California Parents Pull the "Trigger"

[IGetItAlready]

Desert Trails Elementary School in California went down last week as the very first school to have its entire staff fired by parents who want more for their kids.

Judge upholds Desert Trails' 'Parent Trigger' petition

70% of the students at this school were failing in reading and math and yet these parents were forced to fight like hell against the school board, the teachers unions and even documented attempts to forge ballots in an attempt to overturn their desire to "pull the trigger".

I don't know a single person involved in this case but I couldn't be happier or more excited for the affected families. THIS is what self governance is all about and my hat goes off to the parents and even a few teachers who stood up to "big education" in order to provide the children of this community, in the words of our fearless leader, "a fair shot".

 

[Jackson]

Hooray for the parents! Parents should be standing up for what;s right all over the nation! We should be riling against failing schools! Let's hope this is just a beginning!

 

[squeeze berry]

what happens if the results are worse than before?

 

[Mad Scientist]

what happens if the results are worse than before?

Do the same thing again. And again and again until there is progress made.

What, you'd rather give up?

 

[IGetItAlready]

what happens if the results are worse than before?

Great question Berry. The simple answer of course is the process continues until educators are found for the district who perform well.

Put yourself in the position of an educator. Are you going to accept a position in a district who just canned their entire staff and not be committed to proving your worth and teaching your students thereby keeping your job?

Competition works and the reason our public schools do not is because failure has been so protected. It's stunning really, in this one CRITICAL field we pump an incessantly increasing amount of federal funding and get continuously declining results.
Then you get educational heroes like Michelle Rhee forced to resign after dumping hundreds of failed teachers despite the clearly stellar results her approach to education in DC had.

I've heard some say that Katrina was the best thing to happen to the New Orleans school system in that its destruction left few options aside from charter schools. Their current performance speaks for itself.

We've tried pampering teachers, we've thrown so much money at the problem it's astounding yet the one approach that works so well in just about ever other field, that of competition is seen as a third rail.

Meanwhile, many of our kids are clearly NOT getting their "fair shot".

 

[squeeze berry]

what happens if the results are worse than before?

Great question Berry. The simple answer of course is the process continues until educators are found for the district who perform well.

Put yourself in the position of an educator. Are you going to accept a position in a district who just canned their entire staff and not be committed to proving your worth and teaching your students thereby keeping your job?

Competition works and the reason our public schools do not is because failure has been so protected. It's stunning really, in this one CRITICAL field we pump an incessantly increasing amount of federal funding and get continuously declining results.
Then you get educational heroes like Michelle Rhee forced to resign after dumping hundreds of failed teachers despite the clearly stellar results her approach to education in DC had.

I've heard some say that Katrina was the best thing to happen to the New Orleans school system in that its destruction left few options aside from charter schools. Their current performance speaks for itself.

We've tried pampering teachers, we've thrown so much money at the problem it's astounding yet the one approach that works so well in just about ever other field, that of competition is seen as a third rail.

Meanwhile, many of our kids are clearly NOT getting their "fair shot".

I am in the position of a teacher, and I've never felt pampered. In fact, I feel I'm getting too much blame.

Why would i want to work for a school district that fired all the teachers? All of them are bad?

 

[squeeze berry]

what happens if the results are worse than before?

Do the same thing again. And again and again until there is progress made.

What, you'd rather give up?

that would tell me it's not the fault of the teachers

 

[IGetItAlready]

what happens if the results are worse than before?

Great question Berry. The simple answer of course is the process continues until educators are found for the district who perform well.

Put yourself in the position of an educator. Are you going to accept a position in a district who just canned their entire staff and not be committed to proving your worth and teaching your students thereby keeping your job?

Competition works and the reason our public schools do not is because failure has been so protected. It's stunning really, in this one CRITICAL field we pump an incessantly increasing amount of federal funding and get continuously declining results.
Then you get educational heroes like Michelle Rhee forced to resign after dumping hundreds of failed teachers despite the clearly stellar results her approach to education in DC had.

I've heard some say that Katrina was the best thing to happen to the New Orleans school system in that its destruction left few options aside from charter schools. Their current performance speaks for itself.

We've tried pampering teachers, we've thrown so much money at the problem it's astounding yet the one approach that works so well in just about ever other field, that of competition is seen as a third rail.

Meanwhile, many of our kids are clearly NOT getting their "fair shot".

I am in the position of a teacher, and I've never felt pampered. In fact, I feel I'm getting too much blame.

Why would i want to work for a school district that fired all the teachers? All of them are bad?

What other options do concerned parents have? We can't rate a teacher's performance without 101 excuses as to why their piss poor results are not their problem. We can't single out the poor performers without the unions and their attorneys breaking the concerned.

