Teachers, students to rally at District HQ
by Benjamin Herold on Feb 25 2011 Posted in Latest news
Hope Moffett's stay in so-called "teacher jail" will be extended til next Wednesday, when she will have a hearing with District officials that could result in a recommendation that she be fired.
But with teachers and students planning to rally at District headquarters this afternoon, Moffett remained adamant that the larger issue is not about the District's reassignment of her and another teacher out of the classroom and into "solitary confinement" in a basement room in a District administrative office.
"The situation with me is secondary to the issues that are going on at the school where I teach," argued Moffett, an 11th grade English teacher at Audenried High School in South Philadelphia.
Audenried is one of three high schools where students organized walkouts to protest District plans to overhaul their schools as part of the Renaissance Schools initiative.
"To focus on me as a person takes away from the fact that there are still students and community members who object to this change because they haven't had a say in their own future," Moffett said.
Anissa Weinraub agrees.
Weinraub, 31, is a founder of the teacher-activist organization Teacher Action Group (TAG), which is organizing today’s rally. She argued that both the student walkouts and Moffett's situation reflect a fundamental problem with how the District is attempting to transform schools.
"Students, teachers, parents, and community members have first-hand knowledge of what our schools really need, and we demand to have a say in decision-making about how they are changed," said Weinraub, who teaches English at a neighborhood high school.
"As we're expressing our opinions and asking questions of our District, there should not be intimidation or threats against vocal teachers or students," she added.
Weinraub said that TAG is expecting "hundreds" of teachers and students to attend the rally, which is being fully supported by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT).
PFT president Jerry Jordan has repeatedly warned the District against attempts to "silence" teachers who ask questions and has threatened a "strong reaction" if the charges against Moffett are deemed to have been an act of intimidation.
Teachers, students, and parents from Audenried, Martin Luther King, and West Philadelphia - the three high schools where students have organized walkouts to protest the District's Renaissance plans for their schools - are slated to speak at the rally.
Eleventh grader Ava Reeves said many students at Audenried share her anger at the District's inability to provide sound data to justify their decision to target Audenried for conversion into a charter. She also expressed outrage at the District's insinuation that teachers were behind the recent student walkout there.
"We are human beings, and we can think for ourselves," Reeves said.
"We walked out because our voices weren't being heard."
As for Moffett, she said she has been given no guidance on how to spend her time during her reassignment, so she has mostly been keeping in touch with those who are interested in her situation.
"People are stopping me and saying they are really glad that someone spoke up," Moffett said.
"Obviously, the issue is not about me as a person, but the larger issues that TAG is highlighting that really affect everybody in the District."
Despite the looming possibility of losing her job, Moffett said she has no regrets about her decision to make a public stand.
"I care very deeply about the students I teach," she said.
"My choice has consequences that I’m willing to accept because I think that in the end, these students are worth it."
Comments (20)
Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 14:54.
I look forward to Rally-ing with my colleagues today at 4PM.
Submitted by Taxpayer (not verified) on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 16:18.
I don't know how hard it would be for Hope to get a teaching position at another school district after all this trouble she has started, but it would be very difficult for her to obtain a position in private industry after being fired for insubordination.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 18:11.
I would venture to guess that if the District should eliminate Hope, she won't have much trouble getting another job, either in education or outside of it. If the most the District can come up with is her giving tokens to 11th graders, then I don't think she's got long-term employment problems facing her. There might be some employers that are spooked by "insubordination," but a lot of others, when they find out that "insubordination" meant giving tokens to 11th graders or whatever else it means, then they'll not be terribly concerned about hiring someone who has, by all account, an otherwise exemplary work record in a very difficult profession.
Submitted by Erika (not verified) on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 16:38.
Looking forward to this rally! I think it's so important that someone (Hope) is speaking out. Philadelphia is a city ready for education reform but when it's being done by such a tyrannical leader we'll never get very far. It's not fair to our city or our students. I really am not ideologically opposed to promise academies or the take over model, but you can't purposefully exclude the community, punish teachers who care the most, and make decisions that aren't based on data. There are plenty of chronically under performing schools in Philly- universal charter among them, audenreid is not. It simply can't be after 3 years and no available test scores!
