First and foremost, you have violated HCPS Board of Education Policy.
1. Policy Number 20-0008-000 (Student Transportation – Bus Routes and Stops) explicitly states, “If a request for a material modification to an existing bus route or stop is made, all affected persons shall be provided notice and opportunity for input.” Families impacted by the Board’s decision to implement a depot bus stop transportation system were not notified of the Board’s intent to do so prior to the decision being finalized. Further:
a. The Board did not provide impacted families with the same 30-day public comment period afforded other policy reviews as explained by Teresa Schmid, Board of Education Administrative Assistant, during a phone conversation held July 25, 2013, and substantiated by Policy Number 22-0017-000 (Amendments to Board Policy/Procedures) which states, “The Board policies and procedures may be modified, amended or deleted only by a two-thirds (5) vote at any regular or special meeting of the total membership (7) (i.e. 5 or more members) following a 30-day notice of the proposed change.”
b. General Counsel Patrick Spicer did not present the proposed policy change to the Board of Education before an open meeting during the 2012-2013 school year.
c. Families were individually notified via letters dated July 17, 2013, only after the Board finalized its decision to impose the depot stop transportation system. The letters informed families that, “In May 2013, the County Council approved the county budget, which resulted in a shortfall of $20.2 million in the Board of Education’s previously approved budget. As a result, revenue-generating strategies, as well as many expenditure reductions, were considered and several were adopted in order to save teaching positions and minimally impact the students in the classroom.” Harford County Executive David Craig’s Chief of Staff, Aaron Tomarchio, disputes that there is a $20.2 million shortfall and further stated during a phone conversation held July 25, 2013, that the County approved the same level of funding for the 2013-2014 school year as it did for the 2012-2013 school year. Mr. Tomarchio’s response is further supported by County Executive Craig’s July 22, 2013, email response to a concerned parent which stated, “When each magnet program was created during my time in office, I fully funded each project, including the transportation cost. After that the Board began to reappropriate the funding to other areas. I am not permitted to halt that. The Board never had a public hearing to announce this move or the one to require students to pay a fee to play on a team or perform in a play. Members may state that they would or did ask me for funding and that I did not provide it but I did provide it for magnet programs which I believe are essential for students.”
• Secondly, in addition to this policy violation, when students applied and were accepted to each of these Magnet programs, including incoming Freshmen, they accepted with the understanding that,“Any student attending a magnet program outside of his or her attendance area will be picked up and dropped off at a consolidated bus stop that is within walking distance of his or her home,” as noted on www.hcps.org prior to the decision to impose the depot stop transportation system. Further:
1. The 2012-2013 Parent-Student Handbook & Calendar supports this statement. On page 22, under the Magnet Program and Alternative Education Transportation Guidelines, it states, “Stops for developments are located at the entrance of the development.”
2. The Board’s decision to establish each magnet student’s home high school as the designated depot stop this close to the start of the 2013-2014 school year, and even efforts to provide parents with an opportunity to identify an alternate high school as a depot stop, presents extraordinary hardships for working parents who are unable to arrange transportation to and from the depot stop. For many, the closest high school depot stop is a considerable distance from and in some cases even in the opposite direction of the Magnet program they attend. For others, even selecting a different high school as their children’s depot stop presents other challenges, including safety concerns.
• As you have heard, or will hear, parents have additional concerns regarding the safety of their children who must remain at the depot stop until they are picked up or may be forced to walk home from the depot stop.
1. The 2012-2013 Parent-Student Handbook & Calendar also states on page 22 under the Magnet Program and Alternative Education Transportation Guidelines that, “The school needs to have the student’s current address and phone number. Changes cannot be given to the Transportation Department or bus driver by the parent, student or guardian.” Will each high school identified as a depot stop accept responsibility for maintaining contact information for each Magnet program student who arrives at the depot stop before and after school? In the event of an emergency before a parent arrives to pick his or her child up, will the school assume liability for addressing the emergency and contacting the parent? Will an administrator or staff member be available when the students arrive at the depot stop in the morning and/or until the last student is picked up at the depot stop?
2. For those students remaining at the depot stop until they can be picked up – some of which will be well after the high school day ends – parental concerns include whether or not students will be permitted into the depot stop’s high school building, particularly in the event of inclement weather or other unexpected circumstances. Parents have also questioned whether students who choose to drive to the depot stop as a cost-savings measure themselves, will be able to park there, particularly if they are transporting other students who have no other means of getting to and from the depot stop. This raises the concern of increased traffic and potential impact to the depot stop high school. Did the Board request and conduct an Environmental Assessment before rendering its decision to impose the depot stop transportation system? If so, please share the findings. If not, why?