You should check out the story as there were even teachers from that very district on board with the parents.

I'm guessing those at least willing to admit the failures and support a change will likely be among those whose performance will warrant their being rehired.

 

[PoliticalChic]

what happens if the results are worse than before?

Great question Berry. The simple answer of course is the process continues until educators are found for the district who perform well.

Put yourself in the position of an educator. Are you going to accept a position in a district who just canned their entire staff and not be committed to proving your worth and teaching your students thereby keeping your job?

Competition works and the reason our public schools do not is because failure has been so protected. It's stunning really, in this one CRITICAL field we pump an incessantly increasing amount of federal funding and get continuously declining results.
Then you get educational heroes like Michelle Rhee forced to resign after dumping hundreds of failed teachers despite the clearly stellar results her approach to education in DC had.

I've heard some say that Katrina was the best thing to happen to the New Orleans school system in that its destruction left few options aside from charter schools. Their current performance speaks for itself.

We've tried pampering teachers, we've thrown so much money at the problem it's astounding yet the one approach that works so well in just about ever other field, that of competition is seen as a third rail.

Meanwhile, many of our kids are clearly NOT getting their "fair shot".

I am in the position of a teacher, and I've never felt pampered. In fact, I feel I'm getting too much blame.

Why would i want to work for a school district that fired all the teachers? All of them are bad?

I'm with you on this one, bro.

Educrats, the bunch in charge, bureaurocrats, politicians, all deserve more blame than those in the classroom.

 

[squeeze berry]

Great question Berry. The simple answer of course is the process continues until educators are found for the district who perform well.

Put yourself in the position of an educator. Are you going to accept a position in a district who just canned their entire staff and not be committed to proving your worth and teaching your students thereby keeping your job?

Competition works and the reason our public schools do not is because failure has been so protected. It's stunning really, in this one CRITICAL field we pump an incessantly increasing amount of federal funding and get continuously declining results.
Then you get educational heroes like Michelle Rhee forced to resign after dumping hundreds of failed teachers despite the clearly stellar results her approach to education in DC had.

I've heard some say that Katrina was the best thing to happen to the New Orleans school system in that its destruction left few options aside from charter schools. Their current performance speaks for itself.

We've tried pampering teachers, we've thrown so much money at the problem it's astounding yet the one approach that works so well in just about ever other field, that of competition is seen as a third rail.

Meanwhile, many of our kids are clearly NOT getting their "fair shot".

I am in the position of a teacher, and I've never felt pampered. In fact, I feel I'm getting too much blame.

Why would i want to work for a school district that fired all the teachers? All of them are bad?

What other options do concerned parents have? We can't rate a teacher's performance without 101 excuses as to why their piss poor results are not their problem. We can't single out the poor performers without the unions and their attorneys breaking the concerned.

You should check out the story as there were even teachers from that very district on board with the parents.

I'm guessing those at least willing to admit the failures and support a change will likely be among those whose performance will warrant their being rehired.

maybe the students are not that bright?

 

[Mad Scientist]

Great question Berry. The simple answer of course is the process continues until educators are found for the district who perform well.

Put yourself in the position of an educator. Are you going to accept a position in a district who just canned their entire staff and not be committed to proving your worth and teaching your students thereby keeping your job?

Competition works and the reason our public schools do not is because failure has been so protected. It's stunning really, in this one CRITICAL field we pump an incessantly increasing amount of federal funding and get continuously declining results.
Then you get educational heroes like Michelle Rhee forced to resign after dumping hundreds of failed teachers despite the clearly stellar results her approach to education in DC had.

I've heard some say that Katrina was the best thing to happen to the New Orleans school system in that its destruction left few options aside from charter schools. Their current performance speaks for itself.

We've tried pampering teachers, we've thrown so much money at the problem it's astounding yet the one approach that works so well in just about ever other field, that of competition is seen as a third rail.

Meanwhile, many of our kids are clearly NOT getting their "fair shot".

I am in the position of a teacher, and I've never felt pampered. In fact, I feel I'm getting too much blame.

Why would i want to work for a school district that fired all the teachers? All of them are bad?

I'm with you on this one, bro.

Educrats, the bunch in charge, bureaurocrats, politicians, all deserve more blame than those in the classroom.

They fired "All the Staff", does that not include the Principal on down?

 

[IGetItAlready]

I am in the position of a teacher, and I've never felt pampered. In fact, I feel I'm getting too much blame.

Why would i want to work for a school district that fired all the teachers? All of them are bad?

