Former educator advocates to restore parent-teacher partnerships
In January, I ended my 30-year career as a high school social studies teacher. I was blindsided one morning when I found over 600 books from my classroom library had been removed. I did not know it then, but this action was a response to a district investigation into my conduct. I have yet to be informed as to the conduct under investigation. It took me filing a public records request before I could find out what had precipitated the end of my career.
It turns out, it was a text message.
A parent and “Parents Rights” activist was “beyond livid” over something her daughter told her about my policies and procedures. She texted Dr. Jennifer Cupid-McCoy, the deputy superintendent for the School District of Lee County. This text message sparked the investigation. The principal decided to remove my books. The removal of my books encouraged my resignation because I was “beyond livid.”
One sentence in the text stands out to me. The parent wrote, “…one can only imagine the political garbage he’s going to be force feeding them all semester.” It is not true. No one had to “imagine” anything. She could have asked me. I would have been happy to go through my entire curriculum with her. I do not force-feed anyone.
Indeed, anyone could have reached out to me. The deputy superintendent. My principal. Nobody did. They just reacted to a text message.
I was teaching economics, sociology, and philosophy. I never avoid controversy. Often the most controversial topics are the most inspiring opportunities to learn. I have always taken considerable pride in that my classroom is open for anyone to express opinions and test ideas. Free inquiry, open debate, and discussion are foundational for developing critical thinking.
Sometimes, this causes concern among parents. Historically, such parents communicate with me. We then work together to find solutions amicable to everyone. I have never had a parent come to me with a concern that we could not resolve together.
Things have changed in the last few years. Parents no longer communicate with me when they have concerns. They go straight to my administration, or in this case, straight to the deputy superintendent. They skip me entirely. The goal is to intimidate the teacher into compliance rather than resolve legitimate concerns. This is presented as Parents' Rights. It is destroying the quality of education.
My case has gained local notoriety. Teachers have shared their fears with me. That “beyond livid” text message hangs over them like the Sword of Damocles. They fear controversy. Some have eliminated classroom debates from their curriculum. They have discarded interesting but controversial materials and replaced them with the most anodyne content. They avoid current events, denying students an opportunity to tie what they are learning to the real world. The last teacher I spoke with admitted to “walking on eggshells.”
This goes beyond the debate between Parents' Rights and Academic Freedom. This is about parent/teacher relationships. Parents, please establish ready lines of communication with your child’s teachers. Do it before there is a conflict. If you do have concerns, talk to the teacher first. You will find that teachers are not trying to indoctrinate your child. The teacher will learn that you are not out to wreck their career.
Toward this end, I propose a new policy. Before a parent can submit a formal complaint against a teacher, that parent must demonstrate that they have communicated their concerns with the teacher. If unable to resolve those concerns, they must demonstrate that they have enlisted the school administration to mediate. This might staunch the flow of “beyond livid” teachers like me from leaving the profession.
Michael Andoscia is a former teacher from Lee County with 30 years of experience. He is now advocating for public school teachers. Teachers can share their stories anonymously with him at mrandosciasclassroom.net.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Former educator advocates to restore parent-teacher partnerships