3. For those students who may be forced to walk home from the depot stop, we share additional safety concerns including inclement weather that can both impede the pedestrian’s and driver’s visibility thereby putting our students and the larger community at risk of accident. Limited access to sidewalks – and in some communities no access to sidewalks – may require students to walk on the shoulder of the road, also increasing the risk of accident. Students required to cross major roads to get home from the depot stop are at even greater risk. If the safety of our children is one of the Board’s primary concerns, are these risks you are willing to take? As members of the Board and in some cases our elected officials, would you be willing to put the safety of your children in jeopardy?
• Finally, we believe that imposing the depot stop transportation system at this point in time and without involving and soliciting input specifically related to this matter is in direct contrast to your Parent/Community Involvement Policy (#10-0004-000). The purpose of referenced policy is to “affirm the Board’s commitment to establishing a strong and effective system of parent and community involvement in the educational environment and with the Harford County Public Schools and to establish standards and criteria related thereto.”
The policy statement details, “HCPS and individual schools will inform and involve parents, the family of students and the community in student’s learning and educational activities and all related decisions.” It further states, “HCPS, in pursuing and implementing the above policy goals, will facilitate, support and encourage parents, families and community members in participating as active partners in the educational process and in decision making at both the school and system level.” The Board of Education has not provided us an opportunity to be active partners in the decision making process related to this specific matter. It is for that reason that we urge you to rescind, or at the very least postpone, your decision to impose a depot stop transportation system until a public hearing can be held and input from all impacted families is formally considered.
We recognize that Magnet program students are not the only students impacted by the expenditure reductions and impact to transportation to and from school. As parents, our desire to collectively brainstorm alternative solutions on this matter is great and we respectfully request that you provide us the opportunity to do so before moving forward.
I don’t detect one lie in this issued statement. harford county is violating it’s own privacy and parents are taking a stand!
Not Harford County the School Board…
So if the depot stops are gotten rid of what will the cut instead?
Students will be required to donate plasma every other Friday.
Process matters. Failure to allow discussion is inexcusable. Fund the first 90 days of school and bussing properly, allowing time for discovery, clarification, and budget configuration with the appropriate parties. The solution given is not an honest attempt at solving the problem as stated. There is surely an ulterior motive to this depot debacle.
You are going to get a canned response, and the administration is going to talk in circles on this! They will pray for it to die, and will do anything to avoid having to talk to it!
Election Day is not soon enough, unfortunately, these idiots may have already ruined it for these kids. What a joke they really are.
Hey…and I was told I’d get a step each year too. Gotta love Harford County
Please go to some other county. This story is about our kids and you try to make it about your pay and blame Harford County. Why don’t you blame the School Board or O’Malley?
Harford County did not offer you a step each year the school board did.
Why should Harford County Government give a dam about your step when they do not have a say it what it is. But most teachers in this county don’t understand that. Most of you don’t care about the other people that get paid by the tax money that only comes from Harford County. Unlike your pay check that comes from Fed, State and County tax money. Let’s have some teachers and Burbey come to a county employee union meeting and explain why their pay check is more important than ours!
I don’t think teachers’ paychecks are more important. I think Harford County should be treating the county workers better too. We should not allow others to pit us against each other.
But it is not the county workers bitching on the dagger all day it is only the teachers. I love my county job. I get good pay. Get plenty of time off when I need it. Get Health care and the best retirement a 52 year old man with a GED could ever hope to get. The best part is that I’m not forced to be in the union! O’malley made it law to make all school and all state employees pay union dues. You can not tell me teachers are happy with that. Your problem is with the state not the county but you all are too stupid to see it.
You teachers are ungrateful. Go to some other county. If they will take you.
Hay stupid (interesting name) You love your job, great. You don’t have a union, great. You have good pay, great. I am happy for you. I love my job,am stuck in a union I didn’t join and make less than I did six years ago. I’m not not complaining, just hoping for the best. I completely understand why the county employees are happy. But I think you should look in the mirror when you say the word stupid. Oh, and add rude to the reflection you are looking .
That should have been just think teachers paychecks are important. I obviously think teachers paychecks are important.
@ I Hate Teachers…..Please stop saying “MOST TEACHERS…..You have some nerve coming on this blog stating a bunch of untrue crap. There are very few teachers that post on this site. Do not lump all of them in the same category. When you make your remarks in the future, please refer to the few teachers only that post on this site. Not one teacher has posted on this site that their paychecks are more important than yours. Not even Ryan Burbey.