What other options do concerned parents have? We can't rate a teacher's performance without 101 excuses as to why their piss poor results are not their problem. We can't single out the poor performers without the unions and their attorneys breaking the concerned.

You should check out the story as there were even teachers from that very district on board with the parents.

I'm guessing those at least willing to admit the failures and support a change will likely be among those whose performance will warrant their being rehired.

maybe the students are not that bright?

And isn't that where a good educator comes in Berry?

I've got to say the circling of the wagons on this issue by teachers and unions is as much the problem as anything else. Why should your field have such lowered expectations in regard to performance? Would you not agree that education in one of the most important fields out there?

So far you've implied the problem may lie with the kids twice now.
With all due respect, I pity the child who falls behind in your classroom.

 

[squeeze berry]

What other options do concerned parents have? We can't rate a teacher's performance without 101 excuses as to why their piss poor results are not their problem. We can't single out the poor performers without the unions and their attorneys breaking the concerned.

You should check out the story as there were even teachers from that very district on board with the parents.

I'm guessing those at least willing to admit the failures and support a change will likely be among those whose performance will warrant their being rehired.

maybe the students are not that bright?

And isn't that where a good educator comes in Berry?

I've got to say the circling of the wagons on this issue by teachers and unions is as much the problem as anything else. Why should your field have such lowered expectations in regard to performance? Would you not agree that education in one of the most important fields out there?

So far you've implied the problem may lay with the kids twice now.
With all due respect, I pity the child who falls behind in your classroom.

with all due respect my ass......

Let's use some logic.

most students are average students
most teachers are average teachers

If I had 100 bright and eager students they would all pass the state test. I would be a super teacher.

What if I got 100 lazy and not so bright students and none passed the test. I'm a bad teacher right?

how do you know that in the first case I don't come into class and drink martinis and just let the kids do workshhets and in the second case do a brilliant job but they just don't get it?

Remember, half of the population is on the left side of the bell curve when it comes to intelligence. None of them are teachers.

That being said, I teach MR and autistic students. I must teach them all the core subjects witout a curriculum and no text books. I have to pull everything out of my ass. If you think it's eay, try it. On top of that I have to do all kinds of administrative bullshit. That leaves less time for actual teaching.

Now, riddle me this. If my MR students show little to no progress should i be canned? Remember, they have been in school for over ten years and in some cases can't tie their shoes or blow their noses. My brightest students are at the first grade level at age 17. It's my fault they can't read on grade level?


And I'll stste that my literacy program is top notch. I'm one of the few teachers at the high school level that can teach phonics and comprehension skills.

Do you think you can do this smart alec?

PS no teacher can inject IQ points into someone's brain or give them a shock to get them to do the work.

 

[IGetItAlready]

maybe the students are not that bright?

And isn't that where a good educator comes in Berry?

I've got to say the circling of the wagons on this issue by teachers and unions is as much the problem as anything else. Why should your field have such lowered expectations in regard to performance? Would you not agree that education in one of the most important fields out there?

So far you've implied the problem may lay with the kids twice now.
With all due respect, I pity the child who falls behind in your classroom.

with all due respect my ass......

Let's use some logic.

most students are average students
most teachers are average teachers

If I had 100 bright and eager students they would all pass the state test. I would be a super teacher.

What if I got 100 lazy and not so bright students and none passed the test. I'm a bad teacher right?

how do you know that in the first case I don't come into class and drink martinis and just let the kids do workshhets and in the second case do a brilliant job but they just don't get it?

Remember, half of the population is on the left side of the bell curve when it comes to intelligence. None of them are teachers.

That being said, I teach MR and autistic students. I must teach them all the core subjects witout a curriculum and no text books. I have to pull everything out of my ass. If you think it's eay, try it. On top of that I have to do all kinds of administrative bullshit. That leaves less time for actual teaching.

Now, riddle me tis. If my MR students show little to no progress should i be canned? Remember, they have been in school for over ten years and in some cases can't tie their shoes or blow their noses. My brightest students are at the first grade level at age 17. It's my fault they can't read corect?


And I'll stste that my literacy program is top notch. I'm one of the few teachers at the high school level that can teach phonics and comprehension skills.

Do you think you can do this smart alec?

PS no teacher can inject IQ points into someone's brain or give them a shock to get them to do the work.

No need to get so pissed Mr Berry. My intent was not to offend despite the fact that your angry rant warrants me jumping right into the mud with you...but I won't.

I've NEVER said teaching was easy. Nor is brain surgery but we expect those who do it to do it well just as in ever other professional field.
Use your one in a million example to defend all teachers if it makes you feel better. Tell me how the autistic kid who was recently in the news for being kept in a bag in the hallway was a "bad student". Tell me how another autistic child made the news when his mom recorded the utterly horrible treatment he received from his educators "wasn't the brightest student". And then tell me my examples mean nothing as they're the minority...as is the case in your illustration of your own personal experience.

