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Students left with fragmented education after 200 DC teachers are fired (video)
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Midway through the first semester, a student was moved from French III to Spanish 1. High school seniors have lost their guidance counsellors. This is because after a summer of record hires in DC, 200 veteran teachers (in addition to the 250 fired last spring) have been abruptly fired.
Last week, more than 200 teachers were told their jobs had been eliminated, then escorted out of school buildings by police. The cuts are necessary due to declining enrollment and a $44 million budget deficit, school officials said.
"He (a police officer) didn't even allow me to get my lunch," said Sheila Gill, who has worked in D.C. Public Schools for 32 years and says her record is spotless. "He didn't allow me to get my personal items. He escorted me out of the building and told me I had to get off the parking lot immediately."
As devastating as this was to the teachers, students feel lied too, betrayed and set aside.
"We see our teachers walking out the door, we don't think it's fair," Timmons said. "We're uneased about it. We want our counselors back, the class of 2010 does, and we're going to protest until we get them back."
Regardless of the reason for the firings, you can't argue that it was poorly executed. Those in charge (Michelle Rhee) should have had to foresight to hire less over the summer and to make any necessary cuts before the school year began.
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