@Hay Stupid….Your GED apparently didn’t get you very far. Hay is for horses. It is not the teachers posting here all day long. Some do but not even most. Stop lumping them together.
If your going to spend the time voicing your opinion, you might want to check your facts. You’re obviously a person who does not have children,or understand the implication of a quality education on the futures economy. I can’t understand any person who could hold teachers in such contempt than a person who has not had a positive educational experience. If teachers don’t speak out now, there will continue to be greater impact on the student, which has already come to fluition. Teachers, who are underpaid, are less able to commit to the education of their students, when their own homes and families are in jeapordy. Teachers have not been provided an increase in 4 out of 5 years.
Don’t like it? You are free to quit. Im so sick and tired of hearing about teaching complaing about their salary. Wah we dont get enough money, wah we work too hard, wah wah wah. You guys sound like a bunch of 2 yr old who dont get their way
Kind of like the parents at the meeting…
No, you were not told you would get a step each year. Sorry to inform you that you didn’t read what you agreed to.
You were told that you would get a step each year under certain conditions being met. Stop showing your ignorance. Next time read and understand before agreeing.
When will the school board finally have a citizens advisory committe in place so sound budget decisions can be made. Once the citizens identify administrative positions that can be cut without harming the schools then cuts in transportation will not have to be made. We will probably have to wait until the 2014 elections before meaningful action can be taken.
Hope, While I do not object to a citizen’s advisory board isn’t the fact that one is needed an admission that the BOE, or at least some of them, are out of touch?
This is why you have an elected board of Ed. The telling sign is that Grambo has said cutting much more is difficult.
CDev, What are you talking about? An elected board? The majority of board members are appointed. Unless the HCPS web site got that wrong as well. Looks like the ratio is about 2 to 1 appointed to elected.
After the next election it won’t be. Did you not pay attention?
I was paid rapt attention to the BoE and their recent discussions and actions. That would be the BoE whose APPOINTED members outnumber ELECTED members by a 2 to 1 margin. When we have a seated BoE comprised of more ELECTED members than APPOINTED members then we will see if there is a change. Or not. And if some of the current BoE morons who are appointed get elected then shame on us a voters. But then the voters did elect O’Malley and Mikulski and Miller and all of the other Lib/Dems here in the People’s Republic.
Cutting more is only difficult in determining what to cut – teachers vs administrators, wants vs needs. There is more trimming that could be done, however, at some point you do reach a position of diminished returns. HCPS is getting very close to that point. If people haven’t been paying attention they should be because the school system is beginning to stumble. Trace these missteps directly to the County Executive and County Council whose attitude on funding education was on clear display at the last BOE meeting.
Sorry, but I trace it to a parental/taxpayer community that is pro-education but anti-waste who are at odds with an educational community/industry that won’t identify waste and when it is identified for them refuses to see it or act on it.
Give me an example of this identified waste?
Jaguar Judy is so full of crap. She cries and cries about waste, but never can identify what that waste is. She had been asked directly multiple times, but never responds. It’s time to put up or shut up, Judy. Either be specific or shut it.
CDEV and William,
I’m sure the two of you believe there is no waste. Mr. Burbey disagrees with you as do I. Please, if you don’t think there is any waste then just say so. Please just tell us “There is no waste” so we can all know exactly where you stand.
I have 2 names for you. Susan Darden and John Hickey. A careful examination of their experience over the past 2 plus years will have specific examples of wasteful processes and wasteful staff positions dropping at your feet like twigs in a windstorm..
Nice attempt to deflect your answer in the wrong direction, Judy. My statement to you made no mention of my opinion one way or another. My statement was calling you out on your bullshit.
Here is my clear opinion: of course there is waste in a system as large as HCPS. The Maintenance of the buildings should be combined with the county government. That is a specific example of an efficiency that could be obtained.
Your “specific” examples are lacking. Just because you think a teacher is great (Darden) doesn’t mean that there don’t need to be administrators who need to get rid of bad ones. I’m sure you are a parent who would be crying on these pages if no one was trying to do something about a teacher you didn’t like.
Regarding Hickey-again, I’m sure you would be the first one crying if your child’s claims weren’t investigated and action wasn’t taken. I hope the false claims of this child were dealt with to the fullest extent of the law- but the school system still has to take action on such claims. That’s not waste.
Try again whining Judy.
Well, Willam, you ask for specific examples and you have them. In fact you came up with some of your own. Bravo! Thanks for agreeing with me that there is waste in HCPS. You said “of course there is waste in a system as large as HCPS”. We are in full agreement.
