2
ALABAMA SCHOOL JOURNAL OCTOBER 14, 2013
The Gift
Legislature full of fortune tellers
Without any health insurance premiums The state is continuing to
ALABAMA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION IO ON ASS SOC
of Great
firm revenue with no pay raise. fall backwards in this area, AEA Board of Directors projections and it will pay the price for The Chairman says the
Expectations
in hand, the it in the future in economic payment on the Rainy
President
chairman of development. An educated Day Fund debt, plus other
Anita Gibson
In the the senate workforce and good school obligations, "including September
Vice President
education systems are always high on the increased health insurance 28-29, 2013,
Sheila Hocutt Remington
budget checklist of industries seeking costs for educators" and edition of committee new sites. How will Alabama
Past President
payments for Alabama's the Wall Street is already measure up in the future if we
Dorothy J. Strickland
Dr. Henry C. Mabry,
prepaid college tuition Journal an proclaiming continue to ignore education
AEA Executive
NEA Directors
plan, would take up all extra article was
Secretary
there won't and educators?
Sherry Tucker,
revenue in the fiscal 2015 published be enough
Dr. Susan C. Brown,
budget. It's time for the Legislature that was money for educator pay raises
Charlene McCoy (interim)
to put aside petty politics and written by
Anita Gibson,
during the 2014 session.
Ashley Strickland
stop punishing educators Joanne
AEA President
Educator pay raise
Administrator President
Shouldn't Senate Chairman just because they can, thanks Lipman
Dr. Cathy McNeal
Trip Pittman of Daphne at to super majorities in both
must be priority
titled, "Tough Teachers Get least wait until the Legislative houses to afraid to buck their Results." I was intrigued
Postsecondary Representative
That would mean teachers Fiscal Office makes its report dastardly leaders. It's past time by the title, and as I began
George Terrell Jr.
and school support staff - in January before writing to give back - not take - from reading I was taken back to
ESP Representative
active and retired - would get off our teachers, support education. my experiences as a student in
Carol Hiett
no cost-of-living raise for the professionals, and retirees? the public school system many seventh time in the past eight
ACT President
years ago. Much can change before the
Bonita English
years.
Lower class sizes
2014 session even begins, and While I found it hard to agree
AERA President
The education budget for the Aside from cost-of-living raises, certainly the state's financial with everything in the article, I
Robert Davis
fiscal year that began Oct. 1 another way to help education picture could brighten before did find it refreshing to look at included a miserly two percent
SAEA President
in Alabama is to add more the education budget is the research presented.
Brooke Brock
raise for education employees teacher units across the state. finalized next spring. - their first since 2007. When one thinks about it, We simply have too many
District 1 Directors
But it appears Pittman has Retirees and postsecondary we find ourselves teaching in
Stephanie Craig Taylor,
overcrowded classrooms all already preempted any employees were left out in a society in which any child
Michelle Robinson,
across Alabama. There are possibility of improving the can google the answer to the cold. This does not even
Pam Baker
too many students and not plight of our educators, who cover the 2.5 percent pay cut any question. Thus, how we enough teachers. There are
District 2 Directors
are on a five-year downward educators received two years see our roles as educators is 15 percent fewer education
Tammy Sims,
spiral. He says their No. 1 ago. Educators are in the hole crucial in the development of employees than just a few years
Theresa Leonard, Elaine Carter
priority is to use any growth in the students we serve. 5.25 percent right now and ago. Parents are feeling this
District 3 Directors
the education fund to pay off legislative leaders are once problem in various areas of
Amelia Couch, Shannon Clark,
After all, we are not there to the state's debt to the Rainy again trying to punish those the state like Huntsville and
Vivian Crosby
teach them how to simply fill Day Fund on time. who look after our school children are getting a lesser in bubbles on a standardized
District 4 Directors
children eight to twelve hours education because of it. test answer sheet. We are there
Dr. Susan W. Brown, Arthur
out of a day. to teach our students how to
Crumpler, David Holt
Legislature deserves
We need to ease the burden The Legislature should step think. on our teachers and their
District 5 Directors
blame for education
up in 2014 and make an assistants, and provide a better
Gregory Martin (interim), Dr. David
The article praised the
funding woes
appropriation to PEEHIP that learning environment for
G. Belton, Benita Moyers (interim)
process, and wisdom, of old- will maintain the program our students. The divisors The Rainy Day Fund debt is
District 6 Directors
fashioned methods such as without asking more of have gradually edged up over not the fault of teachers.
