- 8 months ago
The hopes and frustrations of public school teachers in one Midwestern town as they face the threat of funding cutbacks, the criticism of parents, and a growing number of troubled children from troubled homes.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00Frontline is made possible by the financial support of viewers like you and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
00:10Tonight on Frontline, in the clamor for better public education, does America truly value its teachers?
00:19We have a lot of teachers up there that could care less what the kid does.
00:23In one Midwestern town, Frontline examines the frustrations of teachers as they confront both shrinking budgets and needier students.
00:32I think teaching is the most important job you can have, if only it were valued by our society.
00:39Tonight on Frontline, a revealing look at education in America.
00:44Teacher, teacher.
00:53From the network of public television stations, a presentation of KCTS Seattle, WNET New York, WPBT Miami, WTVS Detroit, and WGBH Boston.
01:06This is Frontline, with Judy Woodruff.
01:14Good evening.
01:15Two months ago, when President Bush honored English teacher Janice Gabay as the Teacher of the Year,
01:21she told reporters she had once thought of quitting because she saw such a lack of respect for her profession.
01:27It is very easy to become disillusioned, she said.
01:30One of the most consistent recommendations in recent studies on how to improve public education
01:36is that America must place a greater value on its teachers.
01:41And that means higher standards, better working conditions, and bigger salaries.
01:46Tonight, Frontline follows the struggle of one middle-class American town
01:51as it decides what its schools and teachers are really worth.
01:55It is a story told largely from inside the classroom through the eyes of three of the town's best teachers.
02:02Tonight's program was produced and directed by Robert Thurber,
02:06and is a co-production with public television station KTCA in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
02:12It is called Teacher Teacher.
02:32I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
02:48and to the republic for which it stands,
02:51one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
02:57Good morning, fifth graders.
02:59Good.
03:00Good morning.
03:01Did you have a good weekend?
03:04Yes.
03:05Great to be back though, huh?
03:06Yes.
03:07Let's start out with our business this morning.
03:10Who's got stuff to hand in?
03:12Study slips, good idea.
03:14Does anyone else have anything to hand in?
03:16Anybody?
03:17Lunch money?
03:18Milk money?
03:19Okay, fifth grade, listen up.
03:21This is Pearson Elementary School in Shakopee, Minnesota.
03:25We're going to start a fairly ordinary week.
03:29Shakopee is a modest-sized Midwestern town,
03:32just south of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
03:34Take a look at the picture there on the block, please.
03:37What do you see?
03:39What do you see?
03:40On standardized national achievement tests,
03:43the students here score well above average.
03:46About half the graduates of Shakopee's senior high go on to four-year colleges,
03:57and on college entrance exams they score just above national norms.
04:05Judy Tomsik teaches high school English and is considered to be one of the best teachers in Shakopee.
04:11Like most of her colleagues, Judy has experienced.
04:17She's been teaching for 14 years.
04:20Number one by Tatum McCormick.
04:24Please tell us what the subject is, Tatum.
04:26Some.
04:27Oh, good, good, you got it.
04:29Okay.
04:30Some.
04:31And now this is a tricky question, so think before you answer.
04:34Is it singular or plural?
04:39Be careful.
04:40It's plural.
04:41Be careful.
04:42It's singular?
04:43Be careful.
04:44It's plural.
04:45Be careful.
04:46Both.
04:47All right, it's both.
04:48It's both.
04:49What do you have to look at?
04:50I really like high school-age students.
04:52I really enjoy the give and take.
04:55Now you have to look in the prep phrase, right?
04:57But there are only five that you look in the prep phrase for, right?
05:00Let's hear them.
05:01I don't know.
05:02Nope, those are the singular ones.
05:04Some, all, any, most, and none.
05:06Some, all, any, most, and none.
05:07Some, all, any, most, and none.
05:09Some, all, any, most, and none.
05:11Okay?
05:12I enjoy getting to know them as individuals to see what they think about and how they think
05:18and maybe to help them find some ways to have control of their lives, to increase their
05:27sense of self-esteem, that they can tackle a difficult job and they can succeed at it.
05:33I need to help them have success, to see their own success.
05:37Ah, because it's in, yes, I think that does deserve some applause.
05:42Because it's in the prepositional phrase.
05:46Thank you, Brian.
05:48Okay.
05:49Give us another adjective that you wrote down.
05:52Carla.
05:53Tall.
05:54Tall.
05:55There's one.
05:56Tall.
05:57Becky.
05:58Smart.
05:59Good for you.
06:00Another nice one.
06:01Amanda.
06:02Humorous.
06:03Humorous.
06:04Another good one.
06:05Dan.
06:06Organized.
06:07Organized.
06:08Notice, hands down for a second.
06:11Notice how many different words we've had and they're all adjectives.
06:17You are all correct.
06:19Sharon Boyden and Barry Kirchmeyer teach fifth grade together and they've worked as a team
06:24for 20 years.
06:25Let's find some adjectives that describe our school.
06:28I'm going to go to Jenny Shaner.
06:30Neat.
06:31Neat school.
06:32Okay.
06:33Carla.
06:34Open school.
06:35Excellent.
06:36It describes what we actually are like.
06:37Like Judy, they are also highly regarded by their colleagues.
06:41When they're really with me and when they're thinking, and you can see that in a child's
06:46face, you can see that they're thinking and they're with you, that's success to me.
06:50Whether they have the right answer or not is immaterial.
06:53If they're on task, if they're really thinking and trying, that's success.
06:59And all through the day, I can feel that several times.
07:02What are you going to write if it asks for a part of speech?
07:05Erica Teller.
07:07Verb or noun?
07:08Verb or noun.
07:09Your new story is going to have some new words in it.
07:12And the new words are in these sentences and they are underlined.
07:15How can you figure out that word if you haven't ever seen it before?
07:19Help us out.
07:20You'd look in the word.
07:22You'd look in the sentence.
07:23And the words around it, right?
07:25I've been here long enough.
07:26I can watch the kids go up through their grades.
07:28And some kids, you do touch their lives.
07:31You know, you can't plan that sort of thing.
07:34But some kids, you truly change their lives.
07:37They're a different individual after you've had them.
07:40I don't know what it is.
07:42You can't really, you know, put your finger on it.
07:44But you made a difference.
07:46Eight times three.
07:49Twenty-four.
07:50Good job.
07:51Eight times four.
07:59Thirty-two.
08:00Okay.
08:01But you're counting, aren't you?
08:02You've got to get it in your head.
08:03You've got to memorize it.
08:04You've got to work on it.
08:05You know eight times five.
08:06Forty.
08:07Right.
08:08Eight times seven.
08:09Despite her obvious enthusiasm for school,
08:10it's difficult for Chrissy to keep up with her classmates.
08:11Fifty-four.
08:12Fifty-four.
08:13No.
08:14Fifty-something.
08:15What does the word there usually stand for?
08:16What does it stand for?
08:17There.
08:18Look over there.
08:19We have to have special lessons for her each day.
08:21We have to find teacher time to meet with her each day.
08:23But at least doing that, we have to have special lessons for her each day.
08:36But at least doing this, she feels some success.
