Some Texas Teachers Left to Clean Up Budget Cut Mess
DRIPPING SPRINGS — Just as Judy Gardner answered the phone last Wednesday afternoon, a coach stuck his head into her empty classroom.
He wanted to know if she had swept her floor yet, because he had students offering to do it as community service.
Entering the new year, Gardner’s district can say something that fewer and fewer schools in Texas can — that no teachers have been laid off as a result of state budget cuts. But the Dripping Springs Independent School District has eliminated custodial positions, and that has left teachers there with new tasks once the school bell rings ...
Comments (16)
Elle Jons
Were all classrooms' floors spic and span within 15 minutes of dismissal when custodians had their jobs? Why does sweeping take precedence over giving students help? If a parent drops in with a question about their child, are they ignored while the broom comes out? Who are the Broom Police? What's so magic about that 15 minutes after dismissal? Dripping Springs, you've once again proven just where Learning is, on your list of priorities. Love the punitive nature of the dreaded "you'll be reported and shamed" punishment.
I'm waiting for the headline, "Errant Gum Wrapper Responsible for Firing of 2010 Teacher of the Year".
Get a grip, y'all!
patricia bird
Simply a disgrace that Texas cares so little about teachers and the classroom...why aren't the parents of these kids volunteering to clean - I hear parents complain that teachers don't do enough, but this is sad...Dripping Springs needs to contact Gov Perry and ask him, while he is fund raising for his political career, if he can raise a few extra dollars to help the schools in TX
Sandy Burton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I would suggest the teachers recruit students to help out, maybe for extra credit, or as an alternative to ISS?
Ronnie Odom via Texas Tribune on Facebook
And violate their civil rights?
Marie Rosenbaum Harvey via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This is a shameful situation in a state I love!!
Richard Stewart via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I think it's an excellent Idea Sandy ! Only if the Child is not a danger to other Students..
Jimmy Couch via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Seaprate School and State
Kim Possible via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I use to clean my own classroom when I taught. No biggie.
sean1957
No Kim Possible, here is the problem, the district has you clean up the class within a time frame, right after school. Never mind you might have a kid who needs help in chemistry or economics.
I really have a problem with the administrator calling you down for not cleaning your room up within the certain time frame. If you are not the best cleaning person in the world, but you are a heck of a history teacher, are they going to fire you for a questionable teacher, but a good cleaner? Don't tell me, it won't happen....
Bill Carson
If those teachers would pray harder, those floors would clean themselves.
Bret Maxwell
I think the time constraints are too rigid and seem to be addressing a problem that didn't exist before the new procedures were put in place. With the exception of the time constraints, this is no big deal. I WOULD like to see some of the typical, bloated bureaucracy types leave their district administration buildings each day and go to assigned schools and where they can take care of these classrooms themselves. You can bet the administration buildings still have all of their custodians and the offices are a ghost town after 5 PM.
Allison Williams
I've got a better solution. Let the legislators clean the schools.
Lisa Felske
They still have enough money to pay someone to write a manual, and to pay administrators to monitor the work. I wonder how much that is costing.
Erin Anderson
Students should definitely help to sweep up and take out trash in THEIR classrooms! Many kids don't have to do any "chores" at home, so this will teach them about responsibility and maybe even encourage them to keep their classrooms cleaner to begin with. (Remember when kids stayed after class to clean the chalkboards and erasers? For some it was a punishment, but for kids who admired their teachers it was considered a privilege to help.)
Matt Prewett
I noticed the following text in the article:
Gardner, who is the president of the Dripping Springs Education Association
I assume this is a local chapter of the NEA / TSTA teachers union.
Amy Long
I am A parent with Three children in this school system, after moving here...? I learned that the busing cuts to this district are putting my children's lives at risk everyday. Government decisions would be better to cut busing all together. As hard for families as it may be. Its already made a negative impact for me. If schools are too expensive to run then I think online schools should be next years government solution to economical and national cuts. There are states and schools where taking away busing does not endanger children while forcing the burden of transportation and high fuel prices on parents and schools. If our government can't afford to educate our children then maybe its time to go back to one room schools with computers rather than slates. Communities could share in what the gov. thinks is a huge financial burden of educating our children which our State no longer wants to afford. I am also the underpaid janitor in my house and will do what it takes to keep my house clean in the best interest of those around me.