Teachers in the Trenches

Recently the California State University trustees approved the salary for the new president of San Diego State even though Governor Brown urged them not to, cautioning that this “approach to compensation is setting a pattern for public service that we cannot afford.” The total price tag is about $400,000, or $100,000 higher than the guy he is replacing. I can’t imagine what he’s bringing to the table to get that kind of a pay increase!

On that same day, the same trustees voted for a 12 percent increase in student tuition.

Does that make any sense to you?

I have nothing against school administrators; I just don’t see why they are worth so much more than teachers. If you look back on your school years, do you recall your favorite teacher or your favorite administrator?

My three kids have gone through the public school system here in Novato, then on to the CSUs, two with postgraduate degrees. They first attended San Ramon Elementary, which was a joyous experience start to finish.

I was taught by nuns at my grade school in suburban Philadelphia, so I was totally unprepared for all the warm and fuzzy stuff.  For some divine reason, if you were left-handed back then, the good nuns would force that devil out of you by making you write right-handed until you figured it out. When my southpaw was struggling in a right-handed world, her teacher snagged her lefty colleague and they both worked with her after school, happy to do so, until she was comfortable being different.

For a short time our son was having a little problem minding his S’s and Q’s — so a squirrel became a “quirrel" — and there was help for that, too. Not only that, these teachers’ were downright excited by their efforts!  My husband and I enthusiastically reciprocated doing our part to give back, and it was a win-win partnership.

The first principal was a former teacher in the district, and he was superb. I never really had much contact with the next principal who was a true administrator until one of our other kids fell off the play structure in second grade (they didn’t have the cushy stuff yet) and broke her leg. There was a distinct edge to our conversations with her as to what happened and who was responsible and who was going to pay the medical bills and would there be any ensuing litigation. No need to worry there; we would be forever loyal to her army doing battle in the trenches behind the front office!

Next up, Sinaloa Middle School. Some of the mushy was replaced with responsibility and discipline, just enough each year. A lot of sports, a lot of school spirit, a lot of great teachers.

The high school years — and we did both local schools — offered the first inklings of job dissatisfaction, teachers more worried about their raises and benefits and sharing this information with their students, inappropriate at best. Apathy ruled at one, diversity shined at the other.

Next up the CSUs, and we did two of them, too. Except we were no longer involved as parent partners, but we listened intently as our children would convey their frustrations when class time was wasted by staff lamentations, and a line was drawn in the sand between faculty and administration and presented in detail to the students. A reflection of respect that was taught so carefully in the early years was often disregarded. Over a dozen times a trip was made to class, a drive of 40 minutes or more, only to find a note on the door saying class was cancelled. A simple email would have saved gas money and valuable student time, as these were college kids now with jobs and responsibilities just like their teachers.

Teaching is a calling as the saying goes and it’s disappointing to think the joy of educating students’ wanes so much as the years move forward. Maybe it’s because teachers are so burned up that the new kid on the administrative block is making five times their salaries. Unfortunately this anger can be an all-encompassing occupation in itself and leaves scant time for the joy of teaching and learning.

Trustees, you need a new lesson plan.