So when HCPS fixes it, or is even seen to be trying to fix it, then they can ask for more money. Until then they don’t have much of a chance.
Oh, and Willam, fully investigating the claims of a child – even if false – must be done.
But to have it get all the way to Tomback who then upholds it even in the face of every one of his own people telling him there was no evidence? And what evidence was there indicated the child was lying. That is evidence of a school system and a process that is beyond broken.
Fortunately the BOE was having a rare moment of lucidity probably brought on by the advice of their legal counsel explaining to them their exposure. Tomback is gone and maybe we will see some changes.
Willam and CDev,
Your constant defending of the waste at HCPS is getting tiresome. For those of us who are already poor and discriminated against ever day the failure of the school system to clean up their act hurts me and my people the most.
Not sure why you assume I am always defending HCPS. I think we have some waste but I think we all disagree about that waste. BTW what do you mean by ” my people”
CDev,
What do you mean by ‘some waste’? If there is some waste then YOU name it and lets all get rid of it. When I say my people I am talking about route 40 corridor “other side of the tracks” poor folks, black and Hispanic, who get the crappiest schools and the teachers who don’t really want to be here and the classrooms where the schools system let’s all sort of junk go on because they won’t people to act right. And so who gets themselves screwed over by that? Not you and Willam or whatever his stupid name is and all the other la-de-da white folks from Fallston and Bel Air. When you all whine a little bit then the whole county craps in their pants to fix it real quick. And don’t give me no million dollar Aberdeen football field. People in Aberdeen and Edgewood and so forth need good schools and good teachers not that football crap.
Than guess what….. I am one of your people and color has nothing to do with it! I live in Edgewood!
Good for you. Then let’s improve the schools by getting rid of the waste and by demanding order in the classrooms and fully qualified and engaged teachers. And the money we save by getting rid of the waste we can use to fund stuff that needs to be funded including paying the good teachers more. If the people of Edgewood would get their head out and rise up and demand what the people in Fallston demand then things would change. It is time the school system and the county government give the same respect to Edgewood and the other neighborhoods here on the other side of 95. And its time the cops get rid of the gangs instead of sitting on Dagger and arguing about Bane all day.
If employees can’t read or understand their employment contract, then that says it right there.
Btw, my iq is 45, and I failed kindergarten.
Sadly it’s clear to me that a prescribed period for citizens input would have meant nothing but complaints and resistance to giving even an inch. It sure seems to me parents virtually think they’re entitled to have thier kids picked up in front of thier homes and delivered back to the same spot. If you’re unwilling to consider any money saving measures how will you feel when there’s nothing left to pay for teacher pensions? Not all kids walked 10 miles uphill and in the snow from year’s past but I can certainly remember walking to elementary school well over a mile from where I lived, crossing some moderately busy streets with nothing more than student crossing guards, wearing rubber shoes in the rain and often carrying an umbrella. As a side note – calls for an environmental impact study are silly and pretty obviously just a delay tactic.
Very well put and I will be attending the next meeting. I have written to all the BOE members because I was unable to attend the meeting Monday night as I had to work until 6. I hope that this policy is reviewed again.
I attended the meeting and many things are unclear regarding how the decision to implement these cuts was reached. What became clear to me at Monday’s meeting is the following:
– The Board failed to follow it’s own directives regarding amendments.
– The claimed 20 mil shortfall is a fiction and includes raises, positions and expenditures which need to be reviewed.
– The transportation cuts do not amount to anything close to 20 mil.
– Nearly all of the funds that would be saved by transportation cuts and pay-to-play will fall on the families of H.S. students, especially the families of gifted and talented.
– The transportation cuts, (magnet schools and tier 4) should not be implemented this year as the hardship, disruption and danger to students far outweighs the meager savings.
– Pay to play unfairly burdens a small minority of students and that money could be more easily raised by spreading the cost among all students in Harford County from K-12, as all ultimately benefit from the activities (think $5-10 per head for all students v. $100-250 per active H.S. student).
Obviously this didn’t cover all or most of the shortfall that is why all the teachers got cut
What teachers got cut? Not 200! Not 100! Not 10! But 1! One lost a job because of budget cuts. 345 less students this year any cuts should be because of that! 345 students divided by 20 students per class room tells me about 18 teachers should not have a job this coming school year! That is not $20 million. Divide $24 million by any of the above numbers. It just does not add up.
Let us also consider the lack of raises, those that retired early to avoid new assignments and the increased class sizes teachers will have. More than 18 positions got cut!
