Union Leader Rips Gist on Teacher Comments
Friday, December 09, 2011
After several teachers raised concerns about comments state Education Commissioner Deborah Gist made during a Board of Regents meeting in October, a top union official says the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) is out of touch with teachers working in schools.
During a Regents meeting held on Oct. 20, Gist described the opposition she had heard to a new teacher certification system that would be linked to evaluations as “like crickets” because so few teachers had come forward with concerns. The Regents ended up approving the measure two weeks later by a vote of 7-2.
But Frank Flynn, President of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals, claims the opposition to the plan has been overwhelming and blasted Gist for dismissing the teachers’ criticism. Flynn called Gist’s remarks “totally disrespectful.”
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RIDE: No Disrespect Intended
According to RIDE spokesman Elliot Krieger, Gist meant no disrespect to teachers in her remarks during the meeting. Krieger said she was simply making a point about how few teachers attended public hearings to express concern about the new certification system.
A link to video from the meeting can be found here. The comments in question begin at 1:17.
“You will see that she noted that fewer than 40 out of our 14,000 teachers spoke at public hearings on the new certification regulations,” Krieger said. “Her point was that, relatively speaking, we received a very small response from teachers.”
In fact, Krieger said, Gist went on the praise the teachers who support the new system.
“She was not criticizing any teacher or any of the testimony and feedback we received on this important matter,” he said. “As you will note if you listen to her remarks, she went on to praise our many excellent teachers in Rhode Island who welcome the new certification system, which will eliminate the paperwork and bureaucracy and let our teachers focus on the great work they do in the classroom every day.”
“Unconscionable and Contemptible”
But Flynn said teachers feel disrespected by Gist, who has gained national recognition for her reform efforts, but has drawn criticism from the unions during her tenure in Rhode Island. In addition to pursing the new certification process, Gist has been credited with helping to bring $75 million in federal Race to the Top funds to the state and achieving a funding formula.
But Gist’s accomplishments have been met with backlash from many teachers and union officials, who argue that she has a pushed an anti-teacher agenda on the state. Flynn said Gist’s comments are just the latest problem his side has had with RIDE.
“They seem to be more interested in the work of teachers from charter schools in New York and Connecticut than public schools in Rhode Island,” Flynn said. “The fact that teachers spent time participating in the public hearing process and were summarily dismissed as "cricket noise" is unconscionable and contemptible. The opinions they shared represent the opinions of the majority of their colleagues. This is another example in a series of issues over the past two years where the voice of practitioners has been ignored.”
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