Did you become a teacher because you thought it would be a piece of cake? Summers and weekends off? The satisfying feeling of always being the smartest person in the room while at work?

You're right. To hell with the kids if they don't know how to allow our educators to do their job.

 

[MeBelle]

It was one school, not the whole district.
Did anyone check out the school district budget?
For teachers and support staff $25M.
Benefits for both categories (does not break out, wonder why?!?!) $8.5M


Benefits make up 30% compared to salaries.
Anyone see anything odd about this?

Go California!
Go CalSTRS!
Go CalPERS!

FAIL!

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Since the teachers are public employees and paid by the taxpayers that makes the taxpayers their "employers" in a way, so I suppose I would side with the wishes of the voters in this case, however, I suspect it's not fair to place all the blame for the failing school on the staff. The OP stated that 70% of the kids at this school are failing at reading and math. If that's the case, then a good chunk of these parents who voted to toss out all the teachers are also parents of many of these failing kids so the first person they should be blaming for this is the one they see in the mirror every morning when they wake up.

Education begins at home.

 

[Full-Auto]

Desert Trails Elementary School in California went down last week as the very first school to have its entire staff fired by parents who want more for their kids.

Judge upholds Desert Trails' 'Parent Trigger' petition

70% of the students at this school were failing in reading and math and yet these parents were forced to fight like hell against the school board, the teachers unions and even documented attempts to forge ballots in an attempt to overturn their desire to "pull the trigger".

I don't know a single person involved in this case but I couldn't be happier or more excited for the affected families. THIS is what self governance is all about and my hat goes off to the parents and even a few teachers who stood up to "big education" in order to provide the children of this community, in the words of our fearless leader, "a fair shot".

THE BEST OF LUCK............

 

[squeeze berry]

And isn't that where a good educator comes in Berry?

I've got to say the circling of the wagons on this issue by teachers and unions is as much the problem as anything else. Why should your field have such lowered expectations in regard to performance? Would you not agree that education in one of the most important fields out there?

So far you've implied the problem may lay with the kids twice now.
With all due respect, I pity the child who falls behind in your classroom.

with all due respect my ass......

Let's use some logic.

most students are average students
most teachers are average teachers

If I had 100 bright and eager students they would all pass the state test. I would be a super teacher.

What if I got 100 lazy and not so bright students and none passed the test. I'm a bad teacher right?

how do you know that in the first case I don't come into class and drink martinis and just let the kids do workshhets and in the second case do a brilliant job but they just don't get it?

Remember, half of the population is on the left side of the bell curve when it comes to intelligence. None of them are teachers.

That being said, I teach MR and autistic students. I must teach them all the core subjects witout a curriculum and no text books. I have to pull everything out of my ass. If you think it's eay, try it. On top of that I have to do all kinds of administrative bullshit. That leaves less time for actual teaching.

Now, riddle me tis. If my MR students show little to no progress should i be canned? Remember, they have been in school for over ten years and in some cases can't tie their shoes or blow their noses. My brightest students are at the first grade level at age 17. It's my fault they can't read corect?


And I'll stste that my literacy program is top notch. I'm one of the few teachers at the high school level that can teach phonics and comprehension skills.

Do you think you can do this smart alec?

PS no teacher can inject IQ points into someone's brain or give them a shock to get them to do the work.

No need to get so pissed Mr Berry. My intent was not to offend despite the fact that your angry rant warrants me jumping right into the mud with you...but I won't.

I've NEVER said teaching was easy. Nor is brain surgery but we expect those who do it to do it well just as in ever other professional field.
Use your one in a million example to defend all teachers if it makes you feel better. Tell me how the autistic kid who was recently in the news for being kept in a bag in the hallway was a "bad student". Tell me how another autistic child made the news when his mom recorded the utterly horrible treatment he received from his educators "wasn't the brightest student". And then tell me my examples mean nothing as they're the minority...as is the case in your illustration of your own personal experience.

Did you become a teacher because you thought it would be a piece of cake? Summers and weekends off? The satisfying feeling of always being the smartest person in the room while at work?

You're right. To hell with the kids if they don't know how to allow our educators to do their job.

what is your line of work?

 

[Luissa]

Parents ever think of taking responsibility?

 

[MeBelle]

Education begins at home.

While this is very true, trying to deal with the bureaucratic CA schools, one must SCREAM to be heard.

I'm sure not all districts are the same.

What is obvious to me is that even with state intervention nothing changed over several years...well they did build another school.