08:39Because if we didn't do anything at all, not only wouldn't we be teaching her anything,
08:43but you get to a point where they start to, if they don't experience any success, they start to give up.
08:48She's got a really good attitude.
08:49I'd like to, you know, we'd like to keep that attitude as long as we can.
08:53A present-day country in what was called the New World is...
08:58With Chrissy and a number of other kids that have such a low reading level,
09:03it means that we read their tests to them.
09:05So we have to find the time to read their tests to them because they wouldn't have a chance,
09:09especially in science and social studies.
09:11Christopher Columbus, Dagama, Erickson, or LaSalle?
09:18I don't think I've ever had so much problems with disparity between students in the same class.
09:26In my fourth-hour class, I have kids who are very competent thinkers, excellent readers, good writers,
09:33and I have kids that are so handicapped in those areas,
09:36it is almost impossible to try to satisfy what both ends need.
09:41For Judy and other members of the high school English department,
09:45the reading problems of some of their students are the most troublesome problems of all.
09:50Let's go back to the reading issue. What can we do?
09:53Can we do?
09:54All right, people, why don't you put all your stuff on the floor, please?
09:57We've got a sheet of paper, though.
09:59The reading problems that began in grade school frequently continue into high school,
10:04undermining the student's ability to learn.
10:07When this test was given in an American history class,
10:10nine students left the room and went across the hall.
10:13Because they cannot read well enough to understand the exam,
10:17another teacher must help them read the questions.
10:20Now, you know what a compromise is?
10:22It's like a thing where... kind of, yeah.
10:27Okay, where people each give up something and come to an agreement, right?
10:31We have some kids in our classroom who have difficulty with reading or with comprehension,
10:36and so we give them the opportunity to get in a more comfortable setting.
10:40Sandy Setter teaches American history.
10:42They get under a lot of pressure in the test situation
10:45when they have to suddenly comprehend all this stuff
10:47and put it into their head or put it in their... what's in their head onto paper.
10:51There's a teacher there who can answer questions for them,
10:53and it just makes it a little bit easier on them.
10:55And they usually do better on the test when they're in another room.
10:58Are they able then to read the assignments in the textbook?
11:01I mean, is the textbook too difficult?
11:03Actually, sometimes it is.
11:04Even though the average reading scores at Shakopee High
11:07have remained above national norms,
11:10members of the staff have seen a widening of the gap
11:13between the highest and the lowest.
11:16Jim Murphy is principal of Shakopee High.
11:19We're probably not dealing with a bell-shaped curve
11:22with a few failures at one end, a few A's at one end,
11:26and most of the kids falling somewhere in the middle,
11:29that we seem to be dealing with perhaps a flat line,
11:33with a group of kids who are really trying to achieve
11:38and getting your A's and B's,
11:41another group of kids who are getting the C's,
11:44and a group of kids getting D's and S's,
11:46and the group that's getting the C's is not the big group anymore.
11:50It's more of a flat line.
11:53And we become concerned about a two-tiered society,
11:59a have-and-have-not society.
12:01Let's really do some thinking here.
12:03Would you say animals in this group are kind of complicated,
12:07having lots of body parts and stuff?
12:09Would you say they're still pretty simple, Carla?
12:11They're simple.
12:12Very simple.
12:13Remember the jellyfish we looked at?
12:15Do you know of someplace else in our world
12:17that great leaders were buried in these huge temples?
12:22That's my clue.
12:25Where else does that happen?
12:27In Egypt.
12:28In what do we call those huge temples?
12:30All right.
12:31After 20 years of working with fifth graders,
12:33Sharon and Barry have observed changes among their students
12:37that are unsettling.
12:38In the beginning of the school year,
12:41when you're just getting to know these kids,
12:43I'm so overwhelmed by all of their needs.
12:47And you think, I can't do this.
12:49I can't.
12:50And you can't.
12:51You can't survive or supply every child's needs.
12:55You can't do that.
12:56That is an overwhelming task.
12:58We all like to hear we're good and worthwhile
13:00and we've done something right.
13:02But children need it more than adults.
13:06And there are kids who don't ever hear that.
13:09So you have to tell them all the time.
13:11You guys get an A-plus for thinking today.
13:14Is that what you were going to say too?
13:16Me too.
13:17Basically, all the people I called up on are exactly right.
13:19I'm impressed.
13:21You know, there's a lot of broken homes.
13:23A lot of them have no place to go after school.
13:25And I mean, I'm not talking about kids that are on the street necessarily.
13:28But, you know, you can tell that maybe both parents are working
13:32or they just aren't getting enough attention.
13:34And you can tell that here in school.
13:36In a lot of cases, and this is becoming more and more true,
13:39we're the best things in their lives.
13:41School is one of the best things in their lives.
13:43Why is that?
13:45Because I think I particularly work very hard at saying something positive or good to each child every day.
13:56And I don't think a lot of people take the time anymore to make sure they do that to their own children.
14:04And we all need that.
14:07Is it true that it's any more?
14:09I mean, did kids in the past get more positive feedback at home?
14:14Is that what you're saying?
14:15Yeah, that's what I'm saying.
14:16No, I think kids need it more today than they used to.
14:20Good.
14:21Got all your decimal points in the right place.
14:23Nice job.
14:24Keep it up.
14:25Even those parents who work at it, and I feel I'm one of those parents who really work at it,
14:31it's not easy to do.
14:33It's hard to find time to be with them and say,
14:36well, what did you do in school today?
14:38Because we have so many other things to do, so we go on.
14:41You're adding a lot of words in there that you really don't need,
14:44and that kind of is your tendency with writing, okay?
14:47Sometimes less is more.
14:49Less writing is more powerful, okay?
14:52Like Barry and Sharon, Judy has also watched her community change over the years.
14:58I also find it much harder to get a hold of a parent.
15:02There used to be a time if I was having a problem in my second-hour class,
15:05I had a third-hour prep, I could probably get a hold of somebody at home
15:09to get an immediate feedback from the home as to what might be going on.
15:14That's very difficult to do now.
15:16How does that influence the story?
15:18Why is TJ's pride a real important part of this story?
15:22He wanted to be in the club thing that they were in.
15:32Good.
15:33Good.
15:34And what does pride, how does pride enter into that?
15:40He wanted to be part of their club.
15:42How does pride help them to achieve that?
15:44I send out progress reports to all my students as to how they're doing,
15:48and it's rare that I'll have feedback from parents even though the telephone number is on there,
15:53and I put down the hours that I'm available to encourage them to call me if there is a problem
15:59or if they're not sure what a progress report means that they could have it clarified,
16:04and it's very rare that I have any response from sending out those progress reports.
16:11I can't do this.
16:12Well, I've got news for you.
16:13That's right.
16:14Yeah.
16:15So it looks to me like you can do it, can't you?
16:17I guess.
16:18How else did you get it done?
16:19I didn't help you.
16:20No.
16:21You know what?
16:23What?
16:24You can just have more faith in yourself and say, I can do these.
16:26You don't have to like them.
16:27I bet you don't like them, do you?
16:29No.
16:30But if you do your best and do a good job in just a couple days,
16:33we're going to be done with these.
