New Baltimore schools CEO Andres Alonso is already in trouble. He wants to require teachers to spend one, weekly 45-minute period engaged in collaborative planning with their colleagues. And for that, the city teachers union has gone on the attack, scheduling a no-confidence vote on the CEO. Upon hearing that the union planned such a vote, a perplexed Alonso asked, "Why? Because I've done something wrong? Because I've hurt kids?" It's not about the kids, Mr. CEO--it's about the teachers. Since the school year started, the union has asked its teachers to engage in a "work to rule" protest, in which they do only what is absolutely required of them under the current labor agreement. According to union leader Loretta Johnson, the tactic is "going great... Principals are calling and complaining. Teachers did a lot on their own, before school, after school. And now teachers are saying, ‘I'm not going to do those things. I'm only going to do what's required.'" Sounds swell, Loretta! Now if Baltimore's teachers can just get students to fail all their classes, that foolish Alonso, who actually cares about students, will really be in trouble!
"Teachers union is taking on Alonso," by Sara Neufeld, Baltimore Sun, October 1, 2007