Would You Vote For These Commissioners Again Knowing What They Don't know?

[Jdarg]

I taught school for more than 30 years. I taught 4 years in Walton county and was laid off in 2010. I had good evaluations and my students' performance was excellent. There were no cuts in the number of teachers only teachers like me with masters degrees and years of experience. In fact the number of teachers hired increased. I applied for more than 50 of those jobs with no consideration. I was told by my representative on the school board, Mrs. Wilkerson, that it was the policy of the board not to rehire former teachers. If that's ethical I'm out of touch.

I didn't say I thought it was great, but sadly this seems to be happening across the country- if teachers can be brought in at lower salaries, that seems to be what happens- fire 4, hire 6-8 for the same dollars. My sister in law has a Masters and every certification available in KY- and was pretty much unemployable- there were plenty of new teachers right out of school that came in at a lower pay scale.

[Bob Wells]

Wonder how tenure would have protected these folks?

[Jdarg]

Wonder how tenure would have protected these folks?

Not in Florida. Thank you Governor Scott. Being from Kentucky, I told y'all he was a total tool. Actually, tool is a nice word for someone of his lousy character. It is appalling that anyone voted for this guy- guess nbody vets a candidate anymore.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...72N7K320110324

[ricky bobby]

I looked at some statistics and something like only 25% of teachers have masters degrees and Walton county is below the state average. But we have shiny new schools with i-pads. And I see that to help things out the F-cat standards are being lowered. But the Tea Party and the Tax Payers Association ought to be happy. When you can get teachers cheap that's all that matters to people who don't have kids in school.

[Danny Glidewell]

I do not think a majority of either the Tea Party or the Taxpayers Association would want "cheap" teachers if the trade-off is graduates who cannot contribute to society or hold a job that requires thinking or education. If our country is going to thrive we must have a pool of individuals who can perform in high-tech jobs. Those people must be taught by superior teachers in order to reach their highest potential.

[Annie66]

Wonder how tenure would have protected these folks?

With Senator Gaetz's education bill passing tenure is no more. Had my annual contract been renewed I would have had tenure but now only teachers who had it before the education bill passed will have it. No new hires will
never have it. My problem was that when I was notified that I was being fired I had received a good evaluation and my students had excellent FAIR scores and on the last day of school in 2010 my principal rudely told me to clean out my room and go. I'm a professional and I feel that I deserve to be treated as such. With respect and dignity. The truth is the superintendent had a policy of firing teachers at the end of 4 years and getting rid of teachers on the higher end of the pay scale. The elected school board officials and administrators just don't have the guts to tell the truth about it.

[ricky bobby]

It is my understanding that personnel cuts and hiring are the responsibility of the superintendent, as the school board is not involved in the day-to-day business of the school system (hiring/firing). When I asked Mark Davis about the teacher layoffs at Bay, he looked into it and got back to me with an answer. And yes, it was all about money/budget, and it stunk, but it is happening all over the country, not just here. The superintendent could have explained the the situation much better instead of leaving it up to the principals to be the "heavies", IMO. But that is al water under the bridge now.

It makes a huge difference who is on the board. If you have ever been to a school board meeting, you know what I am talking about. It would be fantastic for our community if the South Walton schools and parents really banded together as a unit to make sure our needs are met and we are heard, and heard loudly, in DeFuniak. Of course my dream would be a SoWal independent school system. Oh a girl can dream....

If the superintendent makes all decisions, I suppose the requirement for board approval is simply a formality. Kind of makes a better argument for unpaid board members. But then a better solution might be a hired or appointed superintendent like they do in Miami-Dade and some other counties. It's my understanding that only three states even allow elected superintendents. Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. But then I guess Walton county is better than everybody else.