16:35And if you're very, very careful and you get a passing grade on that test,
16:38we won't do many of these anymore this year,
16:40and you already know how to do them.
16:42Okay.
16:43Once in a while, we'll just review them.
16:44Okay.
16:45All right?
16:46Yep.
16:47By the middle of the fall, after the faculty had become well acquainted with the students,
16:50the first parent-teacher conferences of the year were held.
16:54Yeah.
16:55I know what you mean.
16:56And I know that I don't spend as much time with her as I'd like to, you know.
17:00And maybe if I did, maybe, you know, she would apply herself a little bit more too, you know.
17:07Well, do what you can, but don't feel guilty if you don't get it in either.
17:12Right.
17:13You know, because I want her to do good, and I want her to have good grades and stuff like that.
17:17Yeah.
17:18Well, and she is.
17:19Yeah, I know.
17:20She is.
17:21She is.
17:22I want her to keep her on task.
17:23Yeah.
17:24I don't want her to, you know.
17:25And maybe if I helped her a little bit more, I could probably, you know.
17:29The attention would probably do, that you gave her would probably do as much good as actually the work you were doing.
17:36She probably is craving that attention.
17:38Yeah.
17:39As much as anything else is what I'm saying.
17:41Yeah.
17:42So if you can find the time.
17:44Yeah.
17:45I know.
17:46All of my children are very aware about drugs, because I'm recovering myself.
17:52And so we have a lot of kind of program work around our house.
17:57A lot about drugs.
17:58Yeah.
17:59He spent Wednesday in the office.
18:02So he's got four more days that he'll have to spend in the office at noon.
18:07Mm-hmm.
18:08So we've had peaks and valleys with him.
18:10How do you feel about us in our discipline with that?
18:13Oh, I don't have a problem with that at all, because I know David is a child that has to have structure.
18:19Yes, definitely.
18:20And he has to have those rules.
18:21He has to have stern discipline.
18:23Yeah.
18:24He demands so much attention.
18:25He wants attention.
18:26He doesn't really demand it.
18:27He wants it.
18:28Mm-hmm.
18:29And he acts out to get it.
18:30Yes, definitely.
18:31Yeah.
18:32You know, I have problems with them at home in the same respect.
18:35Okay.
18:36You know, Brian gets tons of attention from his dad, and David doesn't.
18:39And why is that?
18:40Well, Rick's not either one of their father.
18:44Oh, okay.
18:45They're from different men.
18:46They're not Rick's children.
18:47Okay.
18:48They're not related.
18:49And Rick and I have been together since Brian was a baby.
18:51Okay.
18:52So it was real easy for him to mold into the fact that Brian was basically his.
18:56Yeah.
18:57He raised him from three weeks.
18:58Right.
18:59David was five years old when Rick and I started dating.
19:01Okay.
19:02So it's been a real tough battle for the two of them.
19:04So you get the C, and then you get the A.
19:07That's not really right.
19:09By the way, your work at home really is appreciated.
19:12I'll say that on behalf of your daughter.
19:14They won't say it probably this age, but we appreciate it.
19:18It makes our life a little easier.
19:20Good.
19:21Good, back.
19:22Good.
19:23Good.
19:24好好.
19:25Ooh.
19:26Four times three would be how many more?
19:29Eleven?
19:30No.
19:31Try again.
19:32Almost.
19:33Eight.
19:34Eight's eight in your job .
19:35Five.
19:36You don't want to put it well.
19:37Eight's nine.
19:38Go nine.
19:39Come nine, grad.
19:40Two and my child 2004.
19:41Five.
19:42Eight's eight to your job.
19:43Five, six, eight and four.
19:45Eight, seven, six, seven, eight, eight.
19:49By the end of the first term, it was clear to both Sharon and Barry
19:56that Chrissy needed more help than they could provide.
20:00Fifteen? No, it's twelve. It's twelve.
20:03It's a constant struggle to meet the needs of all the kids.
20:06You want to do the best you can, but we can't ignore the rest of the kids.
20:10So it's a struggle.
20:13Okay, I can't help you right now.
20:15Just go back to the classroom.
20:17When I'm done out here, I will come and help you.
20:20She's so far below the rest of the kids.
20:22We're almost to the point she's struggling at a level that we have to create a group of one.
20:27And we're doing the best we can. We've documented lots of different things.
20:31Barry and Sharon met with the school principal to ask for help with Chrissy.
20:34So, like, we're into division right now.
20:37It makes no sense to her at all.
20:39I'm teaching her, what I was doing the other day,
20:41I was teaching her how to use her math fact chart to accomplish the task.
20:46And I'm thinking, why am I doing this?
20:49This isn't doing her any good.
20:51I know chapter doesn't usually work with fifth grade students,
20:54but this is really an exception to the rule.
20:57Would there be any possibility at all?
21:00For us, we plan the lessons, whatever,
21:03and have her do math in particular with them.
21:08She's been tested.
21:10She does not qualify.
21:12She's one of those kids that's a little above borderline
21:18as far as being qualifying for some EMH services.
21:23We don't want her to have such a poor self-concept that she gives up entirely,
21:28because she still works.
21:29She still tries right now.
21:31And I can't see that happening too much longer,
21:34and then what's going to happen to her?
21:37We're also reading all our tests to her,
21:40like in science and social studies,
21:42because with her reading ability and comprehension.
21:44Does she have any success in those areas at all?
21:46No.
21:47We don't want her to feel like she's failing everything,
21:49and we took it upon ourselves,
21:51but we, on our report card,
21:53we gave her, we didn't give her ends,
21:55we gave her eyes for improving,
21:57because we just couldn't,
21:58we didn't have the heart to give her ends and everything.
22:00And that's what she would get?
22:01Have you had a conference?
22:02No, it was a no-show,
22:04and we've had to reschedule it for later in the week.
22:07Chrissy's parents have been unable to attend
22:09two previously scheduled conferences.
22:11Barry has planned another meeting for next week.
22:14Doesn't four go into five?
22:16Yes.
22:17Remember, you've got to ask yourself where to start,
22:19and you say, does four go into five?
22:21And if it's yes, you've got to start there.
22:23So start there.
22:24Give that a try.
22:25Four goes into five, how many times?
22:27Chrissy represents one of those kids
22:29that falls through the cracks.
22:31Four goes into five, how many times?
22:35Two times is too big.
22:37The school system has no special programs
22:39available to help Chrissy,
22:41so Barry and Sharon will be on their own.
22:46Five.
22:47One.
22:48And then one.
22:49We have kids working here
22:53that can't even do simple addition and subtraction,
22:56and these kids are seniors, juniors.
23:00They can't work out their till
23:02unless they have a calculator.
23:04They can't figure out how many donuts in two dozen.
23:08As school opened in the fall,
23:10the citizens of Shakopee were at odds
23:12over the future of their public schools.
23:14Like many other towns in this part of Minnesota,
23:18Shakopee's roots are rural,
23:20but over the years it has become part of the suburban ring
23:22surrounding Minneapolis and St. Paul.
23:25As Shakopee grew, so did its school system,
23:28building four new buildings in the last 30 years.
23:32Last year, an increase in the Shakopee school budget,
23:35combined with changes in the revenue formulas
23:37by the county and the state,
23:39caused a sudden and steep rise in property taxes.
