Missing the point

The Board of Education chair and Education Commissioner are missing the point regarding my concerns for testing. The proof can be found in their statements. I realize that we (PSS & BOE) have a requirement under the NCLB to demonstrate we have quality teachers. But it should be obvious now that there was no respect given teachers. Their statement only surfaced after I demanded respect for teachers and pointed out that they were wrong to implement the test without any teachers’ input.

Why wasn’t the BOE Teacher Rep. informed of the voluntary test that 80 percent passed? Even with the 80 percent passing rate, that means we are looking at a minimum of 116 teachers that will fail the test based on last year’s figure of 580 teachers in the system. Furthermore, the 10 people that took the test do not reflect a sufficient sampling for the commissioner to determine how many teachers would actually pass the test. The commissioner is rolling the dice based on only 10 teachers of 580. Why is the administration only now trying to convince teachers and telling teachers not to worry after I brought potential scenarios to their attention? Why is the COE in such a hurry to do my job and meet with teachers? Bypassing me again? Why did I, the BOE Teacher Rep., have to learn about the planned meeting with teachers in the news and will I even be informed of the meeting place and date? How can teachers or anyone place any “good faith” in what the BOE & COE are saying after the fact?

If the BOE had shown respect for teachers and the BOE Teacher Rep. the damage control they are doing now would not be necessary and that is the point that the BOE & COE are missing. Yes, I want the attention of teachers because it is their money and livelihood that is being manipulated and it was not right for teachers to learn about it after the fact. My whole purpose is to help the board and teachers but I can’t help when I’m constantly being left out of the loop. I want teachers to know the truth about what happened so they can’t blame me. I’m only doing my job and speaking out about their rights. BOE is still trying to dodge the real source of this dilemma—collective bargaining. I hope that teachers will raise this concern in their meeting with the COE because that is the big question that teachers should demand to be answered. I also made the following request in the last BOE meeting on the record:

* For the agendas of future committees and BOE meetings be made known to all BOE members at least 48 hours before the meeting takes place, with only emergencies being the exception.

* That I be placed on the Committee for Personnel & Administration. I also asked the Commissioner to inform the BOE Teacher Rep. of all teacher-related matters prior to them being presented to a BOE committee or the board.

* For the BOE chair to direct the ad hoc committee to immediately start work on establishing a collective bargaining agreement with teachers. A refusal by the board to grant teachers a bargaining agreement will constitute a violation of local and federal law as the CNMI Attorney General has already told this board on two separate occasions to recognize the teachers’ right to bargain. Teachers will also have the right to take this board to court if their rights are refused.

Ambrose M. Bennett
BOE Teacher Rep.