Quick Teacher Poll

If I could change one thing to improve my teaching performance, it would be:
	Administrative Micro-Managing
	Lack of Trust and/or Support from Principal
	Administrative Focus on Paperwork Over Classwork
	Excessive Interruptions
	Class Size
	Lack of Support With Student Discipline
	Too Many Programs and Initiatives
	Poor Administrative/Staff Communication
	Over-Emphasis on Student Evaluation
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News on Collective Bargaining

Teachers and Collective Bargaining in Missouri

In a very important decision, the Missouri Supreme Court has recently agreed to hear an appeal filed by Missouri NEA on a collective bargaining suit against the Independence School District.

Article I, section 29 of the Missouri Constitution, written in 1945, clearly states that "employees shall have the right to organize and to bargain collectively through representative of their own choosing." Currently, thirty-four states, including all that border Missouri (except Arkansas ), allow teachers and other public employees to bargain collectively.

Sprinfield v. Clouse

However, in a 1947 case (Springfield v. Clouse), the court ruled that this constitution right did not apply to public employees such as fire fighters, police and teachers. Last summer, a Jackson County Circuit Court ruled that the Independence School District had rescinded agreements with associations representing district bus drivers, custodians, and teachers without bargaining with the associations or obtaining their consent. But the court concluded that the District's conduct was not unlawful because of the 1947 ruling against public sector collective bargaining.

The Missouri Supreme Court's decision to hear the MNEA-backed appeal to this ruling is heartening news. It is interesting to note that MSTA, MSBA (Missouri School Boardassociationn) and the MSCA (Missouri Council of School Administrators) all submitted briefs in opposition to the court taking the appeal.

MSTA v. MSTA?

This puts our MSTA friends in the odd position of having paid their dues dollars to an organization that argues against their right to bargain for higher wages and better working conditions. Further, if the court rules in favor of the appeal and overturns Springfield v.
Clouse, they would then be in the position of clamoring for bargaining representation that they fought against having.

The Missouri Supreme Court will begin hearing the appeal on February 21 and should issue a decision no later than June. We are hopeful that the court will overturn the original Clouse decision so that teachers in Missouri can stop their "collective begging" and, like teachers in 34 other states, begin bargaining for better terms and conditions of employment. Missouri teachers are currently ranked 43rd in salaries nationwide.

Teacher ABCs

As part of our mandated compliance with NCLB, it has become ever more important to exhibit clear communication as we track our progress as a district. In our continuous effort, we administer the BOY, followed by the MOY, the venerable STI and, of course, the EOY, all of which must be aligned with our SIP, MIGs and GLEs.

While some are concerned that the SIT (aka TST) is just another added program, we are mindful that an IEP, whether it denotes ADHD, ADD, or BD, should not be a barrier to becoming proficient with MIGs. ELLs must also be on board. Otherwise, MAP scores may place us just short of AYP and raise some eyebrows at DESE. If this happens, we hunker down ASAP and utilize a solid PDSA approach to achieve true CQI through measurable CCI.

If you are confused, talk it over during WFSG or during SIP days. Perhaps PD could also help with the development of a meaningful PLP. If not, a PIP is a possibility, not that there's anything wrong with that. In the end, it's the PBTE and the MAP, afterall, that tells us how we're doing.

Just wanted to clear that up.