23:41Some homeowners saw their tax rates double.
23:45People were angry,
23:46and many of them wanted to fight back.
23:49They just feel they can just keep spending,
23:51spending, and spending.
23:53And unless the people get up in arms
23:57and do something about it,
23:59it'll continue that way.
24:01Developer Cleet Link organized a tax revolt group
24:04called Concerned Citizens for Fair Taxation.
24:07I guess the main reason we're involved the way we are today
24:12with our Concerned Citizens group
24:14is to tell government that we've had enough.
24:18We won't stand for it anymore,
24:20and you're going to be responsible for your spending.
24:23What began as a tax revolt, however,
24:26soon turned into an attack on the schools.
24:29When I look at all the money I've paid in the education,
24:32and I look at the education my children got,
24:35it's a disappointment.
24:38Patty and Bert Moorbacher have put five children
24:40through the Shakopee schools.
24:42If you have a teacher that is not a good teacher,
24:44that nobody or most of the students do not like
24:47and do not learn from, you're stuck with them.
24:50We have a lot of teachers up there
24:51that could care less what the kid does.
24:54The teacher has to shape up or ship out,
24:58let's put it that way.
24:59You know, do your job or leave.
25:02I couldn't believe the anger I touched on
25:05that was directed against the schools,
25:07against teaching,
25:09against what's happening in education.
25:12Again and again I heard the message
25:14that teachers in general
25:16are overpaid, underworked complainers.
25:20Okay.
25:23No, both of you.
25:25Both Ben and Amy.
25:26We get attacked so many times
25:29and that's how I felt.
25:30The only way they could get some money
25:32or some relief was to get tax,
25:37to attack the schools
25:38and get the referendum recalled.
25:40That's at the point
25:41where it started to become personal.
25:43Why the schools?
25:44The town was divided
25:47and the wounds that Shakopee went on to suffer
25:50were deep.
25:51In a bitterly contested special election,
25:54the voters recalled the school tax referendum
25:56that was partly responsible
25:58for increasing their property taxes.
26:00The school district was left
26:02without enough money for next year.
26:04In all honesty,
26:06I feel like we're putting our school district
26:08on a respirator for three years.
26:10The Shakopee School Board
26:14faced a major crisis.
26:16To carry the medical analogy
26:18one step further, Janet,
26:20I think that if we don't pass
26:22a referendum in November,
26:24we can pull the plug on the respirator
26:26and donate the organs.
26:28In order to secure funds for next year,
26:31the board was forced to cut its budget,
26:33go back to the voters,
26:34and ask them to approve
26:36of a scaled-down tax referendum.
26:38You are looking at program reduction
26:41at this point.
26:44What are we going to do
26:45if we don't pass something?
26:46I mean, if you look at the worst scenario
26:48or the thing.
26:49Among the cuts the board was considering
26:51was the elimination
26:52of at least seven teaching positions.
26:55We did make cuts in 82,
26:56and we haven't recovered
26:57from some of those cuts.
26:59And we keep eating away
27:01and eating away at our foundation,
27:03and we will pay the price,
27:05and we will have to face
27:06what's happened to us.
27:09We realize you have a problem,
27:12but, you know,
27:13there's a lot of people
27:14in the community
27:14who have a problem, too.
27:16With only a few weeks left
27:18before the general election,
27:20the board wanted the support
27:21of Cleet Link
27:22and his tax revolt group
27:24to ensure voter approval
27:25of the new tax referendum.
27:27We have to focus on
27:29what will the people approve
27:32as far as a levy referendum.
27:35We think 13 mils
27:37is going to be a hard sell.
27:39Anything above that
27:40I think is a great gamble
27:43on your part.
27:44I truly believe
27:46we wouldn't have a school district
27:47if we dropped down that far now.
27:49I truly believe that,
27:51and I don't believe
27:53that I was elected
27:54to get rid of a school district.
27:56You're in a position where
27:59you've got a great gamble here.
28:03You know,
28:03if it doesn't pass,
28:06you're in big trouble.
28:07It's not the lead.
28:09It's not us.
28:10Everybody.
28:10Oh, sure, the community.
28:12Not you.
28:13The community is in big trouble,
28:15but the decision is yours.
28:17Without support
28:18from the concerned citizens
28:19for fair taxation,
28:21approval of the new referendum
28:22was in doubt.
28:24They weren't serious
28:25about making cuts.
28:27I think they were
28:28just sort of jacking us around.
28:32The teachers that still
28:34won't have their jobs,
28:35it's going to be so difficult
28:37because the class sizes
28:39will be larger,
28:40and they'll have to address
28:42a broader range of students,
28:45more so than what they do now.
28:48The number of course offerings
28:49would go down.
28:51That way, electives
28:52that we offer
28:52and what are left
28:53are going to be jammed
28:54with kids,
28:5530, 35 kids.
28:57With the general election
28:58only days away,
29:00the teachers were worried.
29:01Defeat of the new referendum
29:03would mean large cuts
29:04throughout the system.
29:05Next school year,
29:07in effect,
29:07would be destroyed,
29:08no matter if the public
29:10suddenly discovered
29:11that this was a terrible thing
29:14that has just happened.
29:15There's nothing,
29:16there's no way to recall it
29:17that it's gone
29:18for another school year,
29:19and you've lost
29:19all of those personnel.
29:21For the teachers,
29:22memories of the bitter tax revolt
29:24were difficult to dismiss.
29:26I was wrong last time.
29:28I had such a good feeling
29:29last summer about the recall.
29:30I didn't expect that
29:32to be recalled,
29:33and it was,
29:34and I guess I don't have
29:35as optimistic a feeling
29:37about this as I did the recall.
29:39Did you guys see,
29:40Judy and her husband
29:44have two children
29:45in the Shakopee schools
29:46and were concerned
29:47about the severe budget cuts
29:49that would be necessary
29:50if the referendum
29:51were rejected.
29:53So the Tom Six,
29:54like many parents in Shakopee,
29:56began to consider
29:57transferring their children
29:58out of the school district.
30:00The kids have really
30:01expressed a little
30:03hesitation and fear
30:06of going to a completely
30:08new setting,
30:08which of course
30:09would be normal
30:10when you're in
30:129th and 11th grade.
30:14But they have agreed
30:15with us that
30:16if the referendum
30:17does not pass
30:18that they will go
30:19to another school.
30:22And they will go
30:23because of the content area,
30:25what they can't get here,
30:27that they need
30:28in order to compete,
30:29and they will go
30:30because philosophically
30:32we as a family
30:33will not continue
30:35to buy into a system
30:36that says
30:37mediocre is good enough,
30:40that this is all right
30:41with us,
30:42that we don't need
30:43any better than this.
30:46I think it's a statement
30:47to our children
30:48how much we value
30:49education
30:50and how much
30:54they're worth to us.
30:55When you go
31:00in the booth,
31:01blacken in the ovals
31:02of your choice
31:03and slide it
31:04into the sleep,
31:05you know what to do.
31:06Okay, don't do it.
31:07I'm a senior citizen
31:08so I've ordered
31:09the next step.