345 less kids is a drop in the bucket. Those students were not taken out of one school? Let’s just say those 345 students were just from elementary schools. Well, there are 34 elementary schools with 6 grade levels(K-5). If each grade level at each elementary school lost one child that would be over 200. Sorry, but that’s not going to cost 18 teachers their jobs. Actually, it would cost no one their job.
Over 100 positions were cut.
100 were cut but at least 100 are attending the new hire orientation in august….
How many retired?
Lets look at this from a strictly logical perspective while trying to take emotion out of the equation, although I believe that is impossible for some to do. The millions of budget dollars spent on sports/clubs extras could be seen as a burden to the taxpaying parents of students that either willfully decide not to participate in extracurriculars (I realize that individual circumstances may make it impossible for some even though they would want to) or those that don’t make the cut for teams. The students of taxpaying parents are paying for these extras and their children are not receiving any direct benefit. When you look at the total number of students receiving this benefit (which is small when you consider most that do take advantage are multiple users – play more than one sport and/or belong to several clubs) their benefit is disproportional to their taxpaying parent’s contribution at the expense of everyone else. I know some will immediately jump on the special education students but that is a federal and state regulated mandate that must be met. Sports and clubs have no such protection or requirement to provide, and are subject to fees or cancellation if they cannot be fiscally maintained through additional revenue resources.
If you are upset with the cuts being made now just wait until next year. There may not be magnet programs in any schools and the BOE may be forced to combine schools. And best of all there will be 35 to 40 students in a class. Those who do not want to pay taxes will be happy but those who are affected will be very upset. Education is very important to the success of any civilization. Please fund education.
A work out buddy of mine said cutting field trips and all buses for magnet programs where ideas offered up by transportation! I also heard cutting swimming cheer leading and men’s volleyball also was on the table too!
After the Public Comment meeting, I realize the entire HCPS system and the wonderful Magnet programs are on the brink of collapse. When people decide to move, their main focus is the quality of education. This can not be good for future HC real estate values. 70% of the students in the Magnet Programs (SMA) are the lifeline of HC and will “Invent the Future”. Why can’t our County leaders just sit down over lunch and figure out a way to take care of EVERY student and EVERY highly rated front line teacher. It is called compromise!!! Had no idea that HC teachers were not given their step increase in 4 out of 5 years. Parents need to pony up too and be a partner in education so larger class sizes without all the negative behavior issues is possible. Efficiency is a must. No Leadership in the PAST and No Leadership NOW.
It was not brought out at the meeting, but the approximately 1 million dollars being spent putting a turf field in the stadium at Aberdeen H.S. would have funded bus transportation for all of the 600 magnet school students. Did we REALLY NEED the turf field at this time?
Perhaps this demonstrates the lack of planning and the questionable use of funds on the part of the Board that lead to the shortfall and current crisis.
That is a capital expense and that is a pet project of mr. Slutzky!
Turf Fields come out of the Capital Budget, not the Operating Budget. Turf fields should save $ on the operating budget. A capital budget would be like the expense of a person putting a deck on the house. The operating cost is the cost of maintenance for that deck.
Thanks for the clarification, but why can’t they move money from the Capital Budget to the Operating Budget in this “time of crisis?” All of the money comes from the same source, us.
Because the county council has to move it!
Those same teachers that have been protesting for 2 years warned you about the consequences of continuously underfunding education. This is only the beginning, next year average class sizes will surpass 30 – 35, more programs will die, and more good teachers will be lost. I’m sorry but spending on education in HC on a per student basis or as a percentage of county revenue pales in comparison to almost every county in the state. Don’t blame the Board for these measures, blame David Craig… You cannot maintain level funding year in and year out, costs go up (electric, good, books, supplies, etc.) at some point revenue must go up along with costs even if their are no salary increases the other costs of doing business do go up and without more cash cuts to programs have to be made… You are blind if you think this will get better without a commitment from the CE.
Good should be food
Finally parents are beginning to wake up!! This budget is more than just the teacher’s salary. Next year if Craig does not increase the budget my guess would be they would get rid of magnet schools!! Some of the less known sports could get cut too! I for one would be happy if they get rid of field trips!! Start going to the County Council meetings…the Board’s hands are tied. They are given only so much money and they have the power to decide where the cuts will be in the school system.
Get another job own segment of media portrayals on this “social media site”, you vaguely hear about private schools.
I hope I’m not the only moron that sees a trend where a group of disgruntled public school educators come here everyday and complain, as if this is the correct place to do it.
