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Concerns

1. Lack of respect and lack of trust and an environment based in fear, like being
transferred to another TPS school without notice or due process.
a. “The principal doesn't want any input from the teachers or students. For example,
after coming to Edison, she had a meeting with the department heads only because
they requested it after waiting for weeks to be called in. We have strong intelligent
department heads, which is exactly as it should be. During the meeting, the
principal became exasperated by their questions and told them she followed
directions without question. If her boss told her to hang out of the windows by her
fingers, she would do it without question. They pointed out that this blind following
is exactly the opposite of what we try to teach our students. We want them to be
independent, critical thinkers and never do something just because other people
are doing it or because an "authority" figure directs it. Questioning is not
disrespectful but essential to the growth process. This example exemplifies her
leadership style. She wants teachers and students to follow her directions without
question and she becomes angry if they don't.”
b. “I cannot approach the principal. If I do, I feel like I may be the next one
transferred. I am afraid of this kind of punishment. I cannot come to your meeting
and am taking a risk in writing this letter.”
c. “I feel like I’m on the Titanic. Several of us have been called in and literally yelled
at for simply doing our jobs the way we (were) trained to do them.”
d. “Ms. Kelly is my boss. She is not nice. She is rude. She treats us like crap.”

2. Lack of discipline and consequences and no support of teachers. Removing Mr.


Harris’ position put more strain on the backs of teachers because he was such a
good disciplinarian.
a. “There is little to no standard when it comes to the dress code or discipline
procedures. Many teachers feel “checked out” of checking for dress code because
the administration will just send them back, or make excuses for why that student
gets to wear what they are on any one particular day. There is little to no empathy
for the teachers in the back hallway in the middle school. The students run,
scream, become physical with one another and with teachers. When the problem is
addressed in meetings, we’re told to be “more vigilant” and “more engaging”.”
b. “Our district makes it impossible to impose any discipline in the classroom. The
administration does not support teachers’ attempts at discipline and the district has
eradicated consequences in order to hoodwink the public into believing their
discipline policy is effective.”
c. “Our discipline policy is laughable but it I most certainly not funny. We as teachers
are shackled by a code that flies in the face of common sense. We are told NOT to
write a referral regardless of the incident, rather we are expected to turn in any
report of a discipline infraction in the form of an email. When we do report
something via email, many times the student will right back in our room before the
end of the class period, or will be back in class the following day having received
little more than a verbal slap on the wrist (restorative conference). Things like
profanity directed at teachers, or fireworks in the building, or disruptive behavior,
or blatant disrespect toward school personnel, which should be met with firm and
non-negotiable consequences, now receive nothing beyond one, perhaps two days
of TRAICE. The students come back into our classes, smirking, laughing, and
mocking because they know they have gotten away with behavior that is
unacceptable to say the least.”

3. Failure to support the programs with high academic rigor and the award winning
fine arts programs – both of which bring students to Edison.
a. “Our school is different than others, so I want our principal to understand that
every directive or idea from ESC may not be the best for our school, faculty, or
students. She may need to “differentiate” or modify the information directive from
ESC to fit our needs. Edison does not have the same needs/professional
development as” (other schools).
b. “From wat I understand, Dixie Speer did very well at Hale as an assistant principal
and then at Clinton as principal. Note that these were both at risk schools. Dixie
Speer may be a person who can lead those kinds of school. Dixie Speer is trying to
make Edison one of those schools. She does not embrace the Edison culture and is
trying to replace it with a culture that she is more comfortable with.”

4. High turnover at the best school in TPS. Funding aside, Edison should be a place
teachers want to teach at, instead they are leaving in droves. It is rare to get
our plan period anymore because our days are spent covering for absent
teachers.

a. “I think the number of teachers who left Edison last year speaks for itself. I've
never seen such a mass exodus of teachers. Our principals of the past inspired
loyalty. Our current principal breeds a culture of intimidation. We lost several key
AP teachers. Our overall AP scores have surpassed BTW but that won't continue if
we cannot keep our excellent veteran AP teachers (and current Vice Principals).
Many other teachers are also planning to leave and, to be honest, I don't have
confidence in the principal's hiring ability. She lacks the knowledge to hire excellent
Edison quality teachers, and she lacks the wisdom to include her department heads
in the hiring process. Edison has always been a school that teachers wanted to
come to and where teachers didn't leave.“
b. “Many teachers are retiring or planning to leave Edison for other school in TULSA
(not out of state). I am one of these teachers considering leaving. The reasons are
varied, but the most common reasons are lack of respect by administration, lack of
quality communication and the perception that the administration wishes us to
go. Decisions are made without input by Ms. Speer and Ms. Kelly and not
effectively communicated to the staff.”
c. “I sit in the parking lot in (the) mornings not wanting to enter school. Students are
great BUT the administration is wearing me out. I cannot tolerate the (constant)
lies, meaningless tasks, being kept in the dark about important issues, faculty
meetings that are irrelevant and unnecessary subbing because of horrible hires,
and being disrespected. I just want to do my job. Edison should be able to recruit
the best teachers in the district. The word is out. Don’t work at Edison because of
the administration.”
5. TPS is absorbing the dramatic lack of state funding by putting it on the backs of
our teachers.
a. “It is shameful that the superintendent continues to grow the ESC expenditures in
the face of a failed teaching corp. Teachers are the front lines of education. The
best ESC in the world will never come close to the impact of a single good teacher.
The ESC needs to stop acting like it is a well-funded school system and that as long
as they continue to put some polish and shine on the teachers, then the ship isn't
sinking. IT HAS SUNK. We are now in life boats. Her choices should be drastically
focused on teachers. Our superintendent should be leading the protests.”
b. “When will the district eliminate the ILD positions? They are overpaid and of no use
to the schools.”
c. “TPS does not seem to really care about teachers and students as much as they do
about the administration in the ESC and in our buildings across the district. The
state cares little about paying teachers a livable wage. Not many people are willing
to work hard for little pay. Many teachers dedicate long hours to grading and
preparing lessons after school, on the weekends, and during the summer. We work
hard to do our very best for students. It’s insulting and defeating to be treated so
poorly on top of being paid so poorly.”

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