Patrick Allen works through a math problem with his fourth grade class at Frontier Valley Elementary in Parker on Nov. 10. (Seth A. McConnell, Your Hub)
Re: “Lesson from Dougco schools on pay for performance,” Nov. 24 guest commentary.
Before Doug Benevento and his fellow school board members took over Douglas County’s school board in 2009, the district was not just keeping pace with state averages, but leading in most areas.
Under this school board and its superintendent, we have seen a 100 percent turnover in the upper administration of the district, more than 70 percent turnover of building principals, and over 50 percent turnover in teachers. However, according to Benevento, things in DCSD are great.
In a system where elementary teachers make less than other grade-level teachers and Social Studies teachers make less than other subjects, DCSD teachers are paid based on what they teach instead of how they teach.
Further, many of these teachers will not see any ongoing salary increases for the rest of their time in DCSD, including cost of living increases.
A school district using practices that neither attract nor retain teachers is one destined to fail its students and community, something that is currently happening in Douglas County. The only lessons to be learned from DCSD and their current leadership, is what not to do when running a school district.
Courtney Smith, Parker
The writer is president of the Douglas County Federation of Teachers and Classified Employees.
The false premise of pay for performance is that a teacher has any control over the actions of a free-willed child or adolescent. Supporters of this absurdity believe that you can lead a horse to water and make it drink. Thousands of years of human experience teach us otherwise.
The real question is why go to all this trouble, all this hubbub over teacher pay, tenure and unions?
Because conservative politicians are looking for a way to bust a union movement that rarely supports them in elections and no one wants to talk openly about systemic social conditions that produce lackluster learners.
It is simply easier to blame teachers.
Mark Hughes, Aurora
This letter was published in the Nov. 29 edition.
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