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    Un-Bonusing the Teachers, Part Two

    On Wednesday, the teachers of Columbus City Schools were notified that the district was recalling bonuses awarded for the 2010-11 school year.

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    According to state auditor reports, administrators at CCS misrepresented school performance activities and manipulated data to improve ratings. Because the bonuses were the result of this dishonest behavior, the letter notified teachers that they’d have to return the money to the district.

    Even though, by all accounts, the teachers never knew that the administrators were manipulating data.

    Although the Columbus Education Association (the teachers’ union) was reported to have no objections to the recall measures of its members’ bonuses, the public outrage was palpable. It turns out that no one thinks teachers should suffer further because of the scandal created by administrators (some of whom the district has invested over $1M to defend).

    So, in the wake of the anger, horror, and GoFundMe projects set up to protect teachers from their own district, a new letter from Superintendent Dan Good was sent to employees yesterday.

    It’s a lot to read. The best paragraph is here:

    “There isn’t a 24 hour period when I don’t think about how much more energy and time will need to be dedicated to corrective actions that restore the perception of integrity and quality stewardship of this district to its constituents.”

    Assuming the district is now worrying about how to restore the “perception of integrity” in the wake of Wednesday’s recall letter, a good place to start would be recalling the recall. Then maybe it should consider holding the leaders responsible for cheating accountable for missing funds.

    The entire text follows, with one footnote:

    Dear Colleagues,

    I bet you didn’t know that I write to you almost every single day. Sometimes the messages are penned in my mind, but most times in the body of e-mail correspondence I never send. I write about what I see. No, I write about what I know from what I see, and read, and hear – that our Columbus City Schools’ professional family is “top shelf,”A#1, First String. You reinforce that for me on buses, in cafeterias and classrooms, front offices and football fields, gymnasiums, laboratories and libraries. It is evident in the care you exercise when creating paychecks and purchase orders, breakfast trays, spreadsheets, mulched beds, fresh paint, clean lavatories, and so on and so on and so on. Did you really think I didn’t notice? Oh, I always notice, and I’m always, always, always appreciative. Truly!

    So, what happened two days ago? You received one of those “letters” that was technically accurate (except for a missing apostrophe – I notice those things, too), legally required (*), and intentionally timed (and yes, there was a reason it came when it did). What you didn’t receive and we could argue – respectfully of course about whether or not it was appropriate in that communication – were sentiments, sentiments of understanding, of support for the myriad of feelings that message might and did affect such as anger, confusion, dismay, frustration, resolution, sadness and more. Several of you kindly shared those emotions with me. I felt them and struggled with how to help you know that I know that you know we need and want to “do the right thing,” but that it comes with and contributes to genuine pain.

    Well, I do know, and I’m sorry the hurt occurred. There isn’t a 24 hour period when I don’t think about how much more energy and time will need to be dedicated to corrective actions that restore the perception of integrity and quality stewardship of this district to its constituents. Usually, I approach each new “event” as one less by which to be unpleasantly surprised later, but that disposition in this circumstance has the risk of trivializing its significance. What I can do is remind you that we are professionally and personally connected, crocheted (thank you Mikasa) into a fabric that while usually intended to swaddle and warm the young hearts and minds of our children, occasionally needs to be self-applied as a reminder that together, we’ll heal and emerge stronger, wiser!

    There’s a YouTube video that was shared with me earlier this year. I dug through my Outlook Trash to find it (funny how sometimes those items that seem trite, reveal their purpose ages later). So, partake of the elixir at your leisure. It made my chest a little less tight and caused me to adopt a fresh perspective because the message is frank and effusive, but most of all because it is a lesson from the student-as-teacher and those lessons are often the best! A quick aside – as I’m writing this, a Barred Owl has begun his holler – Who? Who? Who cooks for you aaaaaall? It has always been my experience when hearing my night friend that something good is about to happen (unless you’re the nearby mouse or chipmunk). I’ll accept that call as a sign today!

    Know that you are valued and appreciated more than I can ever adequately convey and that your biggest cheerleader is the signatory to this inadequate, but none-the-less well intentioned “love letter”.

    With the Highest of Regard for You,
    Dan

    (*) It makes sense to legally require an employer to notify an employee before a measure to withhold salary income. If “legally required” is meant to imply the district is legally required to recall bonuses, that would be misleading.

    In fact, the state auditor’s report says, “We will ask prosecutors to seek restitution for any Gainsharing allocation received by persons who are convicted of criminal acts outlined in this report.”

    No teachers have even been accused of criminal acts regarding this scandal.

    To read more updates on School Issues, CLICK HERE.

    For more ongoing discussion on Columbus City Schools, CLICK HERE to visit our Messageboard.

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    Miriam Bowers Abbott
    Miriam Bowers Abbotthttps://columbusunderground.com
    Miriam Bowers Abbott is a freelancer contributor to Columbus Underground who reviews restaurants, writes food-centric featurettes and occasionally pens other community journalism pieces.
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