Comments on: At heated council meeting, debate over Teach for America, public speakers’ rights

By: Mayor circulates letter blaming council “dysfunction” on one member’s “chaos, disruptions, and vitriolic speech” – Richmond Confidential : Richmond, California News, Information, Art and Events.

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 00:53:33 +0000

[...] between the mayor and Councilmember Corky Booze, as well as between Booze and other councilmembers. At the July 17 meeting, Booze accused the mayor of trying to silence him and asked the Richmond City Attorney to advise the [...]

By: TFA teachers under attack from greedy local union

TFA teachers under attack from greedy local union — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 13:58:21 +0000

[...] Mayor Gayle McLaughlin introduced the proposal on behalf of the local teachers union, United Teachers of Richmond, reports richmondconfidental.org. [...]

By: Giorgio Cosentino

Giorgio Cosentino — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 04:13:37 +0000

If I understand correctly, the newest, lowest paid teachers will not receive medical bennies for their family members, but the current teachers do. These same teachers who are making $35,000.00 per year are also paying a hefty amount in union dues, that there is no sliding scale if memory serves me right.

At some point, the district will be correct, that no one will be applying for jobs, that we will have to accept Peace Corps volunteers to educate our children. Why did the district target a population of teacher that is already being taken advantage of?

At one school in the district (Verde Elementary), the average teacher salary is $40,000. At another WCCUSD elementary school across the way (Hanna Ranch) in Hercules, the average teachers salary is $67,408 with the district average being around $56k.

Hanna Ranch is an award winning school. It is one of the only schools that answered item #5 on the School Accountability Report Card, stating the number of non-credentialed teachers at this school. Zero.

Almost all other schools left this SARC item blank and the district has not provided the total number of non-credentialed teachers in the district, leaving this blank on the SARC. Zero non-credentialed teachers. Experienced teachers as evidenced by salary average. Award winning school. Maybe a connection?

By: Paul Hammond

Paul Hammond — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 02:10:46 +0000

Jennifer (if I may),

Quite a gig you’ve got here. I cover Richmond (Virginia) City Council and I’m grateful to say nothing quite like this happens around here anymore. It sounds like you’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts to cover. On the good side there’s always something to write about. On the bad you have to listen to this nonsense week in and week out. I have some inkling of what you go through. Hope you are getting paid for your time.

By: Giorgio Cosentino

Giorgio Cosentino — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 01:57:00 +0000

As a non-credentialed teacher in Richmond, I didn’t have enough time for my students because I was spending my time procuring materials and developing lesson plans, and many of the lessons turned out to be duds. I was teaching science, but the real experiment in the classroom was me.

There might be a good use for non-credentialed teachers, but this needs to be scrutinized thoroughly, every step of the way. The success stories do not compensate for possible failures. How are failures and successes measured and documented?

So far, the discussions I have heard pertaining to this matter have been totally lacking in measurable specifics and the Superintendent said he does not want to comment. If I were the Superintendent, I would be commenting daily, backing my decision.

If the district believes the use of these teachers is acceptable, then they should walk us through it, citing the supporting data. I’m both a district parent and taxpayer. I think I deserve some of the Superintendent’s time in helping me understand this decision.

By: Jovanka Beckles

Jovanka Beckles — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 23:05:14 +0000

Corky Booze takes pride and sadly, actually enjoys taking people to a negative place. That’s very sad for him, for Jovanka Beckles and very sad for Richmond.

By: Don Gosney

Don Gosney — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 17:26:23 +0000

Although technically correct about Councilmember Beckles leaving early, it would be more accurate if it were to read: “as she left the meeting early, again.”

She routinely tells us how tired she is before she leaves the meeting early with serious business left on the table. She has even told us all–those still in the room and those watching on TV or online–that she’s too tired to think straight. And then she votes on important issues.

Granted, she is the only member of the Council with a structured job that she has to get to the following morning, but the job she asked the people to entrust with her calls for members of the Council to actually attend all meetings, read the material before voting on it, listening to the people before making up their minds and to stick around until the end of the meeting.

Wanting to be a member of the Council is one thing but actually doing the work of the Council is another.