How pathetic does it look, pretty bad when your ‘social’ life at any point is not to forget to leave a negative coment on the latest HCPS article. Why not ask your students how to troll better, since they appear to be the ones teaching.
Let me see those thumbs down!!!!!!!
That’s Harford county gets it own news media portrayals.
To Get another job,
You are the pot calling the kettle black.
Capital Budget Money comes from Bond Sales. Think of it like a 30 year mortgage. Then through tax money, those Bonds plus interest is paid off. Typically, when interest rates are low, it is good to be aggressive in your sale of bonds and use that money for capital improvements using “cheap” money. For example, you could have built a brand new school in 1983 for 15-20% of today’s total cost and you pay back the debt in 2013 dollars. Moderate inflation is good for long term debt. The point is that some local goverment public debt is OK if it is an investment in the community. Pay (as you) Go is better when economic times are good. The issue here is Operating Budget and not 1 time expenditures like a turf field.
If I was running the show, I would look to sell some Surplus School Board Property giving the county an influx of immediate cash and more time to get the whole budget situation corrected instead of blindsiding the public and frustrating the teachers. I would also set up a BOE rainy day fund, but right now, my main goal, like many is to get my kid home from school. As far as I know, Mr Hau is the only School Board member affected by this policy.
They had a rainy day fund and used it the last few years.
I think the residents of Harford County need to rise up and Crush Ryan Burberry and his communist union. He is destroying our education system by trying to suck money that should go to the children. He and his union thugs and lawyers then protect subpar crappy teachers. You think all teacher’s in Harford County are excellent. HAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAAH. YEAH RIGHT!!!!!
HEEE HAWWWW HEE HAWWWWWWWW
I teach at a high-school where enough students registered for art classes to hire an additional half-time teacher (to teach three classes). Instead of adjusting and hiring a half-time teacher, one course was cut completely, and a music teacher will be teaching the two other art classes. What’s next–gym teachers instructing calculus? This is insane and something needs to be done NOW.
I don’t think it’s insane to have a music teacher also teach art.
It is if the music teacher is not certified to teach it!
You need to be certified to teach art? And, I am pretty sure comparing art/music to gym/calculus is a bit ridiculous. Gym and calculus serve point. Art and music are hobbies and shouldn’t be taught in our schools anymore, especially considering the state of our education system.
Art and Music are not hobbies. Teaching Art and Music improves performance in other subjects.
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-benefits-of-music-education/
http://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development
http://musicempowersfoundation.com/the-importance-of-music.html
http://www.issaquah.wednet.edu/documents/highschool/schedule/arts/achievement.pdf
https://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/E-project/Available/E-project-022812-093901/unrestricted/IQPFinalDraft.pdf
http://www.nasaa-arts.org/Research/Key-Topics/Arts-Education/critical-evidence.pdf
The policy of having a teacher teach outside their certified area to fill areas of need is a long standing one. As long as the majority of their class load is in their certification it is allowed and sometimes it’s the only way to not lose a position. In the case mentioned, the music teacher will not be cut to half time or gone altogether now because once a position is gone, it’s difficult to resurrect it. And while both are classified Fine Arts, from having a musical spouse I can tell you that they are night and day in content and to Money Tree: it makes no more sense than having a math teacher teach art. Does just having a teacher regardless of their certification benefit the students? Not always. I once had to teach a class outside my certification-it was a struggle since I didn’t know the material and the dept chair had to spend some of her planning time with me to make sure I was covering the material correctly. Did they get everything they needed from me? I have no way of knowing if I left them with gaps. In the long run it was all wasted time on her and my part because I never taught that class again after that year. I put in more hours of prep on that one class than my certified area classes because I didn’t want to shortchange the students going on in that dept to advanced classes. I can now understand why another teacher told me that they no longer put a huge amount of time into a class out of their department because it’s always a temporary thing. And since I was never observed in that class because it wasn’t in my certification area, the administration had no clue if I was ‘doing it right’ or not unless they received complaints from parents or student. Personally, I think being forced to teach out of your area by administrators to solve staffing issues is not a good approach. Beyond the fact that it flies in the face of the NCLB mandate of only ‘highly qualified teachers’ in the classroom, a teacher that inadvertently teaches students incorrect information (because it’s not their area of expertise) can cause problems for students later on if they have to be re-taught correct information in the next level.
Oh goody let’s pretend art is like brain surgery. I assure a motivated person with an interest in the subject is as effective if not moreso than some certified zombie. There are number of of subjects – history, art, geography, etc., that could be taught as effectively by retirees that have an interest in the subject as a certified teacher.
