Restructuring High Schools see Page 8 VOL. 46 — NO. 2 POSTMASTER: All forms 3579 are to be forwarded to Detroit Federation of Teachers, 2875 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, MI 48202 MAY 2008 King Band is Beijing Bound ictoria Miller didn’t think it was wise to go to China. Even though Vher renowned band at Martin Luther King Jr. High School was invited to perform at the Summer Olympics, it was simply too expensive. “I was really trying to avoid going,” the marching and symphonic band direc- tor said. “I thought it was too much. It was hard on people to help raise the money in these times.” Miller had to raise $4,000 each for 80 students to go. Somehow, she put one foot in front of the other. How she raised $392,000 in six months is a story unto itself. “Who sent us money?” Miller said. “Everyone. We had two prisoners send us Victoria Miller, director of Martin Luther King Jr. High School’s marching and symphonic bands, believes in money. We had a counselor’s 87-year-old building each student’s confidence. Taking the band on the road exposes students to the world around See BAND on Page 4 them. School District Gives Layoff Notices nce again the district is sending out dents next year, all of the teachers should “This may encourage more parents to every day she takes her child to school, layoff notices to 300 teachers. be back. If we lose more than 8,000 stu- remove their students from a system that is she waits 15 to 30 minutes to see where O These notices give teachers the dents, it is possible that not everyone will apparently in disarray,” Cantrell said. The her child is going to be sent because there required 60 days notice to officially be laid be back in the fall. layoffs are coming at a time when for the was no substitute. She said if this situation off as of June 30, 2008. Cantrell, however, said the layoffs create 2007-2008 school year, numerous class- continues, she would remove her child DFT President Virginia Cantrell cau- worry for teachers and image issues for rooms have been oversized, particularly in from the Detroit Public School system. tioned members that receiving a layoff parents. the elementary school. “So the question remains: What mes- notice does not necessarily mean they will “The teachers are tired of being laid off Also, there are vacancies that have not sage are we sending to our teachers who lose their jobs. The district traditionally year after year and recalled year after been filled by a certified teacher. This has get laid off year after year?” Cantrell said. sends out more notices than needed. year,” Cantrell said. Summer is upon us created a lack of substitutes to be sent to “What message are we sending our parents In addition, the number of layoffs will and these teachers will have much time to schools when teachers are absent. Teachers who have trusted the system? be offset by the number of retirements. It search for employment elsewhere. have lost their preps, costing the district “We are asking our parents to keep their is expected that 250 to 300 teachers will It also sends a message to parents and money. Students have been placed in other children in our school system, we have retire or resign during the summer. the community that things are not looking teachers’ classrooms. asked them to trust us. We have told them If the district loses 8,000 or fewer stu- good. One parent at a recent meeting said that changes are coming. But when?” Page 2 The Detroit Teacher May 2008 Staff Suffers Stress and Low Morale ecently, the Detroit Board of and job dissatisfaction is at an all- great Greek dramatist Sophocles, courageous enough to right wrongs it Education added two report time high. Teachers cite insufficient “Wisdom outweighs any ‘wealth.’” has committed and live up to its own Rcards (progress reports) for staffing, lack of supplies, and lack of My hope is that this system will be motto: “Children First.” pre-school and kindergarten; bringing administrative support as factors that the number of reports two above the make their workload so stressful that contract limit. This constitutes a other problems such as oversized change in working conditions and classes and lost preparation periods AFT President to Retire excessive paperwork. become more frustrating. American Federation of Teachers President Edward J. McElroy and Secretary- Treasurer Nat LaCour have announced plans to retire. The two leaders will serve until Typically, most teachers start out the July national convention in Chicago. Virginia feeling they are making a difference. At the convention, more than 2,000 delegates will choose a new president, secre- They say they love their job. tary-treasurer, executive vice president and 39 vice presidents. Cantrell Unfortunately that attitude changes McElroy was elected president in 2004 after a 12-year stint as secretary-treasurer. early in the teacher’s career because He worked under Albert Shanker and Sandra Feldman. He began teaching social President’s of stressful working conditions, lay- studies and English in Warwick, Rhode Island and was elected president of Warwick Report offs and recalls year after year. Every Teachers Union in 1967. In his 16 years as an AFT official, he is credited with adding day becomes a race where teachers more than 500,000 new members. have too little time to do their best. Mr. LaCour was elected the AFT’s first executive vice president in 1998 and A change in working conditions Adding more paperwork does not became secretary-treasurer in 2004. must be bargained with the DFT. We help this situation. LaCour was head of the United Teachers of New Orleans for 28 years, the first in the deep south to bargain a contract with a local school district. Most recently, hope the district is not trying to LaCour established the AFT’s relief fund for victims of Hurricane Katrina. ignore the union contract. When the Morale is the lowest I have ever seen it to be. “I started my career trying to surmount the lack of collective bargaining for school district applies for and is given a employees,” he said. “And I end it working to overcome the devastation of a natural grant that contains working condi- The district must begin right now disaster made worse by human indifference.” tions that must be agreed to by the to set things right. It must decide union, it should be done before what its real priorities are. One can applying for the grants. only hope that the top priority will Simply stated, the union is obligat- allow teachers to do what they do ed under contract to bargain working best — teach. That priority must also conditions, and that is what we allow students to do what they do intend to do in all cases. The district best — learn. Only if the district does may believe the contract is silent on this will it move forward. this working condition being Until then and only then, will we changed. see the changes needed to correct a However, that does not give the dismal picture. The district needs to district the right to establish unilater- restructure so it can retain and hire ally that teachers must do two more teachers and support staff. progress reports. But it is apparent that the folks Maybe this is one of the reasons who run the district have no plan to that morale is at an all-time low. keep teachers or support staff after Pictures above: DFT President Cantrell, AFT President Ed Working conditions have deteriorated they hire them. In the words of the McElroy and DFT Board Member Sidney Lee. for the Dearborn Press & Guide. On that We’re Back! Say Hello beat I covered issues in the Dearborn Public Schools, the University of Michigan-Dearborn and Henry Ford Community College. to the New Editor Shortly after, I went to work for the Dearborn Public Schools doing the dis- (ISSN 0011-9695) ho is this person trying to fill trict’s public relations and communica- The Detroit Teacher is the official publi- the big shoes of Susan Watson, tions. I was responsible for handling cri- cation of the Detroit Federation of Wretired editor of The Detroit sis communication and the news media, Teachers, American Federation of Teacher? writing employee and district-wide Teachers Local 231, AFL-CIO. Member My name is Margaret Weertz and I newsletters, and more. of the Union Teacher Press Association, come to you having worked happily with I am thrilled to be here and awed by International Labor Press Association many teachers and other staff in public the important work educators do. and Michigan Labor Press. schools around Michigan. Perhaps my affinity for teachers comes The Detroit Teacher is published month- Through the years I have written arti- from my own love of learning and the ly, except for July and August, for $4 per cles on everyone from bus drivers to teachers who influenced me at Center year by The Detroit Federation of Teachers, 2875 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, superintendents to school nurses to sci- Line High School, Wayne State MI 48202. Periodical Postage Paid at ence teachers. Though I’ve done my share University, and Northwestern University Detroit, MI. of budget and contract stories, I prefer in Chicago where I got a master’s degree POSTMASTER: Send address changes highlighting the untold stories of the in journalism. to The Detroit Teacher, 2875 W. Grand wonderful people on the front line — I look forward to meeting all of you.