31:10You did, but why?
31:11Well, our taxes.
31:13They need schools
31:14for the kids
31:14and they need
31:16the monies
31:18to come in.
31:20I've ordered no.
31:20I think the taxes
31:21are too high here now.
31:24What do you think
31:24will happen
31:25with the schools?
31:27I don't know.
31:27They're going to have
31:28to cut down
31:28on expenses some way.
31:30I voted for it, yes.
31:31Can you tell us why?
31:33I don't know.
31:33I believe in education.
31:35I really seriously
31:37hope that it passed.
31:39Can I have
31:39your ballot box, please?
31:41By a margin
31:41of less than 450 votes,
31:44Shakopee passed
31:45the referendum.
31:49Are you standing there?
31:50We have a job!
31:53Yeah, we like it.
31:54Okay, you got it.
31:55It's going to be a good day.
31:57We called.
31:58We got up in the middle
31:59of the night and called.
32:00That's a job for you.
32:02You're going to leave it, boy.
32:04I know.
32:05We got us up
32:05a banner today
32:06because everybody's
32:07going to be here
32:07for the next three years.
32:09Despite the joy
32:10of the other teachers,
32:11Barry was uncertain
32:12of the meaning
32:13of the victory.
32:14In the next contract period,
32:15the board's going to say,
32:17we don't know
32:17what our revenues are.
32:18We're going to have to,
32:19you know,
32:19use the most pessimistic
32:21forecast that we can.
32:23For more than 10 years,
32:24Barry has been
32:25the chief negotiator
32:26representing the teachers
32:27on contract talks
32:28with the school board.
32:30Most of the 154 teachers
32:32represented by the union
32:33are tenured
32:34and have years
32:35of experience.
32:36Many are at
32:37or near the top
32:38of their salary schedule.
32:39But with an average
32:42annual income
32:42of $33,000,
32:45Shakopee teachers
32:45receive less than those
32:47in most other districts
32:48in the metropolitan area.
32:50I've never been happy
32:51financially
32:52being in education.
32:54You know,
32:55and part of me says
32:56that I probably,
32:58for those reasons,
32:59should have got out
32:59a long time ago.
33:01You know,
33:02maybe I haven't done enough
33:03with my life
33:03in that area.
33:05I don't feel I have,
33:06at 44 years old,
33:07I don't think I have
33:08a lot of other
33:09opportunities anymore.
33:10For more than a decade,
33:13the union's goal
33:14for each new contract
33:15has been to bring
33:16Shakopee's salaries
33:18up to the regional average.
33:20I think people
33:20are more militant
33:21than they've been
33:22in past years,
33:22you know,
33:23so early in the
33:24negotiations process.
33:25Why is that?
33:27Well, I think they're
33:27just kind of fed up
33:28with what's going on
33:29and, you know,
33:30dragging everything out
33:31and what the teachers
33:32have done the whole year
33:33and for the referendum
33:34and everything else
33:35and, you know,
33:36we've bent over backwards
33:37to help the district
33:38and then we, you know,
33:39get nothing in return.
33:40It would have been
33:40like a feeling of betrayal.
33:43The teachers
33:44had been working
33:44without a contract
33:45since September
33:46and talks between
33:48the union
33:48and the school board
33:49were going nowhere.
33:51The initial offer
33:52made by the board
33:53would have effectively
33:54cut teachers' salaries
33:56by three to five percent.
33:59The teachers
33:59rejected the offer.
34:02Jim Sorensen,
34:03head of the school board's
34:04negotiating committee.
34:05The ongoing concern,
34:07of course,
34:07from school district's
34:08standpoint
34:08in terms of negotiations,
34:09is that you simply
34:12can't give away the shop.
34:13You simply cannot
34:14convert that money
34:16into salaries
34:17and still maintain programs.
34:19I think they're intimidated
34:20by the public pressure
34:21with the anti-referendum
34:23and there's 2,000 votes
34:24out there
34:24that would have just
34:25as soon gutted the district.
34:27I'm sure they're feeling
34:27that pressure.
34:30Now this one.
34:31Five times six.
34:34Twenty-five.
34:34That's five times five.
34:39Without any special programs,
34:41Sharon often worked alone
34:43with Chrissy,
34:44leaving Barry to introduce
34:45new material
34:46to the other 49 students.
34:49Five into 47.
34:51How many times?
34:51Chrissy,
34:53you've got to spend
34:55some time on this.
34:56When you're walking
34:57home from school tonight,
34:58who do you walk home with?
34:59My brother.
35:00Ah, on your way home.
35:02Practice with your brother.
35:03You could even be teaching him.
35:06Sharon and I really enjoy
35:07your daughter.
35:08Oh, great.
35:08She seems pretty happy
35:09and you can see that
35:10she comes up
35:10and talks to us.
35:11After Barry's third attempt
35:13to schedule a conference,
35:15Chrissy's mother arrived
35:16late one day after school.
35:17We let the kids
35:18design their own conference folders
35:19and I thought
35:20this was kind of neat.
35:20I love you, Mom.
35:22She writes that
35:23on everything.
35:24Well, that's got to
35:25make you feel good
35:25as a mom.
35:26It does.
35:26Yeah.
35:27She woke up real early
35:28and gave me a big hug
35:29when I got home.
35:30Uh-huh.
35:31She was happy.
35:33Well, I assume
35:35that some of the things
35:36I'm going to tell you
35:37are not going to surprise you.
35:38Sharon and I
35:39are very, very concerned
35:40about her work
35:41here at school.
35:42She really is having
35:43a difficult time.
35:44Yeah, I know.
35:45She's having one at home, too.
35:47As I say,
35:47she's not really having
35:48a lot of success.
35:50She tests out
35:51with lower ability.
35:53Right.
35:54But it's not low enough
35:55to get her
35:56to alternative classroom.
35:58Right.
35:59But on the other hand,
36:00her scores aren't
36:01the right scores
36:03to get her
36:03into learning disabled, either.
36:05So she's really,
36:06you know,
36:07caught falling
36:08in the cracks here.
36:09She had the same problems
36:11last year
36:12and the year before.
36:13Well, probably
36:14as long as she's been
36:15in school.
36:16Yeah.
36:16I don't think
36:18I'm surprising
36:18you with anything
36:19I've said.
36:20No.
36:21You're not.
36:22Sharon and I
36:23will do everything
36:24that we can do.
36:25We're frustrated.
36:26I'm sure you are, too.
36:28I know.
36:28You know,
36:28when you've got,
36:29when you have 50 students,
36:30we have to also
36:31meet their needs.
36:32Right.
36:33But we'll do everything
36:34we can and try
36:35different things,
36:36different ideas.
36:38We give her
36:38lots of encouragement.
36:40Okay.
36:40We never put her down.
36:42You know,
36:42we keep trying
36:43to get her to try harder.
36:45All right.
36:51I never got a
36:51short story project
36:52from you.
36:53Yes.
36:54I doesn't like you
36:54to not do a big thing
36:55like that.
36:57You know,
36:58if you're going to pick
36:59to not do something,
36:59it's better to pick
37:00the small stuff.
37:01This is going
37:03to hurt you great.
37:04How many points
37:05was it?