Darryl Traylor, Charlotte Wilson,
rote learning, opportunities members in higher premiums. the past five years. This is
Bernard Sanderson
to try many different ways to The state borrowed $437 Educators, not the state, have unacceptable if Alabama wants arrive at the same conclusion,
District 7 Directors
million from the fund under paid PEEHIP cost increases to move education forward and hard work. The following
Dr. Rhonda Mosley, Bobby J.
former Gov. Bob Riley in 2009 since 2007. instead of backwards. eight items were specifically
Pierson, Dr. Donna D. Strong
to prevent deep cuts in school Teachers lost roughly $3,000 highlighted: Education has a lot of ground spending during the Great in income since this anti- to make up in Alabama as Recession. 1. "A little pain is good education crowd imposed the evidenced by a 2013 national for you." True expertise After the recession began, pay cut in 2011. study showing the state leads requires teachers who give the federal government the nation - by far - in the constructive feedback. In helped education spending decline in spending per 2007, Psychologist K. Anders in Alabama and other states
Are teacher shortages
The Alabama School Journal
student in its elementary and Ericsson's research found that
(USPS/ISSN 0011-821) is
with stimulus money to save
in Alabama's future?
secondary schools over the those who were tops in their
published weekly while the
teachers' jobs. past five fiscal years. We know field were taught by those who
Legislature is in session;
The consequences of failing who to blame, but now we just But the stimulus money
normally twice a month
challenged their students to a to pay teachers an attractive need them to fix it. expired at the end of the
otherwise by the Alabama
higher level. salary with competitive benefits
Education Association, 422
school year in 2011, putting will hurt the state sooner 2. "Drill, baby, drill." Recent
Dexter Avenue, Montgomery,
pressure on legislatures in
"Much can
rather than later. Alabama will research by William Klemm of
AL 36103-4177. Periodical
each state to fund education. fail to retain or attract quality
postage paid at Montgomery,
Texas A&M University and the teachers because they will Unfortunately, the anti-
AL. Postmaster: Send address
change
U.S. Department of Education move to better-paying states or
changes to Alabama School
education Republican (2008) explored the success take jobs in the private sector.
Journal, P.O. Box 4177,
leadership in the Alabama of students who live in China,
before
Montgomery, Ala. 36103-4177.
Legislature failed to address and Chinese families living in We had a teacher shortage at the revenue shortfall, and the U.S. in Mathematics as a the end of Gov. Fob James'
Manuscripts and other material
the 2014
thousands of schoolteachers result of rote learning. last term as governor and we
submitted for publication, as
and support personnel are experiencing a shortage
well as advertising matter,
3. "Failure is an option." subsequently lost their jobs.
session
should be addressed to
again now. Career educators, The article discusses a 2012
Managing Editor, Alabama
for instance, are telling Now, three years later, active study involving sixth graders
School Journal, P.O. Box 4177,
their children not to go into and retired educators have
even
from France who were given
Montgomery, AL 36103-4177
teaching because of attacks been put on notice by Senator problems too difficult for
or by email at myaea@alaedu.
and instability. This is a shift Pittman that they may be them to solve, and a 2006
org.
begins..."
from generations past. facing an increase in their study involving Bowling Green
Problems concerning
State University graduate
delivery or addresses can be
students who had to audition
answered by calling toll free
for placement. Both studies
Step up or get stepped on
to 800.392.5839. All rights
revealed that educators must
reserved.
The Alabama Legislature will UniServ educating our children.
allow students to realize there
soon be back in session and council,
is a failure option, which
Editor: Dr. Henry C. Mabry
Each local needs to be I am sure the old saying will
actually was found to improve
every local,
Associate Editor: Dr. Gregory
engaged in our school's once again prove correct,
T. Graves. Managing Editor:
student self-esteem as they
and most association and our
Amy Marlowe. Editorial Staff:
"nothing is safe when the
proved to themselves that hard
importantly, communities. We need to
Sandra Jackson, Max McDaniel,
Legislature is in session."
work has its rewards.
each show others who we are and
Ashley McLain, Sheri Monfee,
member to
4. "Strict is better than
Rest assured, there will be
and Brannon Walden.
that we're not who they are step up and issues and ideas introduced nice." In 2005 Mary Poplin, being told we are.
Bernard
be active,
Advertising rate card furnished
a Claremont Graduate which we must deal with as
Sanderson,
on request by contacting
As individuals many of us and if you University education educators. There will be times
ESP President
Sheri Monfee toll free at
professor, looked at 31 cannot be are already active in our when we will want to just set
800.392.5839. CONTENTS
"highly effective" teachers in issues aside and wait for them active and speak up, at least communities, but we need
2013 The Alabama School
Los Angeles' worst schools. to go away, and if we're lucky be seen behind those who to make sure our neighbors
Journal. All rights reserved.
Their rankings were based they may. will. remember we are educators. on student test scores. Poplin
We encourage letters and
Each of us also needs to But more likely than not, We need our locals to work found that these top teachers
opinion articles from members
improve our participation in if we sit back and become in their districts to make
of AEA. All submissions must
relied on the traditional our locals. complacent, the issues and
have your full name, mailing
sure our legislators know methods of instruction. They ideas we fear most will grow
address, phone number, and
When we step up, educate all held the belief that every we are no longer just sitting
local affiliation. Because of
larger and be dealt with student could do better based back allowing them to do ourselves, exercise our
space limitations, we reserve
without our input and in a on their individual potential the bidding of those who abilities and join together
the right to edit for length.
way we won't like. and that it was their job to are most concerned about in one voice we will be
Letters of less than 200 words
Continued on page 3, "The Gift of
As the State ESP President, I putting money in their heard across this state, most
are given preference for
Great Expectations"
publication.
am challenging each district, pockets and not about especially in Montgomery.
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