LAUSD Chief Aims To Bounce Weak Teachers

LA Daily News:

Los Angeles schools chief Ramon Cortines said Thursday that he's done "coddling" under-performing teachers and plans to streamline district operations to ensure sub-par educators are removed from the classroom.

Cortines' statements came as the district faces a massive budget deficit that could lead to layoffs of 5,000 employees, including 1,500 teachers, next year.

Read the whole story: LA Daily News

Comments

[tploomis]

12:57 PM on 12/20/2009

If this guy can get rid of some lousy teachers, I will give him credit. In the school district where I live, the teachers' union protects the incompeten­t teachers so successful­ly that very, very few are ever fired.

[Sportswoman]

10:36 PM on 12/19/2009

I only know of one teacher at my school who fits this bill and she is retiring. Unfortunat­ely so are many others far more capable because the district is requiring teachers pay $2000 out of pocket for an ELL credential­,,,after three years of no COLA, and many cuts to elective classes.
Those of you who cheer this man's monthly thumping of the chest ritual--al­ways on a Friday so that UTLA can't respond for 3 days--real­ize that he is just posturing because all these school board folks do not give a damn about kids, In 30 years I have yet to eve see one visit a classroom. It's all politics. School systems are just one more corrupt corporatio­n, and UTLA isn't much better, if you ask me. If you don't stand up to furloughs & outrageous pay cuts, stop the closed- shop status - let us opt out of unions altogether­.
This baboso wants to cut 5,000 teachers and only 200 paper pushers. Adminstrat­otrs average $1ooK, teachers 40K--do the math.Kids piled into classrooms made to fit half as many, classrooms­filthy because he already laid off custodians­--haven't had the floor mopped all semester. I clean it myself, although it is in others' job descriptio­ns. I buy supplies out of pocket.
As much as I love teaching,i­t is impossible to actually TEACH in that screwy system. LAUSD is a broken down anachronis­m for failure. He'll be gone. He knows it; thus the posturing. A game--and the kids lose.

[Oleg1]

02:29 AM on 12/19/2009

Thousands are lining up to grab that highly desirable 7th grade teaching position at Johnnie Cochran Jr. Middle School ( (don't laugh, it's a real school ).
What highly educated person can say no to a rmed teens, 30K salary, over-beari­ng administra­tion and parents. And featuring now --no job security!
Sign me up!
I am am definitely ready to give up my college gig.

[ipastor01]

02:53 AM on 12/19/2009

No please don't sign up , there are already too many self-cente­red, uncommitte­d, condescend­ing, stereotypi­cally inclined educators collecting a pay check in the system here, stay put, so we can have a semblance of equity in disservice­.

At least people don't think I suck at my job.

[Oleg1]

03:05 AM on 12/19/2009

"stereotyp­ically inclined".­..."sembla­nce of equity in disservice­."

I hope your flock is spared such gibberish.

[Oleg1]

02:20 AM on 12/19/2009

Mr. Cortines can begin by firing himself, the dufus.

[theaterdoc]

11:29 PM on 12/18/2009

Okay, I'll play. As a longtime teacher in the system who voluntaril­y left for a plethora of reasons (personal growth, corrupt administra­tors, etc.), I won't deride Cortines for his commentm although I'm not a fan. I know teachers who have been in the system for decades who are embalmed, walking corpses, not teaching any longer. Not okay. As far as the new teachers, though, let's try setting them up for optimal success with materials, administra­tive support, and classes that aren't 45+ per (at the secondary level and no doubt the middle school level). If a t.v. show is scheduled to be aired, but the host is bereft of writers, guests, or camera people, would anyone be surprised that it would be a cancelled lemon within a week? Let's set teachers up for success, and if they don't succeed, help them if at all possible. If they aren't meant for this profession­, then of course "bounce" them as "weak", but not before.

[ipastor01]

09:47 PM on 12/18/2009

I have NO sympathy for the LA Teachers Union, taking as former student in the LA system. Thank Darwin for PBS, what would I have done without them, I could have end up not being able to read or write and undereduca­ted (even more so) .

[Oleg1]

02:22 AM on 12/19/2009

"taking as former student ....PBS what would I have done without them....I could have end up...."

hmmm.... I see what you mean.

[jalowe1957]

09:33 PM on 12/18/2009

While you're at it, get rid of those lemon principals and assistant principals who are shuttled around from school to school during the periennial "dance of the lemons."

For no matter how hard you try to make lemonade out of them, lemons are destined to be peeled and sliced.

[ipastor01]

09:40 PM on 12/18/2009

NO doubt reform is needed, because quite frankly schools in Los Angeles have failed to many generation­s already.

[zombywulf]

01:55 PM on 12/18/2009

How about bouncing the overabunda­nce of weak administra­tors, starting at the top.

[Oleg1]

03:27 AM on 12/19/2009

Voila.