37:06It was worth
37:0630 points.
37:07How many?
37:0840.
37:09Two.
37:10Heather Moorbacher
37:11is 16.
37:13When she was only 13,
37:14she began working
37:15in a fast food restaurant.
37:17Now she works
37:18at a discount store
37:19two nights a week
37:20and both days
37:21on the weekend.
37:23Do you like your job?
37:24It's stressful on me.
37:26You're looking
37:27over your shoulder
37:28constantly, you know,
37:29watching every move
37:30you make.
37:31And every time
37:32I come home from there,
37:33I just feel like
37:34not doing anything
37:36because that place
37:37has put me
37:38in a bad mood
37:39and my grades
37:41are going down
37:42because of it,
37:43I know.
37:47Over the last decade,
37:48an increasing number
37:50of students
37:50have gone to work.
37:52In Shakopee,
37:53nearly 60%
37:54of all seniors
37:55work a minimum
37:56of 16 hours a week.
37:58As they work longer
37:59and later hours,
38:01their involvement
38:01in school activities
38:03and their performance
38:04in the classroom
38:04usually suffer.
38:06Sometimes it's even
38:07just the very basics
38:08of keeping students awake
38:09because they're tired,
38:12they're worn out,
38:13they work a lot of hours
38:14outside of school
38:15and school is not
38:16a priority for them.
38:18For them,
38:18it is work
38:19that comes first.
38:21Heather's parents.
38:22They're tired,
38:23they're dragged out,
38:24they don't have time
38:25to do their school work
38:26or they have time
38:26but they're too tired
38:27to do it.
38:28They put a day in
38:29at school,
38:29they put some hours
38:30in at work
38:31and then they got
38:31school work to do.
38:33Yeah, I think it does
38:33affect and I think
38:34the teachers are right.
38:36Do you put limits
38:37on a number of hours
38:39that it can work?
38:41I'd like to.
38:42We've tried to cut it down.
38:43Not having a whole lot
38:44of luck with it.
38:45I'd like her to quit
38:46and I can't quite
38:47talk her into that either.
38:48I haven't been
38:49doing the best,
38:50you know,
38:51especially Miss Tom
38:52Luke's class too.
38:53I mean,
38:54I'm usually like
38:55a B plus student
38:56in English.
38:57I wish I could
38:58get my homework
38:59done more
38:59than I do
39:01because it does
39:02bring my grades
39:02down a lot.
39:04You've had C's
39:05on most of your tests,
39:06had a B minus
39:06on one bigger test
39:07but see,
39:08you're missing
39:09so many big things.
39:10Right now,
39:11without that test
39:12that you took
39:12during study hall,
39:13without your project,
39:14you're not passing.
39:15Black and white TV,
39:16stereo,
39:17water,
39:18what else do you get?
39:21Cloas.
39:21What kind of clothes?
39:22What kind of...
39:23The gas ones,
39:24you know,
39:25the brands.
39:25How much are you paying
39:26for this?
39:27About $50.
39:28For a pair of jeans?
39:30A pair of jeans,
39:31about $30 for a sweatshirt.
39:34What else?
39:35Why did you have
39:35to have all that stuff?
39:36Why was it that important?
39:39All your friends had it.
39:40You wanted to be
39:41like your friends.
39:43Some of the students
39:44here have an awful lot
39:45of discretionary money.
39:46Kevin Heffman
39:47is the high school
39:48guidance counselor.
39:49One of the things
39:50that working for income,
39:52you know,
39:52decent income,
39:53gives people
39:54is a false sense
39:56of affluence
39:56that's going to be
39:57very hard to abandon
39:59at some point.
40:00We're setting people up
40:01for the big fall.
40:02You know,
40:02if you're not educated,
40:03we all know this,
40:03you're going to have
40:04a heck of a time
40:04staying economically
40:06successful in our society.
40:09Talks between the teachers
40:10and the school board
40:11intensified after the referendum
40:13was passed.
40:14The school board
40:15made a new offer,
40:17$2,400 per teacher
40:19spread over two years.
40:21But that would not
40:22provide enough
40:22for the teachers
40:23even to keep up
40:24with inflation.
40:25They were asking
40:26for $5,000 over two years.
40:29The school board, too,
40:31was in a difficult
40:32negotiating position.
40:34Its resources were limited,
40:35and it did not have
40:36the full support
40:37of the community.
40:39After more discussion,
40:41the board put
40:41a new offer on the table.
40:43But the increase
40:44amounted to only $137.
40:49How about this?
40:51How about we take
40:52our $5,000
40:52and chop 1.3% off
40:54of it and go back in?
40:55It's so ridiculous.
40:56Yeah, let's play
40:57the game with them.
40:58That's stupid.
40:59Well, you guys were right.
41:00I was wrong.
41:01This was not
41:02a counter-propulsion.
41:03My response would have been
41:04to his $130s
41:05nobody shakes their nose
41:07at $137.
41:08And I would say,
41:09people that are
41:10$5,000 behind
41:11think that's ridiculous.
41:13You're not even talking
41:141%.
41:19Are we going to counter?
41:27Do you really want
41:28to do that?
41:29Let's come down $137.
41:32We sure can.
41:33It's going to make him mad.
41:35He's going to berate us
41:35some more.
41:36It's just ridiculous.
41:38We're playing
41:38his stupid game
41:39if we do it.
41:40I'm not opposed
41:40to doing it.
41:41But they got
41:44enough guts
41:44to do it to us.
41:47The only problem
41:48is you start
41:49splitting the difference
41:50and we're below
41:50the number.
41:52Well, we're not
41:52going to play that game.
41:53Oh, that's what I'm saying.
41:54We're not going to play
41:55that game.
41:55They're not going to end up
41:56that way.
41:58If you really want to,
41:59I'll come down $137.
42:01Then we can't,
42:01if we're not going to
42:02play the game,
42:02then we're not going to
42:03come back with a counter
42:04offer.
42:04Well, we have no
42:05more place to come back
42:06unless we play that.
42:07We have no place
42:08to come back.
42:08All right.
42:10The teachers returned
42:12to the meeting.
42:13There was no more
42:14movement from either side
42:15and the meeting broke up.
42:17How close are you?
42:18We're a long way apart.
42:22So it's going to be
42:23difficult the next
42:24six weeks or so?
42:25Yes.
42:25Probably.
42:26Yes, it'll be very,
42:27very difficult.
42:28We don't have any
42:29hopeful sign or anything
42:31to go back and tell
42:32our faculty.
42:33I mean, they're not
42:34saying even,
42:35we're sorry that the
42:36community will not pay
42:37competitive salaries,
42:39so we'll try to make
42:41it up to you in other
42:42ways.
42:43They're not even saying
42:44that.
42:45You know, there's lots
42:46of things we can do
42:47that would,
42:47at least be a symbol
42:49or symbolic that the
42:51board really cares.
43:08An ongoing assignment
43:09for the students in
43:10Judy's sophomore English
43:11class is to write each
43:13day in a personal
43:14journal.
43:15Every other week,
43:16Judy reads what they
43:17have written and
43:18writes her responses.
