Reviewing Teacher's Files

I am new to RoaneViews, but I'm not new to Roane Co. I was raised in Harriman and attended school there from the 6th grade til graduation in 1972. I had many, many excellent teachers. Probably my most favorite from high school was Nancy Thompson. She instilled in all of us that there was no such thing as a dumb question! I live by that principle today and expound on it by saying often, "The unasked question has NO for an answer! Always, always ASK!"

I do not dispute that teachers have an incredibly difficult job. Discipline is much more difficult today than when I attended elementary school. If I were to get a spanking (NEVER happened) at school, I knew full-well that I'd get one when I got home, too. That is, IF my parents deemed that the teacher had not erred in doing so. Yes, teachers can and do err! And, accepting a child's side of the story is very important, and my parents would listen any time I had an issue with one of my teachers.

I had my share of teachers who were not quite so thrilled to have such a spirited debater in their class. But, on the whole, most all of my teachers knew that I was not a trouble-maker. One of my teachers, Mrs. Ballard, (home economics) at Cumberland Jr. High, asked another student what she had done to make me react with a slap across the face with an eraser. Mrs. Ballard knew I would never do something like that without adequate provocation. I wouldn't start a fight, but I surely wouldn't care to finish one if you wanted to start one with me. And, that extended to a few teachers, too. I often respectfully disagreed with a teacher because I KNEW there was more than one answer, and more to the point, I was never afraid of being called stupid!

We must instill in our children that authority is to be respected, but also to be questioned and not followed blindly. My grandchildren do not live in as safe a world as I did. To teach them NOT to question authority is just plain dangerous.

I believe firmly as Hillary Clinton said so many years ago, "It takes a village!" All of society bears the burden when a child or entire generation or several generations encounter teachers who have lost the desire to teach. When I hear talk in the community of elementary school teachers making statements such as "Why would you ask such a stupid question?" or connecting in any way the words dumb or stupid with the word question, I just come unglued! What IS that teacher thinking? OR IS SHE/HE THINKING AT ALL? This is pure and simple bullying at it's most basic level. AND, it's not fair and should not be tolerated! Do other teachers know of this? Are they equally guilty by not speaking up? Has the administration done their own form of bullying so that good teachers are afraid to speak up?

And, so it is, that I have come to ask to review a certain teacher's file. Many, many people, so I've heard, have encountered this particular teacher in the past. If the teacher denies making such statements, then that's easily verified by asking past and present students and their parents. AND, it should be verified. We don't want teachers to be falsely accused. But, if a teacher DID do so, then disciplinary action is called for - tenure or not!

If there is no reference to such a problem having been reported in the past, I question just what are PARENTS thinking. When your child comes to you with information such as this, you have an obligation not only to your own child, but to every child who encounters this teacher to validate their concern with a letter to be permanently placed in that teacher's file. Good teachers won't mind if you place letters of commendation in their files, and, too, it's equally important to praise as well as criticize.

A teacher will not be successful in teaching if they don't practice what they teach. You cannot stand in front of children and tell them not to call each other stupid if you're doing so yourself! And, saying a child's question is stupid IS the same as calling that child stupid. They hear the word "stupid" and the desire to ask questions is cut off possibly for life.

Thankfully, I no longer have children in the school system. Unfortunately, though, I do have grandchildren who are being home-schooled, and I am quite fearful they will not receive as well-rounded an education as they deserve. That's not my call, though. Homeschooling - that's another story all by itself!

If you have concerns, please don't wait to ask to see the teacher's file. And, place your written concern in that file so that anyone who comes after you will be able to point to it and ask the administration - why is this STILL a problem all these years later. Then, write your letter for the administration's file! They have one, too, and they are all open for public viewing. Assert yourself, be an advocate for all those who can't or don't know how to stand up for what's right.

Glad you're here, and glad to see a reasoned exposition of your thoughts. It sounds like many of them are born of experience.

Help us in following your advice:

When we do want to see a teacher's file, or an administrator's file, where and in what form do we make the request? And, should we encounter resistance, where and what are the legal references we can use to make sure we are allowed to see what we need to see?

Thanks! And again - welcome.

Thanks, RB

This topic seems to be particularly relevant in light of the national news out of Penn State about Jerry Sandusky. People who see and know about wrongdoing within the confines of our elementary schools NEED to step up and stop the abuse and speak LOUDLY so the administration hears them AND ACTS ON THEIR REPORTS!

