Comments on: Personnel News: Toppo To NEA!* Updated.

By: Hounds33

Hounds33 — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 13:56:04 +0000

Interesting debate. Seems it’s provoking some rising emotions….

By: Gisele Navarre

Gisele Navarre — Fri, 07 May 2010 13:41:26 +0000

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By: Chris Smyr

Chris Smyr — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:57:07 +0000

Was there *anything* factually accurate in your latest post, Robert?

By: Candice

Candice — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:39:15 +0000

While the NEA may state that there is no evidence, one of there staffers could walk into any Teach for America classroom and get as much evidence as they want. TFA corps members are required to gather meaninful data on each student for each standard that they teach. Instructed through a Master’s in Teaching degree, and supported by professional development at TFA, corps members spend significant amounts of time learning how to compose assessments aligned to their state standards. Corps members are also trained to keep notes when testing students reading levels and making observations in math. This combination of qualitative and quantitative data is Teach for America’s mode of operations when considering how to move forward with lesson planning, reteaching, and small group instruction.

Thank you, Eduwonk, for checking your facts, and basing your response in research. NEA and Mr. Toppo might consider the skill of a TFA teacher, and as a result the progress of her students and the data that backs it up next time they attempt to make unsubstantiated claims.

By: Robert

Robert — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:45:36 +0000

In our district in the SF bay area teachers are definitely being let go and being replaced by TFA teachers. It may not be official, but they have done a LOT to get the veteran teachers out for the TFA teachers and stopped hiring credentialed teachers because they “have” to supply many spots for the TFA teachers. Anything to save money (including such cheap toilet paper that it caused numerous plumbing issues)! Go California budget crisis!

By: Miguel A. Gonzalez

Miguel A. Gonzalez — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:35:17 +0000

By the way, before we start getting unsolicited emails about job openings, the NEA is in the middle of a hiring freeze, so put away your resumes for now : – )

By: RLS

RLS — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:32:52 +0000

I have to say that while I’m generally in support of alternative route certification programs, TFA included (I am in fact a product of one myself, though not TFA) some of these criticisms are valid. That doesn’t mean that Toppo found facts to support his claims, but they’re not baseless.
I know that in my district this year we have closed about 10 schools and displaced those teachers, and at the end of last year they were discussing furloughs and lay-offs. They do not have enough vacancies to support to the commitment they’ve made to (4+) alternative certification programs, and from what I hear they’re currently struggling to place those teachers, who are considered priority hires since they’re already on a contract with the district.
I also think there’s something to be said for TFA’s recruiting practices in general, but that’s another story for another day.

By: Caroline Grannan

Caroline Grannan — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 18:56:52 +0000

Fair enough, NEA. Still, where would you say the opportunities are riper?

By: @nea

@nea — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:20:22 +0000

By contrast, I’ve never heard of a colleague (I’m a daily newspaper veteran) leaving newspapers to work for a teachers’ union (as opposed to becoming classroom teachers).

Here’s 1, Angetta McQueen former AP reporter to public relations office at NEA.

By: Caroline Grannan

Caroline Grannan — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:31:33 +0000

The charge that Greg Toppo is slanting his coverage in hopes of getting hired by the NEA is amusing. That’s because here in San Francisco, a former San Francisco Examiner education reporter is now a top executive with the California Charter Schools Association (the state lobbying group for charter schools), and a former Oakland Tribune education reporter also left to work in the charter school world. That’s a pretty high percentage of Bay Area’s education beat reporting positions.

By contrast, I’ve never heard of a colleague (I’m a daily newspaper veteran) leaving newspapers to work for a teachers’ union (as opposed to becoming classroom teachers).

With the news business in collapse, it has become obvious that the bounteously funded charter and related “school reform” industries are an escape route for desperate career-changers who are versed in education policy. And anyone who doesn’t think that motivates some journalists to treat school reform kindly and gently in their copy is being a little naive.

So charging that a journalist who DOES shine a bright light on school reform is selling out for a job with the NEA is a little bassackward.

Disclosure that my husband and I are both displaced daily-newspaper veterans and he’s now a substitute teacher and member of — but not employee of — the United Educators of San Francisco (yes, a reviled teachers’ union).