BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, DATE, 2019) — There’s a brain-drain in the Pittsfield Public Schools, and if things “stand pat,” there will be no reasonable expectation the situation will magically correct itself, not with a selfish superintendent and a MIA school committee. Supt. Jason “JIV” McCandless tried to jump out of the free-falling department and pull the ripcord, but the chute failed. He appeared in line to get a job as super of the Silver Lake School District in the state, but at the last-minute, Silver Lakers came to their senses.

“Mrs. Quimby,” a source at Mercer (PSD’s headquarters), told THE PLANET JIV “made it to the final two or three.” Silver Lake then did “extensive research” JIV not just as head of Pittsfield schools but also his time in Lee. What they found, she said, “scared them away.”  We wonder how can we say ‘Goodbye’ to JIV if he doesn’t leave?

The brain drain refers to (a) the hemorrhaging of many of the best students to other districts (cost to taxpayers $5 million) and (b) the exodus of teachers. It’s near-impossible to get an official number, but the one being batted about is 75 teachers given up the ghost. THE PLANET previously has addressed the mass migration of students. We have not talked about why so many teachers are leaving. In response to a reader suggestion, our Secret Squadron managed to get four recently departed teachers to speak with us. They did not want names used citing citing concerns about retribution from city hall and Mercer.

Stop right there. What does that tell you about the state of the state in our beloved city?

THE PLANET‘s exit interviews were with the four horsewomen: H1, H2, H3, and H4. They taught in middle or high school. One of the challenges about writing this was to find the best way to present the contents of nearly 10 hours of interviews. We decided on a digest, sprinkled in with some direct quotes.

The first surprise: Why they DIDN’T leave. They didn’t leave because of money. All agreed the compensation package is “fair enough.” State DOE figures show the average remuneration for a Pittsfield teacher exceeds $88,000 a year. So why DID they leave?

They cited:

• Overwork — This included excessive paperwork and the “draining bureaucratic nonsense.” This ate up time and energy better used in the classroom and lesson prep.
• Unsupportive administration — Administrators did not have their backs. When they were wrongly accused by a parent or student, for example, the administration would back the accuser sight unseen. Reprimands were “political” and usually led to being “written up.” H2 told a story of asking a question in class and calling on a student. Some other student complained. The principal admonished H2, saying the proper way is to ask the question and then let the students discuss it among themselves. Period. Hard and fast rule. No exceptions. THE PLANET asks: How stupid is that, and who comes up with these rules?
• Undervalued — The administration’s political nature means if you get promoted to Rug Row, too often it’s not what but who you know. Pet teachers were golden. Those without administrative blessings were targeted and harassed.

• Parents — Universally cited. Too often, punk students would complain to parents, who would then charge the principal’s office. The principal would a priori take the brat’s side. H1 had a kid kick her and call her “a fucking cunt” in the classroom in front of 17 other students. The administration told H1 to be “more sympathetic” because the student came from a “troubled home.” H4 tried to enforce the district policy on smart phones in class. She, too, felt parental wrath and got written up by the administration.
• Scapegoating — The feeling that “all social problems are being dumped on us.”
• Social Media — The district policy on smart phones is routinely ignored. Kids rule the classroom.
• Cookie Cutter — All four felt camped in teaching their classes. The district, they said, “crushes individuality” in teaching styles with too much insistence on boiler-plate lessons.
• Curriculum — Each lamented not having any input in curriculum.
• School Committee — THE PLANET found unanimous consent among teachers about the school committee’s lack of presence. They were derided as “politicians” unconcerned about the educational welfare of students.
• Burnout — Overwork, undervalued, and being thrown under the bus buy your boss. No mystery there.
• Teaching to the Test — Student performance is based on district scores, leading to “narrow” classroom teaching. All the women cited the enormous pressure from administration to produce inflated test scores “by whatever means.”

Noe of this is good. Within this framework, it’s enlightening to see the contrast in mayoral candidates incumbent Linda Tyer and challenger Melissa Mazzeo.

Mazzeo is the only one to issue a position paper exclusively devoted to schools. In it, she said: “At last Tuesday (10/15) Educators’ Debate the topic of recruiting and retaining teachers came up. This debate discussion was followed up by the Pittsfield School Committee’s discussion over the alarming trend of teachers leaving the district, even after the start of school. Over half of the 2019/2020 school year’s new teacher hires are on waivers. Being on a waiver means the teacher has no formal teacher training and [is] not fully credentialed.” Mazzeo said “As Mayor, it will be among my highest priorities to fully understand this disturbing trend and correct it.” Mazzeo said as mayor she would “create a Cabinet of Teachers and Principals. The cabinet will initially meet monthly to discuss all matters facing schools on a day-to-day basis. I will use these discussions — these first hand accounts — as a way to guide leadership in supporting the educators on the front lines.”

Mazzeo also brought up the need for the school committee to be regular participants in the schools. She stated, “School Committee members need to be present. They should be recognizable faces to the teachers and school staff Committee members must be in the school, witnessing how their votes and decisions are affecting educators and in turn children.”

THE PLANET searched the Tyer and Mazzeo campaign websites. Tyer had nothing on schools or education. Mazzeo had a section on “Schools” on her “Issues” page. She writes:

SCHOOLS

Next let’s talk schools. Similar to our high quality police officers in Pittsfield we also have high quality educators. That said, why are there currently 5 schools falling into corrective action by the state? Could it be that so many of our teachers are leaving in record numbers for other districts? And why are this city’s valued educators leaving in mass exodus? I deeply believe that we need to let our teachers teach and the only way we can do that is for the mayor’s office to directly interact with groups of teachers to better understand their needs and create programs that are teacher-friendly and teacher and principal-centric.

1) The School Committee needs to go into the schools at least once a month to meet with teachers;

2) I will create a cabinet of teachers and principals that I will meet with once a month for a roundtable discussion with the central administration to make certain that resources are being well-managed within the schools.

What I have observed is a growing administration and a lessening of valuable resources going directly into the schools. What I hear from teachers and principals is far too much time spent needing to adhere to rules set by a burgeoning administration rather than understanding the nuances and unique needs of each and every school and their children. Again, my mantra is budget, budget, budget. How are tax dollars being spent that provide the one essential we as a city must demand…teach our children in optimal learning environments. And I want to say something very important to you about my interest in the budget. Mayor Tyer and her team are making statements that my interest in the budget will result in the dismissal of police, firemen, and teachers. That is absurd. Given that we are under-staffed in the police department and we have teachers leaving in droves, what Administration in their right mind would let these invaluable employees go? Shame on the Tyer campaign for, again, reverting to spreading falsehoods and going negative.

THE PLANET leaves it to you, dear readers, to make up your own mind about who is being more responsive to what is a crisis of confidence on perhaps the most vital city department.

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“I’m the Burning Bush, I’m the burning fire, I’m a bleeding volcano” — The Rolling Stones, “I’m So Hot for You.”

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

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