Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for June 1, 2009 DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

Just paid a visit to Cairo's "Topix.com" page...

My CAT Tracks postings on Miss Paula have "inspired" quite a debate...not all of it civil. In fact, the "back-and-forth" had side-tracked...right into the gutter.

My return this afternoon, however, made my day!

In fact, that's quite an understatement...

The posting below made my whole year!!!

And, if you are a Cairo teacher, you'll soon experience the same feeling...

To "circle of peace"..."THANK YOU!"

Your comments were unsolicited which makes them even more meaningful...straight from the heart!

Cat Tracks - a DAILY must read
Post #59

by circle of peace

I have patiently waited to post...carefully considering what I would say, but feeling the need to comment.

I graduated from Meridian. In high school I always felt like my high school environment was more of a social network than an educational institution. I was not allowed to take AP courses like my peers in other districts because the teachers were too busy teaching multiple sections of freshmen courses and they didn't have time for AP courses. Why? Because so many students would fail the class as freshmen that they would have to re-take it their sophomore year and for some, the cycle continued until their senior year. I graduated at the top of my class and was still well behind my peers from other schools.

This is just one example from...well, let's just say...several years ago. I can't imagine that things have improved much. The more likely conclusion that one with any common sense would come to is that things have probably become worse over the years.

I have been in and out of the schools in Cairo in recent years. Unfortunately, a few people who keeping posting negative things about teachers and their worth in this forum make it pretty plain that they haven't stepped foot inside of any classroom in CSD.

CSD has one of the worst environments (if not THE worst) for teachers to attempt to do their jobs. Talk to some of the teachers in any of your buildings. They feel a lack of support from the board and their administrators. Not only do they lack support, they lack resources that would allow them to adequately do their jobs.

You see, CSD students may be getting by, but what everyone should want is for them to excel - not merely get by. Many go on to attend SCC, but overall, they are not even playing on the same field as some of their peers from districts that sit in close proximity to Cairo. I went to SCC and was overwhelmed with some of the classes. I was one of the 'smart kids' at Meridian. I can't imagine what going straight to a 4-year would have been like and I can't imagine that many of CSD's students excel...they simply get by.

I have looked at the average teacher salaries link that was posted and have thought long and hard about this...

From the outside looking in, it appears that the CSD Board of Education cares very little about their students' quality of education. Being a district that is:

1. receiving more money per student than any other district in the 5 southern counties of IL

2. difficult to teach in - the majority of students are disrespectful - the majority of parents are uninvolved in their child's academic life (especially as they get older)- this list could go on and on as there are many reasons for teachers in CSD to be frustrated (Paula comes to mind)

3. producing students who are academically behind their peers from other districts

...you would think that some sort of incentive would be offered to get good, high-quality teachers into your district. Do the students in CSD not deserve that?

Money isn't everything, however, if you want really good teachers...teachers who can deal with the heightened stress in CSD (and if you don't believe that it exists, once again, step into a few of the classrooms and then go to a few classrooms in Anna)...teachers who can help begin to turn around the problems that cause your students to fall behind their peers...you have to offer them more than the other districts that they have the option of being employed by. As a district, you must be competitive in attracting teachers to your district and compelling them to stay.

The teachers in Cairo care about educating your students or else they wouldn't be in Cairo. The economy may be bad, but other districts are still hiring.