John Merli: Teachers face repression in Richmond

Column

The curious social agenda for these early days of the 21st century seems to note high on its list of things-to-do any means by which we can righteously heap retribution on some of society’s most loathsome creatures. What springs to mind immediate­­ly, of course, are terrorists, serial killers, child molest­ers, banks, political oppo­nents (regardless of party), and, of course, the teachers of our beloved children.

In fact, given the way society, in general — and the commonwealth of Virginia, in particular — deal with public school teachers these days, it’s a wonder they haven’t all fled the country for far safer surroundings overseas like Iran or maybe Syria. We haven’t quite gotten to the stage where waterboarding of school teachers is legal, but fear not — the General Assembly down in Richmond still has several weeks left of its cur­rent term.

Thanks largely to GOP Gov. Bob McDonnell and his rowdy bunch of Republican cohorts in both chambers at the state capitol, here in Prince William it seems that teachers have pretty much assumed the inexcusable, involuntary role of blacks of past generations in the com­monwealth.

We always need some class of people to oppress, it seems, and teachers now fit that bill.

So in return for the distinct privilege of having to teach our kids every day while ne­gotiating the labyrinth of No Child Left Behind, we cancel their step raises for the next few years, treat them like unappreciated whiners and bestow on them a starting pay scale so humbling that they would have been better off financially by joining a convent or monastery. At least they come with free bread and wine.

Now we learn that we haven’t quite stuck it to our teachers nearly enough this year (and it’s already mid-February). So apart from the shaky job security that routinely comes with low wages, how about if the General Assembly seriously considers lessening teacher job security even more by allowing school administra­tors to fire teachers without having to show cause? In what other public sector of society can bosses (some of whom, let’s be honest, share the same amount of human skills as a tree stump) dismiss newer em­ployees on a whim?

Fortunately, some ap­parently sane elements of the General Assembly this week proved once again that lawmakers don’t really donate half their brain cells to science when they reach Richmond. Instead, the Senate rejected the dismiss­without-cause bill. Granted, its defeat barely passed in that chamber — where one vote difference would have resulted in a 19-19 tie. The Senate rejection came only after it was approved over in the state House by a dozen votes — although a dozen GOP lawmakers defied their party’s wishes and voted nay. (At press time, the mea­sure was not fully dead and buried yet.)

It’s true that all profes­sions, including teaching, typically can boast of some exceptional standouts at the top, along with a large middle layer of the consis­tently competent, and at the bottom those who should spend their waking hours looking for another line of work. And it’s also true it can be harder to dismiss a teach­er for poor performance than in another profession, public or private.

But relentlessly concen­trating on the negative lower end, at the cost of losing a lot of good (and potentially great) teachers down the road is a depress­ingly demeaning approach that serves no one . The unchecked power to dismiss county workers of any profession without having to show legitimate cause is pretty much reprehensible — especially in a no-strike state like Virginia.

On the money issue, part of the cause for inadequate funding surely can be laid squarely at the feet of the governor, whose proposed cuts of no less than $60 million over two years is earmarked for Northern Vir­ginia. Prince William would have to eat a full one-third of that total — including a hit of nearly $11 million hit next year.

Still, county school offi­cials note the current budget proposal may allow a res­toration of some lost funds .

Associate School Superin­tendent David Cline this week told the News& Mes­senger “we believe there is a very good chance that those funds will be restored.” But he thinks grassroots lobby­ing down in Richmond from Prince William could prove vital to a possible funding restoration. Our students and teachers deserve noth­ing less.

Merli has worked in print and elec­tronic media for more than 40 years and has been a local columnist since 1985. He can be reached at j.merli@comcast.net.