Submitted by Tara (not verified) on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 16:42.
Taxpayer - These are simply trumped up charges with no merit.
It is more troublesome that the SDP is dismantling public education. Universal was selected to take over Audenried without seemingly no concern about their past record with Philadelphia schools. They were given a contract to run another school, but ultimately that ended when the school continued to perform poorly. Universal administrators refused to accept any responsibility for the the school's failure.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 18:35.
The end of public education as we know it is ending, Constitution High School went to the championship and guess how many schools they played were public, only one, the rest charter. What happened to Ben Franklin, Wiliam Penn, Audenried, King and Gratz, Oh yeah they are on their way to charter. Thanks Dr. Ackerman for selling public schools to charter to save the city and state money
Submitted by Ron Whitehorne on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 19:27.
Over 500 hundred rallied today at 440 demanding an end to intimidation of students and teachers and a voice for teachers, students and parents in shaping school reform. Teachers from all over the city responded to the call from Teacher Action Group supported by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers to demonstrate their committment to these goals. Students, parents and community leaders also were present and spoke out.
This marks a new day in the District. Teachers will not be cowed into silence. From Cario to Madison working people want respect and genuine democracy. Philadelphia, with the demonstration yesterday in soldiarity with the Wisconsin unions and today with the demonstration demanding an end to autocracy and intiidation in the School District has added its voice.
Submitted by Meg (not verified) on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 19:38.
That rally was very energizing. It was powerful to see and hear so many standing so proudly for our children and our own rights. The speakers were totally awesome - especially Maurice, the young man from Moffit's school. I was proud to stand among these amazing people. We need more noise - we need more parents, students and even other teachers to continue the conversations. This was a strong start, but just a start.
Frank Murphy as usual told many truths, not the least of which that we do not have positive leadership. We can be much more than adequate and that is what our students need. They are more than adequate. They are ours.
Submitted by Acourt (not verified) on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 22:09.
I am glad to see that the real issue, the one that Hope's students researched, prepared and sacrificed for, is being taken up by concerned community members. I am a teacher and our past superintendent had a plaque in his office. It said "In God we trust. Everyone else bring data!" The district obviously has conflict of interest issues since a board member is/was on the Universal payroll until right before Audenreid, in a new $55 million taxpayer funded campus, was 'given' to them. The teachers and the students have been working hard and ignoring the data that shows their growth is demeaning and disrespectful to the time and effort that they have put in and the growth they have shown. Now, taking a caring and dedicated teacher out of the classroom right before state high stakes testing is detrimental to the students and they should be our primary concern.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/26/2011 - 08:58.
A reply to "Taxpayer", think about how hard it will be for this District to attract NEW teachers, given the way they've treated Hope. FYI, most of us are taxpayers, residents, teachers and their relatives, so trying to split us all up, doesn't really work.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/26/2011 - 16:47.
Where was Jordan??? Hmmmm....
Submitted by From Buffalo, NY (not verified) on Sun, 02/27/2011 - 00:33.
"The district obviously has conflict of interest issues since a board member is/was on the Universal payroll until right before Audenreid, in a new $55 million taxpayer funded campus, was 'given' to them."
Has this been investigated, signing away a new building to a charter school, these folks getting bold!
Submitted by Benjamin Herold on Sun, 02/27/2011 - 00:43.
SRC Chairman Archie has publicly acknowledged his longstanding personal connection to Kenny Gamble, his service on the board of Universal Community Homes (a position from which he resigned in April 2009 prior to his appointment to the SRC), and his law firm's professional prior representation of Universal Companies in business matters. District officials responded to an inquiry on the matter by stating "there is no conflict," and Archie has told the Notebook that he will be required to recuse himself from any votes involving Universal.
http://www.thenotebook.org/blog/113360/audenrieds-future-big-topic-src
Submitted by Philly HS TEacher (not verified) on Sun, 02/27/2011 - 06:13.
"Recusing" himself if nice but Archie still has enormous behind the scenes power. I don't care about his public votes when his connections are so deep and long with Universal that he can influence many other players.
Submitted by From Buffalo, NY (not verified) on Sun, 02/27/2011 - 00:36.