I know teachers have a hard job. My intent is NOT to make that harder. I only want GOOD teachers to REPORT what they hear as they walk thru the halls. NO ONE should turn a blind eye toward a teacher's failings. They need help. Get them into counseling if they're burned out or stressed and NOT giving our children their best.

I went in last week to review what I expected would be a complete file. Instead, I was given a folder which contained about 10 - 15 pages of mostly job application, college transcript and the teacher's "Educational Philosophy". That one document is all I bothered to have copied.

I asked where the Performance reviews/evaluations were. The assistant to Dr. McGriff just shrugged - she didn't know! Really? She suggested I call the Principal of the school. I asked why she didn't know - had no one in the entire history of this school district ever asked to see a teacher's file? You guessed it - she said, Never! Seriously?

I called the Principal and after leaving 2 messages for him, he called me back and seemingly quite begrudgingly spoke with me for 4 min. I asked him if I could sit in on this teacher's classroom. He said they don't allow that. He would not answer anything telling me that I needed to speak with Central! Here we go again. Central office personnel says ask the principal; Principal says ask Central.

The point here is that if no one bothers to ask, no one learns. I'm all about learning and asking questions is very important to accomplishing this. But, it's clear that apathy is killing America in all respects. Our children's education is no exception. WAKE UP! America!

Director of Schools, Toni McGriff, called me on Friday because her assistant was out. She wondered who I was and why would I want to look at this teacher's file. She asked if I had a child in the class? No! A grandchild? No! I asked if I had to have a reason. She said, "No, but normally someone who doesn't have a child or grandchild in the teacher's class usually doesn't care." I told her I believe EVERYONE in the community suffers when we have teachers who are making children feel like their questions are stupid. She didn't disagree with me, but went on to say that she suspected there was more to it than I was saying. Asked me if I was someone hoping to right a wrong. Does she think that's a bad thing? For an ordinary citizen to step up to investigate a teacher for doing the "wrong" thing. I guess we can easily see how it took so long for Sandusky to be brought to task for his wrongdoings.

I assured Dr. McGriff that very simply I had heard talk of this teacher in the community, and I wanted to know more about this teacher. More to the point, I want this report investigated. She told me that this teacher had been given teacher of the year a couple of years ago. So? She said she had spoken with a boy that very day and asked what he thought of the teacher. He said that she was hard, but he liked her. Does Dr. McGriff seriously believe that asking ONE student a passing question clears this teacher? Sadly, that seems to be the case.

EVERY citizen needs to take an active part in their school system. I asked Dr. McGriff what the Family and Community Advisory Council's purpose was. She did not even know what I was talking about so I read to her Policy #6.26 on (link...). This was issued Aug 18, 2005! That was over 6 years ago! Now that's very sad that the Director of Schools had no idea of what seems to be such a good resource tool. Policy #6.26 reads in part... This Council will annually assess, through consultation with parents, the effectiveness of the Family and Community Engagement Program and determine what action needs to be taken, if any, to increase parental and community participation. In order to accomplish this, each advisory council shall be composed of representatives from parents of students in elementary, middle and high schools, community business leaders, a member of the school board and representatives from the school district. I would like to volunteer!

I haven't yet written my request to see the teacher's performance reviews and ALL other files open to the public, but I plan on doing that soon. Dr. McGriff was none too thrilled because as she said, "We're very busy and we have to spend time redacting that file for public viewing." Oh well, busy or not, they'll just have to make time to provide this information. That's the law! Anyone can ask and NO ONE SHOULD BE DETERRED FROM DOING SO.

If anyone feels threatened by doing so, just call or email me. I'll be glad to ask for you and report here what I find.

And, read all there is on the (link...). Any parent with a complain should NOT do so verbally. Put it in writing. It is required to be investigated and if NOT substantiated removed from the teacher's file. But, if I don't see any parent complaints in any of the files, it seems quite obvious to me that 1) not one parent wrote a complaint, 2) all complaints against the teacher were found to be without merit and removed or 3) no one bothers because who will ever know - no one ever asks to see a teacher's file.

ASK - you might actually get what you ask for.

Carol Berry Redd
Certified Public Accountant

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