Teachers gathered on Thursday, May 11, to voice their sentiments on their job loss due to the Olympia School District (OSD)’s current reduction measures, which were revealed to them during Teacher Appreciation Week.
“Ironically, as schools across the nation celebrate and honor educators during Teacher Appreciation Week, I and other provisional employees received personal letters informing us that our contracts would not be renewed,” Lucas, a paraeducator for six years and a teacher for two, said during the meeting.
He elaborated that the letters ‘casually suggested’ that the employment assistance program might be a useful resource, and the board could have done better by writing a more heart heartfelt message.
“It reflects the devaluation of paraeducators and their work and their valuable experiences,” Lucas further stated.
“There is [a] privilege of being the staff assigned to designating what and who is on the plan for cuts – teachers do not enjoy such advantage,” said Penny, a teacher.
Penny also said that the timing of the notices during the special week is ‘unfortunate [and] demonstrative of the harsh reality that stems from the systemic bias in place.’
“The lack of transparency to explain why maintaining the same expensive administrative structure as a priority over our student-facing workforce degrades trust in the process,” Penny said.
In protest, Mario Mejia, the current acting co-president of the Olympia Paraeducator Association (OPA), attended the meeting and announced that he is stepping down from his position.
“I've come down to this decision because it has become apparent to me that our voice, our positions, and our livelihood doesn't matter to you,” Mejia addressed the board.
“I'm stepping down because you have proven to me and many others you don't care about the people I represent,” Mejia added.
Mejia had been with the OPA for three years and was set to take on the president's role until 2024 if he did not step down.
OSD Superintendent Patrick Murphy said he appreciated the feedback of the educators, “the hitting out of non-renewal ratio for staff that were displaced because our reduction plan is some of the most excruciatingly difficult work that we do.”
“Doing it in a humane and compassionate way is what we're trying to do,” Murphy said.
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northbeachcomm
This article was written in an awkward manner, I am surprised.
The Title of the Jolt article is misleading...."The Teachers were given an "Unemployment Notice"?
Another way of saying this is :"The Teachers were fired during Teachers Appreciation
Week". The Jolt seems to be bending over-board not to offend anyone?
We must use the correct wording.
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