43:20It's an assignment
43:21that, for one important
43:24thing, encourages them
43:25to write on a regular
43:26basis, which is the
43:27way, best way to
43:28improve writing is to
43:29write often.
43:29education.
43:30And it also encourages more
43:34open lines of communication.
43:35I think that encourages
43:37learning when it can be an
43:39interchange between two
43:41people who are inclined to
43:43be friendly and accepting
43:45of each other.
43:46I know when I hand journals
43:47back, I'll watch students as
43:49they open them and they'll
43:50smile sometimes and they'll
43:51shake their head and, you
43:53know, they'll laugh at some
43:54comment I've made.
43:55Again, remember, as I told you
43:56before, if I ask a question
43:58on there, you don't have to
43:59answer the question.
44:00I'm not being nosy.
44:01We're getting a conversation
44:02going.
44:02If you don't want to, that's
44:03your choice.
44:04Like many of her fellow
44:05teachers, Judy has seen a
44:07change over the years in the
44:08private concerns of her
44:09students.
44:10Many students write about
44:12their concern for their
44:15family stability.
44:17They're worried about how
44:19the significant adults,
44:20especially their parents in
44:21their lives, feel about
44:22them, if they, sometimes I
44:26get the sense that students
44:27feel their parents don't
44:30have time for them.
44:31And there are a lot of
44:34students, and I think
44:36perhaps more so this year
44:38than I've noticed in some
44:39years past, who feel that
44:42their parents have forgotten
44:43about them.
44:45They say that sometimes
44:46they'll go for days when
44:47they really don't see their
44:48parents, much less talk to
44:50their parents, and they
44:52seem lonely.
44:54Not every failure in school
44:55has to do with a bad home
44:56life, but there sure is a
44:58good correlation.
45:00You know, if things are
45:00chaotic at home, and then
45:02I have to come here and I
45:03have to be expected to pay
45:04attention and do homework,
45:06that's a lot to ask.
45:09I read about so many family
45:10situations where they
45:12complain that hollering is
45:14all that happens in our
45:15family, whether it's
45:15hollering at me or at
45:17someone else or between
45:19two people.
45:21There are a lot of
45:21people, a lot of students
45:22who complain about the
45:25level of shouting that
45:26goes on in their family
45:27between various family
45:28members.
45:29What do the people come
45:30and talk to me for?
45:32You know, why do they
45:32come to the counselor?
45:33You know, I'm basically
45:34this tall, loud stranger
45:36that works in this
45:38building, but I have kids
45:39come to me all the time.
45:41You know, that was one of
45:42the things I worried about
45:42when I first started, but
45:43people come to me and
45:44they talk to me, and it's
45:46not nearly as hard for them
45:47to talk to me as I would
45:48expect it to be.
45:50You know, boys cry in my
45:51office.
45:52You know, we expect that
45:53to happen a lot, I guess.
45:55That's not what I thought
45:56it would, I didn't think
45:56it would be that likely,
45:58but people need it.
46:00What are they looking for?
46:01I think they're looking
46:02for some acceptance and
46:03some understanding, and
46:04somebody will sit there
46:05and listen to them and
46:05keep their mouth shut,
46:06basically, and support
46:07them no matter what.
46:10At the next scheduled
46:11mediation session, Barry and
46:13his colleagues anticipated
46:15serious bargaining, but no
46:17one from the school board's
46:18negotiating committee showed
46:20up.
46:21After 45 minutes, the state
46:23mediator canceled the meeting.
46:25Why weren't they there?
46:26Why weren't they there if you
46:27shut it up?
46:27Well, they said they had
46:28conflicts, and I guess we knew
46:29ahead of time that Joan Lynch
46:30wasn't going to be there
46:31until noon, but I was really
46:34surprised that Sorensen or
46:36Wendt, neither one of them
46:37was there.
46:38Well, that's frustrating, too.
46:39Well, it really was, because
46:40not only didn't they come up
46:42with any different proposal,
46:43but what good does it do us
46:46to make an impassioned plea
46:47or to give rationale or
46:49anything like that?
46:50But they were not ready to
46:51give us anything different.
46:54They're at about $25.50.
46:57You're talking two years,
46:58too.
46:59Two years.
46:59That's the total money for
47:01two years.
47:02Two years.
47:02For everything.
47:03Two years.
47:04Two years.
47:05There's nothing more we can
47:06do right now.
47:07We don't even have another
47:07meeting set.
47:08We had pinned so much hope
47:10on yesterday, and that
47:12yesterday was, to me, was
47:14the day that we were going
47:15to get somewhere.
47:16And when nothing happened,
47:18nobody showed up.
47:19Well, they don't even show
47:20up.
47:21And I don't feel we have
47:22any support in this
47:23community.
47:23See, that's what's it.
47:24We'll be on the picket line.
47:25We'll be lucky if we don't
47:26get egged.
47:28What other choice do we
47:29have?
47:30The only other choice we've
47:32got is to turn tail and
47:33say, all right, we'll take
47:34what you can give us.
47:35I know.
47:36It's depressing.
47:37It is depressing.
47:39It is very depressing.
47:43Then you get into that
47:44slump again, and you just
47:46dread coming to work.
47:47I remember feeling this a
47:48couple years ago.
47:49You know, you just, every
47:51day it's just a chore because
47:52you just don't feel like
47:54anybody cares what you do.
47:56I think that you're really
48:01doing a good job.
48:02You're having no problems at
48:04all when you multiply by one
48:06number.
48:07Those are no problems at all
48:09for you.
48:09But you are having a little
48:11bit of a problem still with
48:13the two numbers.
48:14But you're getting better.
48:15The assignment is page 61.
48:20You might all look at it.
48:21We're going to put it on the
48:22backboard.
48:23That's absolutely right.
48:24Look how close you were.
48:25You have an eight here.
48:26Here you have a nine.
48:28What did you do wrong?
48:31I added.
48:32That's right.
48:33Simple adding mistake.
48:34Okay?
48:35But you were really, really close.
48:37Okay.
48:37Number seven, 2,772.
48:44Perfect.
48:45Absolutely perfect.
48:47Good for you.
48:49You're really on your way to
48:51understanding these two place
48:52multiples.
48:53Excellent, excellent job.
48:55And you never forgot your
48:56dollar signs.
48:57I'm really proud of you,
48:58Chrissy.
48:59Frustrated with stalled
49:00negotiations, the union called
49:03a district-wide membership
49:04meeting.
49:04So they're at $25,37.
49:06We're at $5,000.
49:08We decided that that was not
49:09even a legitimate counter
49:11proposal.
49:12We rejected it.
49:13We did not move any further.
49:15Well, they're pleading total
49:16poverty with us.
49:17And they're also saying that
49:18with the referendum, they had
49:19to promise the community that
49:21they wouldn't have any
49:22additional program cuts.
49:24It seems like the board has
49:25not taken us very seriously
49:27at all.
49:27They think that we're going to
49:29just take at the end what they
49:30offer or a little bit more.
49:31And I really think that if
49:34they're taking you seriously
49:35now, or if we want them to
49:37take you seriously about
49:38meeting the metro average by
49:40at least coming up a little
49:41bit, and then we don't settle
49:42for that, we have lost from
49:44now until eternity.