Great point TMT!!! However, I would argue that art and music are far less useful as school subjects than history and geography; as for the latter you need to have an understanding to intelligently function in the world. Likewise, I have never had to worry about pointing out a Picasso or identifying Bach since I took Music and Art Appreciation in college.
I wonder if the Chinese teach art in their schools?
It’s primarily the US that devalues the arts as an important component of it’s citizen’s education-if it doesn’t look like big bucks for the ROI, we write it off as unworthy.
To answer your question-from several sites on art in Chinese education:
“Art Education China has the tradition of valuing art education in educational institutions. The third National Conference on Education since China adopted the policy of reform and open-up has once again included students’ development in art into the national guidelines for education. In recent years, rapid progress has been achieved in art education in regular educational institutions. A scientific administrative system over art education has been formed covering all levels of the country. A series of guiding documents concerning art education has been issued. The teaching structure of art education, inter-related between all stages from primary school, junior and senior secondary school to university, has taken an initial shape. Art education constitutes an important component of teaching in primary and secondary schools. All previous teaching programs for schools have included the courses of music and fine art with singing, musical knowledge and appreciation, painting, arts and crafts, appreciation of fine arts as their contents.”
Blah, blah, blah. Nobody is devaluing art – just pointing out that a motivated retiree could just as easily teach it as a certified zombie. You sound so rigid in your language “teaching structure”, “guiding documents”, “scientific administrative system” – is that what a cert gets you; a bunch of high falooting language that means squat. Good lord you’re trying to make painting pictures or the appreciation of painted pictures some sort of chemistry.
That high falooting language you’re mocking is a direct copy and paste off of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China website, not mine.
Not sure how you this turned into a defense of the arts in schools but you seem clueless about the value of a well rounded citizen in society and how creative thought helps in all fields. You also obviously have no idea what students in the art classes learn and do in Harford County, since it’s a completer path with an AP class credit option, it is much more work and intensity than yours or my basic college art appreciation class. But judging by your rudeness and narrow opinion, I’m sure nothing anyone says will change the rants you enjoy posting.
Still means squat – a retiree could teach art.
Only a retired art teacher could teach Art. Only someone with no real knowledge of Art would state that any one could teach it. Art teachers are committed professionals with a vast knowledge base. It is shameful to devalue them and their commitment.
Nobody stated just anyone could teach art. Certainly someone who’s committed themselves to learning about art, watch with interest, and take the time to acquire knowledge is just as good as a certified teacher. Just so happens that both history and art are subjects that lots of people know a lot about because they’re interested. I know history buffs that nearly drip with enthusiasm describing the civil war or even simple agrarian history – likewise with art. Enthusiasm is palpable and more important to teaching than a cert. I recognize why you might suggest anyone other than a certified, union member as qualified to teach. Is it really all about the children?
First off , many people think they know about art, few really have the course study to back-up that claim. Second, teaching is more than just knowing a subject. It is also understanding pedagogy to impart those ideas effectively. I am not even going to address the history claim as it is equally ridiculous.
Burbey you’re so full of it. Lots of people not teaching school have an art background – some art history, some fine arts. Lots of those folks with both an interest and education would be valuable as part time instructors. You ask how we could save money and I’m telling you there’s plenty of qualified people out there with knowledge in non-core subjects that would fit in a classroom and do well. Quit overstating the value of that cert. In some ways I think that cert often serves to quash innovation – it puts boxes around methods of teaching, point a to point b, and nothing shall interfere with rote.
MT, You are just plain wrong. I would suggest you take the opportunity to view some of the amazing work which Art teachers across the county coax out of their students. There are usually public displays in the hall at the Board of Education but even more inspiring is the work of typically unmotivated students within the teachers classrooms and schools.
That’s a lovely response but presumes the only people that could possibly inspire talented students would be a certified teacher (eg. someone in your union). I would remind you that some of most talents artists in history are self-taught or had limited formal training. Nobody advised Picasso to morph from realism to abstract – art is best when organic and not coerced or narrowly structured by a pedagogy as you call it. It’s art – that teacher’s cert if not necessary.
That’s right Burbey only you know what’s best- anybody who isn’t a union teacher is ignorant.
No. What I said was go to a school and see what is really being done in Art class. Judge for yourself from a point of knowledge rather than ignorance.
I am not just talking about the talented ones. I am talking about the untalented, unmotivated ones. Make an appointment at a school. If you want to judge, judge from a point on knowledge not ignorance.
