Navarette seems to be of the opinion that not only was the firing of an entire school's faculty "justified," it was a great idea. And that this is just the way things should be handled in all struggling bureaucracies, including when it comes to politicians in the federal government (who are largely, um, elected officials, just so we're all on the same page here). His snark touches on the idea that a seven hour teaching day, extra tutoring, more non-classroom time with students and some professional development during the summer isn't an unreasonable request. And he's right, it isn't - if it's accompanied by a reasonable increase in salary.
Teachers already work far more than the hours they spend in the classroom every day. They grade papers and plan lessons at home, they shop for supplies (more and more often bought on their own dime), they arrive early and stay late. Many of them sponsor clubs and other extra-curricular activities for their students, investing more of their own time and money. Do all teachers give of themselves so generously? No. Is it likely that each and every one of the 77 teachers fired from Central Falls High School were among those who are in it only for the short hours and long vacations? Absolutely not.
Whatever, Navarette says, they deserved it. Their students performed abominably and it's up to the teachers to face the music.
Certainly some fault lies with some of those 77 teachers, but not nearly all of it. Probably not even half. Particularly in districts where resources are few and the administration is less than supportive, students are often passed to the next grade level when they shouldn't be. Parents don't understand enough of what their children are studying to help them, and can't afford to get them outside help. Sometimes, parents just don't care, and that attitude gets passed on to their children. Teaching someone who lives with the idea that school is just someplace you go until you're old enough to work and that teachers are wimps isn't easy, especially if you're trying to do so after they've been pushed through a system they can't keep up with for ten years.
You already know I think our education system is broken. Frances Gallo, the superintendent who fired the teachers in Central Falls, isn't fixing that. She's just ensuring that the students in Central Falls High School will be so distracted from their studies by the turmoil she's inflicting on her district that retaining anything academic will be even more difficult than before. I hope someone brings her to her senses before her high school is full of overcrowded classrooms led by a handful of inexperienced teachers who are terrified of losing their stressful jobs.
The content of his "contribution" to CNN isn't my only quarrel with Navarette. I also object - strongly - to the fact that he makes his case so rudely. Snark is an amusing and much-used weapon in the blogosphere (which I use myself when something gets me really fired up). It is neither amusing nor appropriate coming from a member of a newspaper editorial board (The San Diego Union-Tribune) writing for a major news source like CNN.com.
Yes, opinion pieces are an important aspect of the news, but writers whose bylines are following respected names like CNN or The New York Times are generally not encouraged to offend every second person reading their work. Or at least, The New York Times generally doesn't publish those who do; given CNN's rampant use of "iReporters," I suppose they may not actually care, as long as they can add content to their site. A blog's raison d'être is presenting an opinion (or, really, whatever the blogger wants it to be) and creating space for an opinion-based discussion; an opinion piece exists to flesh out relevant news stories with the point of view of someone close to the subject. No dice, Mr. Navarette, try again. Not paraphrasing Shakespeare and Sarah Palin in the same piece might help.
N.B.: I actually wrote this post last week, but was in the midst of a bout with a particularly tenacious rhino virus and wasn't certain it was entirely coherent. Now that I'm on the mend and have tweaked it a bit, here it is. And an update on the situation in Rhode Island: graduates of the school have been protesting the firings and speaking up for their former teachers, which is very nice to see.
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