Teachers听will ask听the board to听commit to improving听morale听
ALTON听鈥撎鼳lton听teachers听plan to attend tonight鈥檚 Alton听Community听School District听11听Board听of Education (BOE)听meeting听after several听actions by the board and administration that disrespect and devalue educators, including one board member openly referring to teachers as 鈥減eons.鈥澨齌he Alton Education Association (AEA) President Sara Carter plans to speak at tonight鈥檚 meeting.
鈥淭he current climate in our district is听very, very disrespectful to our hardworking educators. We give so much to our students and our community. We work听extra hours every week that听aren鈥檛听paid. We buy school supplies, hygiene听products听and even听clothing听for our students out of our own pockets because we care so much. The least the administration and board can do is听give us a little respect back.鈥澨鼵arter said.
AEA is showing up at tonight鈥檚 board meeting because of several recent actions by the district that have created a culture of disrespect听in the district,听including听around:
- Sick听days:听Educators are听using their sick听days for听legitimate听reasons,听including听听illness,听family needs, mental听health听and听recovery from听the growing stress of听the听profession.听However, the district is听now听enforcing听a stricter听policy, which听creates a听culture of fear听instead of听support.
- District communication:听Communication from the听district has been听divisive听and听unsupportive听and,听in some cases,听threatening.
Derogatory听communication is听also an issue with听the board of听education.听During听one听particular听incident听in November,听school board member听David听Lauschke听referred to all teachers as 鈥減eons.鈥�
鈥淲hen you devalue and belittle your teachers, you do the same to your students. Our working conditions are our students鈥� learning conditions,鈥� Carter said. 鈥淥ur school board members take an oath to do what鈥檚 best for all of our students, but you can鈥檛 support students if you don鈥檛 support their teachers.鈥�
The听Alton Education听Association (AEA) represents nearly听618听staff,听which听includes certified听staff as well as听educational support听staff听who support听the听nearly听5,500听students in District听11.
Carter will听speak at听tonight鈥檚 board meeting听and听plans to call on the听district to truly听engage with听school听staff, be more听transparent and听be more accessible to听teachers who听reach out to.听Carter will听also听ask听teachers to听invite听administrators and听board members听to听visit their听classroom.
Tonight鈥檚听BOE听meeting is set for听6听p.m.听in听the听Alton High听School听Library (4200 Humbert听Rd.,听Alton).
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The 135,000 member 黑料视频 (IEA-NEA) is the state鈥檚 largest union. IEA represents Pre K-12 teachers outside the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.