49:45I don't think they'll ever
49:46listen to us anymore.
49:48So I don't think we really
49:49have a choice.
49:49If we're going to support our
49:51negotiating team, we have to
49:52get upset.
49:53And we have to show that we're
49:54getting upset.
49:56It was not long before the
49:57teachers turned to the issue
49:58of a strike.
49:59Let's just take a straw vote
50:02right now.
50:03If you feel that you would
50:06honestly support a strike,
50:08raise your hand.
50:11If you can't stand up and say
50:13you're going to strike now in
50:15public in front of these
50:16people, you can't strike.
50:18Your decision is made.
50:20If you can't publicly say it
50:22and stand up strong, there's
50:23no sense in taking straw votes,
50:25folks.
50:25There may be a time to strike,
50:27but I wouldn't get all excited
50:29in short term, two weeks, and
50:31lay everything else you got on
50:33the line over that amount of
50:35money.
50:35We don't care about money.
50:37If you care about money, you'd
50:38be out of this profession,
50:39because you're not going to make
50:40it in this school district.
50:41We've been on pass for 27 years,
50:43every year I've been here.
50:44It's the principle of the thing.
50:46It's not money.
50:48It's the principle of the thing.
50:49You know, I'm willing to raise
50:50my hand and stand up and yell,
50:52say, hey, I'm going to strike.
50:53But, you know, that's not the
50:55end of the line.
50:56The end of the line is they'll
50:57probably bring in subs, and
50:58you'll be sitting out there in
50:59the middle of January walking
51:01there, and you'll be sitting
51:02there in February, and you'll
51:03finally have to cave in.
51:06Everybody raise your hand who
51:08can find the prepositional
51:08phrase in that sentence.
51:10Oh, I should be seeing more
51:12hands than that.
51:14Come on.
51:16Linda, read the prepositional
51:18phrase for us.
51:19To Jean and her.
51:20To Jean and her.
51:22That works.
51:24Okay, I'll take that.
51:24Good answer.
51:25Good answer.
51:26Good answer.
51:27All right.
51:28Have you had less success
51:30than you used to have?
51:37Over the years, I've had more
51:39success with students simply
51:40because with practice, I've
51:41become a more skilled teacher.
51:43Sometimes, though, many times,
51:48it seems like the job is so big
51:51that no one's capable of doing
51:55it, you know, that no one can
51:57take care of students' self-esteem,
52:00deal with some really tragic
52:03situations with different
52:04students and their personal
52:05problems, deal with the
52:08individual needs, the individual
52:10limitations as well as the
52:13individual capabilities.
52:17Plus, take care of all the
52:19paperwork and make sure all the
52:21little numbers are entered in
52:22the right square in the grade
52:23book.
52:24And sometimes it seems like such
52:27a big job, it's hard to find
52:29success.
52:30And when I do feel success with
52:33students, and I do, I feel real
52:35enthused about my job.
52:37And then there's so many times when
52:38I look back and I think, yeah,
52:40but here's something that needs
52:43to be done, and it's not getting
52:44done.
52:45And here are students, look at the
52:47number of students who leave
52:48school and can't read it, and that
52:50job isn't being done.
52:51Sometimes the job just seems so
52:53big, it's hard to find success in
52:56it.
52:58A few years ago, Judy enrolled at a
53:00local university as a part-time
53:02graduate student.
53:04She is studying for her master's in
53:06business administration and hopes to
53:08graduate this year.
53:10After a private and informal meeting
53:12between Barry and the district
53:14superintendent, the union and the
53:16school board reached a settlement.
53:19The first year of the contract
53:20offered most teachers a salary
53:22increase of only $289.
53:25In the second year, the raise in pay
53:27would go up an average of about 6%.
53:29Most teachers will lose money to
53:33inflation as their real income goes
53:35down.
53:36And they tell us that they're going
53:38to honor us in the spring and they
53:40honor us for all these little
53:41monthly things, you know, we're all
53:43teachers of the month and all that
53:44sort of bullshit.
53:45And they come along and they say,
53:46who are you?
53:47They don't give you any money to
53:49honor you.
53:50So if the district really felt like
53:51they wanted to show teachers that
53:53we don't have money but we support
53:54you and we appreciate what you do,
53:57then they could have put something in
53:59there to make it a more appealing
54:01package and I didn't see any effort
54:03to do that.
54:04The teachers were frustrated.
54:06Many were angry.
54:07But they felt they had no other
54:09choice.
54:10The majority voted to approve the
54:12settlement.
54:13But the vote was close.
54:15How would you grade the settlement
54:17off?
54:18If I would just grade it as a
54:20settlement compared to other years,
54:22it's probably an F.
54:23But if you grade it towards reality
54:26and the situation in this community
54:28and how boxed in we are with
54:30everything that's happened, it's
54:32probably a B.
54:40Judith A. Tonsek.
54:43After nearly 15 years of teaching
54:45the children of Shakopee to
54:47understand the lessons of great
54:49literature and the discipline of
54:51good grammar, Judy has decided to
54:54quit teaching.
54:56I want to feel proud of what I do.
54:58And many times I do, I think
55:00teaching is the most important job
55:01you can have because every other
55:03thing that people do relies upon
55:04their learning.
55:05So I know it's important work.
55:07Whatever I go out to do in the
55:08business world isn't going to be as
55:10important as what I do here.
55:12But it's going to be valued by
55:14society more.
55:15Nine times eight is 72.
55:1781 and seven is 88.
55:19Eight.
55:2054.
55:21Perfect.
55:22This one is yes all the way.
55:25You got it all right.
55:26You added right.
55:27It's perfect.
55:28Good for you.
55:30That's just a new skill now that
55:31you've just learned, isn't it?
55:33You know how to do that now.
55:35Do you ever think about what you'd
55:36like to be when you grow up?
55:37But I want to be a teacher when I grow up.
55:41Okay.
55:42Why?
55:43Because you do social studies and
55:47stuff like that.
55:49You can help kids out and do math
55:54and help them with reading and stuff
55:58like that.
55:59Can you tell me why you think it's
56:00important that a teacher help a kid
56:02because if they didn't help kids,
56:06they only didn't know what to do.
56:08Teaching could be rewarding and
56:10exciting for you and a wonderful
56:11lifetime career, if only.
56:14If only it were valued by our society
56:18and my community in particular.
56:21And I don't think it is.
56:23This broadcast concludes our eighth
56:30season here on public television.
56:33And this is my final program after
56:35seven terrific years, personally and
56:38professionally.
56:39I want to thank David Fanning and all
56:41the talented frontline staff.
56:43Above all, thanks to you, loyal and
56:46caring viewers who make this program
56:48so special.
56:49I'm Judy Woodruff.
56:51Good night.
56:53Good night.
57:23Frontline is produced for the documentary
57:46consortium by WGBH Boston, which is solely
57:50responsible for its content.
57:54Frontline is made possible by the
57:56financial support of viewers like you
57:58and by the Corporation for Public
58:01Broadcasting.
58:05For videocassette information about this
58:07program, please write to this address.
58:09This is PBS.
58:15This is PBS.
58:15This is PBS.
Comments