A Teacher’s View of the LA Times’ Educators Analysis

EDITOR’S NOTE: I was glad to see the LA Times’ analysis of teacher performance published Sunday morning (led by Times education writers Jason Felch and Jason Song), and was deeply annoyed by the angry posturing and threats from UTLA prez, A.J. Duffy in response to it.

But, as Monday wore on, I heard from an increasing number of teachers who objected to the Times’ methodology in a big way, and were particularly horrified when one of the low-rated teachers was pictured in the article as he taught.

Among the angry educators I heard from was my friend, novelist/teacher and WitnessLA contributor, Dennis Danziger—whose opinion I respect a great deal (even if we occasionally disagree on a few of the finer points of school reform—and school reformers).

Danziger’s point of view on the Times’ analysis seems to be representative of that of a lot of devoted teachers, thus is important to hear. After all, these are the talented men and women in the trenches with LA’s kids. In other words, they are the experts.

Okay, here’s Dennis (and he’s pretty mad at his hometown newspaper):

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The LA Times Blame Game

by Dennis Danziger

Ahh, the LA Times, a newspaper that for the past few decades keeps losing readership, firing staff and being fumbled from one ineffective owner to another has found a group to look down upon: incompetent public school teachers.

And who better to point out failure than a newspaper whose readership is about half of what it was in the 1990s? Who better to examine the LAUSD’s failures than The Times whose parent company filed for bankruptcy in 2008 when they were carrying a debt load in the billions?

The Times knows failure. And with those credentials why not believe them when they jump on the President Obama, Secretary Duncan, Mayor Villaraigosa bandwagon and simplify the failure of America’s public school crisis to this: it’s all the fault of bad teachers.

It’s not class size. It’s not the economy. It’s not hunger. Or broken homes. Or kids who come to school from foster homes. Or kids who barely come to school at all. It’s not living in violent neighborhoods. It’s not screwed up parents. It’s not limousine liberals, religious fanatics, wacko home schooling parents, and your every day racists who bailed out of the public schools decades ago. No. It’s none of that. It’s all about those bad LAUSD teachers and their oh-so-powerful unions who protect the rotten apples among them.

I’m an LAUSD teacher, an 18-year veteran, and I want The Times to know that they can count me in when it comes to hiring energetic young teachers and booting out the old, ineffective ones.

I’m all for streamlining the firing process to rid our classrooms of crummy teachers.

I’m all for rewarding tenure after seven years instead of two.

I’d even support our mayor taking over not just a handful of schools but every school in the District.

Heck, I’m even for merit pay.

There’s just one thing I want to know, and that is this:

What system would The Times and our educational reformers use to prove which teachers make the grade and which don’t?

A standardized test and nothing else? That seems to be their sole measurement.

And, honestly, that’s what worries me.

Let’s use me as an example.

For 14 years, from 1995 – 2008, I taught English at Palisades Charter High School; in those years it was an LAUSD school. This past June I attended PCHS’ graduation where I saw many of my former 10th grade honors English students cross the stage. Those kids, come fall, will be attending Wellesley, Vassar, Sarah Lawrence, Kenyon, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin (two on full academic scholarships), USC (a full academic scholarship), Wake Forest, Tufts, UCLA and UC-Berkeley.

Trust me, these kids are bright and know how to bubble in the correct answers. I’ve seen them do it.

One week earlier I attended graduation at Venice High School where I have been teaching for the past two years. Of the 87 students crammed into my two classes of senior English this past semester, 29 did not graduate because they just quit coming to my class; another nine didn’t graduate because they didn’t do enough work.

Of these 87 kids, 38 didn’t graduate, and few of these kids test nearly so well on standardized tests as did my former students. I’m pretty sure at least part of the reason is because some of my students at Venice HS and their parents do not consider regular attendance in school a high priority.
But here’s what I need to know from The Times and their education reformer consultants:

Am I a brilliant teacher who inspired and shepherded my students into some of our nation’s most prestigious colleges?

Or am I a lug, deadwood, a card-carrying AARP and UTLA member whose teaching style is so ineffective my students drop out by the busload?

Oh yeah, there is this: Last May, within a three-day period, one of my current students at Venice High won a prestigious city wide creative writing contest and a $1,000 college scholarship; while two of my former VHS students were sentenced to jail. One convicted of armed robbery (13 years) and another for attempted murder (22 years).

So what is it, LA Times? I’m dying to know if I’m in line to be lauded and receive merit pay or if I’m the next guy whose picture will be featured on your front page with the word: INCOMPETENT emblazoned beneath my photo.