"The district obviously has conflict of interest issues since a board member is/was on the Universal payroll until right before Audenreid, in a new $55 million taxpayer funded campus, was 'given' to them." Any investigtion on this conflict done yet?"
Submitted by Sharon Newman Ehrlich (not verified) on Sun, 02/27/2011 - 05:16.
I would love to see a web of connections between individuals of the School District at 440 and also major educational organizations in the city as well as City Hall. We might just see why all of this is happening???
I would like to form a committee of individuals to go into schools to investigate funding and spending. Anyone willing to step up??
I am a parent and I want to know!!! Don't you???
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/02/2012 - 07:15.
I would love for this to happen. Please come to my school and see how we are barely surviving. We are short on teachers, we only have 2 classroom assstants, have no school counselor and the list goes on and on. My school is hanging by a thread. Special education students are not being appropriately serviced. My principal is told by "the higher ups" to deal with it and make it work!!! Parents need to start asking questions and getting involved. Start talking and more importantly start listenting to what teachers are telling you....it's true.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/27/2011 - 10:46.
Archie was/is head of Carl Green's charity. How is Archie not being called out by major players in the city? It's clear this guy has his own agenda with his own pocket. It's amazing that Philadelphia just sits back and watches these thieves.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/02/2012 - 07:02.
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Submitted by Sharon Newman Ehrlich (not verified) on Fri, 03/02/2012 - 16:56.
SO INTERESTING..... HERE, in the notebook, I CONTINUE TO POST AND WANT THE BEST FOR KIDS IN THE CITY. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE SRC FOUR TIMES. BEEN HUMILIATED BY MY INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, TOLD THE "IMPORTANT PEOPLE ABOUT IT. NOTHING WAS DONE. ARE THEY LISTENING???
I CONTINUE TO SPEAK UP AND STATUS QUO IS THE SAME. THEY CONTINUE TO FUNCTION POORLY AT THE SCHOOL, LIKE NOTHING IS WRONG, AND I AM THE IDIOT??
That's OK .....Everyone here posts whatever they want to say
"Anonymously" THAT IS WHY NOTHING CHANGES IN PHILA.
WHAT ARE YOU ALL AFRAID OF???? WELL GUESS WHAT??? IF YOU DON'T START TO SPEAK UP PUBLICLY TO PARENTS..OR GET ME PARENTS NAMES IN MY EMAIL THAT I HAVE POSTED...TEACHERS WILL SOON LOSE THEIR JOBS TO PEOPLE WHO WILL TAKE LESS MONEY!!!
WRITE ME FOLKS TO MY EMAIL, LET ME KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AT YOUR SCHOOL..THE SECRETARY OF ED IS LISTENING...THE NEWS DOESN'T CARE..TRIED THAT...THE ACLU..TRIED THAT....MAYOR'S OFFICE...TRIED THAT...LET ME KNOW...I HAVE TONS OF FORMER STUDENTS ON MY FB..WHO WILL DEFEND ME IN WASHINGTON...WE MAY HAVE TO GO AS A GROUP I GUESS.
TEACHERS MUST HAVE A VOICE IN PHILADELPHIA!!!!!!
YOU WANT THE SCHOOLS FIXED??? ASK THEM!!! THEY KNOW!!!
IF YOU KEEP BLAMING TEACHERS, YOU WILL FAIL ALTOGETHER..BECAUSE THEY WILL ALL ABANDON YOU SDP.
I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO HAVE YOU ENGAGE THE TEACHERS
BUT NO RESPONSES...JUST WHAT IS GOING ON AT 440???
NOW IF I CALL THE SDP, I HAVE BEEN TOLD PERSONALLY TO SPEAK TO THEIR LEGAL COUNCIL??? BECAUSE AS A PARENT I CANNOT ATTEND A PARENT MEETING??? PARENTS ARE OUR PARTNERS??? MY SON WAS FURIOUS ABOUT THIS? THE PRINCIPAL SAID SO???
WHAT IS THAT ABOUT???
ANY MEDIA WANT TO HAVE MY STORY? PROBABLY NOT, IT DOESNT HAVE THE WORDS PERSISTENTLY DANGEROUS. LOL
My "kids" will tell you "who" I am too.
Better take advantage of it...soon it might be too late.. :)
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