MT… what are YOU interested in? If you have an area of interest that is taught in our schools, I’m sure that Mr. Burbey could arrange for you to go in and teach for a few days. We’ll call it community outreach and let you relate your experience of how ridiculously easy it is to be a teacher in 2013. That would certainly shut up all those education professionals who whine and complain about their lack of respect amongst the adults in the community and how all their hard work is wasted on unmotivated, unprepared, and disrespectful children.
Isn’t it obvious what I’m interested in? I would like public sector unions to disappear into the abyss where they belong because they have nothing to do with improving anything and everything to do with enriching the unions and bankrupting the taxpayers and I’m interested in saving the taxpayers money. Do I want to teach…? No, not really and I don’t have to walk a mile in anyone’s shoes to understand some basic issues. Just because I don’t want to teach doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of other people in non-core subjects that could easily step into a classroom for a whole lot less cost. Retirees come to mind because there’s a wealth of knowledge out there untapped. It would be an opportunity to continue art programs and other less “core” subjects in the schools without bankrupting the rest of the system.
Teachers can teach courses they are not certified in per contract. I believe it is 50%. Only courses that have to be taught by a certified teacher are those that are tested.
I’m not going to add to the ridiculous argument about the arts in education, since studies have already proven their importance. I was simply pointing out another way that Harford County is slicing and dicing this year. I don’t think is fair to our students, especially those trying to build a portfolio in hopes of persuing a career in the visual arts. Thank you to those who offered supportive words.
Money tree and kharn…2 of harford counties biggest D bags! And this is coming straight from a non-union teacher who can factually argue that neither one of you understand what goes into being a highly effective Educator.
I rarely agree with the union but I do think we can agree that you both should disconnect your computers and do something productive for society!
If educators were all so highly effective why is the US continuing to lose ground in student skills and abilities. We keep this up we’ll end up on par with Zaire. We spend more money than just about everyone in the world and get less and less by way of results. Everything is hunky dory…
Yes and the US is one of the few countries that educate special need children and have compulsory education as long as they do!!!!
Hey – things change. They may have promised transportation, but now can’t afford it. You just do what you gotta do to get the kids to school.
You are pathetic. Start cutting free transportation to sport events, after school programs, summer school programs, etc. It is not right to cut transportation to regular school hours. Start using smaller buses, when it can be used. Start to run the routes like UPS trucks without cutting service. Cut the rest of the waste like development days, colored paper, weight rooms, microbio labs, conferences, pay tuitions for certificates, when the money is not there. After that we talk again.
You cannot cut tuition reimbursement.. You force teachers and administrators to obtain college classes throughout their careers then you need to pay for them
I agree 100% on cutting the free transportation to sports events, and charging “pay to play” for sports. There is far too much focus on sports in schools, and not enough on traditional math/English/etc.
I also agree with cutting all those other items you highlight. None of that is required for true learning. Get parents more involved and make kids actually do real homework as opposed to talking and texting on their IPhones all day and night. Our son is going into 7th grade and wants an IPhone; I told him he’ll get one when he gets a job and earns the dollars to buy it himself. You and I are 100% “in synch” on this topic.
Change the policy. Only science teachers including computer science get tuition paid. And sorry for the rest, go back to the basics of teaching. Nothing has changed in grammar or math and how to teach is the same. If you cannot teach, there is the door, as it is with all other jobs in the real world.
Yes the content may not change much but the pedagogy classes are helpful
The content and application of the content changes too.
Ryan you can’t reason with unreasonable people… Trying to use logic with Money Tree is like trying to convince suicide bombers that we should talk out issues rather thank blowing stuff up…
That deserves the award for dumbest commment ever posted on Dagger and it take quit a bit because there have been some real duzzies. Do you really think comparing a taxpayer that thinks public sector unions are counterproductive should be compared to a terrorists in any way, shape or form is legitimate? If you do then I assure you there is an unreasoned zealot on this thread and it isn’t me.
It is only a fair comparison because you have no clue what all goes into being a successful teacher that students and parents love… The dedication, skill, and time that it takes to perfect this craft and to think that they could be replace by someone who has a hobby is by fat the dumbest comment on here. You are completely unreasonable and therefor no one should take any of the BS you say seriously.
You want efficiency. Grade students on their conduct. Write students up and send out a daily unidentified e-mail report to all the parents. Have students compete to stay out of the horrible class. Then you have 1 horrible class and 3-4 great classes. When a student begins to behave, move him/her up. Maybe the parents would demand more and teach kids how to respect others. The result would be larger class sizes without all the headaches. India has 60 in a class so it can be done. Of course the teacher of that class should be voluntary and should get a bonus. The end result would be short term NET POSITIVE! Long term, the problem goes away.