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Remember the good old days, when teachers ate lunch in the cafeteria with the kids? It happens at Catholic, private and public schools all over Kentucky and the nation – just not here in Louisville’s persistently low-performing public schools. Well, thanks to the Jefferson County Teachers Association those days are long gone and mean girls across the district are oh-so-thankful for THAT!
Here in Louisville, the teachers’ union contract mandates that teachers are guaranteed time to enjoy a Cheeseburger Hot Pocket while free from the watchful eyes of a bunch of booger-picking kindergartners. It’s the best thing that could have ever happened to any bully who is looking for an opportunity to torment some kid for twenty to twenty-five minutes straight. Bonus! After hearing about the teachers’ latest $5.5 million raise, this sounds a lot like “Doing less while making more.”
How many adults typically supervise a JCPS cafeteria full of children? TWO. One adult dumps trays while another runs around like a chicken with its head cut off tending to children with their hands in the air. (Kids raise their hands if they need ketchup, a spork, a napkin, etc., since they are not allowed to leave their seats.) With only two grown-ups in a cafeteria full of children, it’s not too hard to understand why JCPS’ bullying problems keep mushrooming, now is it?
You’re probably wondering, “Where is the cafeteria staff and why aren’t they helping?” Well, they’re off the hook. They have their hands full – they’re feeding hundreds of kids (elementary school) or close to a thousand (middle or high school) in a two-hour window. They supervise when they can during a lull in serving and they’re great with decreasing the noise level when they can. They’re busy to the nth degree.
Let’s thank the spineless members of the Jefferson County Board of Education for making sure that school cafeterias all over Louisville can be a bully’s paradise, since the union-purchased board happily approves the JCTA’s Hot Pocket-friendly contract.
Do any grown-ups at JCPS really care about our kids’ safety? Do tell!
Doo!! I miss you so much when you take a break! The 5.5 million is a drop in the bucket. How about the CJ story: http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courier_journal/access/2701559891.html?FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&fmac=08fa035dadd353bc2115d0b385009757&date=Jul+1%2C+2012&author=&pub=&desc=JCPS+job+revamp+saves+%244+million
It makes it look like there will be savings, NOT!!! OK 4 Asst Superintendent step down. Only 1 retired and the others moved to a different job with the same pay. Now they have 6 Asst Superintendents!!!! And we have to add in the 72 asst principals that will be hired. And a lot of the jobs listed that were eliminated just have a different job name!! @ the same pay if not more. And here is a nice one. The Asst Superintendents moved to Gheens and made entire offices full of people move out. Only to move a second time! What is the cost in that? And custom furniture! And here is a good one!!! At the Ivory Tower, they are putting in bullet proof glass and safe rooms! COST???? That is why the budget went from $1 Billion to $1.1 Billion. Who is paying for that?!! This one big shell game.
I taught (2008-2011) at a PLA school and we ate in the cafeteria with the students…every day. Where I now teach, I will occasionally sit with the students, but it’s kind of nice having some quiet down time. In my experience (five years of teaching, 4 in JCPS), I have found that most bullying occurs on either the bus or in P.E. So, while you make an interesting point, it’s not always true, but then again I’m not a JCTA union brow-beater, quite the opposite.
Don’t be under the impression that all teachers do everything the JCTA says, I actually voted “no” for the pay increase teachers just recieved. JCTA said in a memo to members that they are pushing for an increase on property taxes this fall and that we were to encourage our local school board rep to vote yes on it. Just something to think about.
I know there are some teachers who have lunch with their students in the classroom as a reward for good behavior or for trying really hard. I can name three of them right now – but I won’t. They’re also the kind of teachers who stuff food in kids’ backpacks so the kids have something to eat over the weekend. I wish they could make double what they make! Ditto for you!
So, yes, a few teachers and, it appears, some schools disregard the contract. However, the fact remains – (1) JCTA feels that teachers shouldn’t have to be in the cafeteria and, as a parent who eats lunch with my kids, (2) I’ve seen plenty of bullying in the lunchroom.
We are all expecting a tax increase this fall – that’s the only way the budget can be balanced unless Hargens and the board throw more $100K+ salaries overboard. That’s not going to happen. But it’s nice to hear that you voted no. THANK YOU.