UTNO and RSD, Better Together

The United Teachers of New Orleans, UTNO, is needed now because it is the only post-Katrina organization that can bring together all of our public schools. Yes, Unions in general have this reputation of squabbling with management fighting for trivial benefits. Teachers Unions are also notorious for being anti-change. I’m a new Teacher to New Orleans and from what I can see, that changed.

UTNO is transforming. In a post-Katrina environment without a collective bargaining agreement they now have a more student betterment centered focus. This is the same focus that brought me to Teach For America.

I joined UTNO last week because with the division that exists between RSD, NOPS, BESE and everyone else in this city who has a hand in education I want to be part of a unifying force that promotes student achievement. Differences between charter schools and regular schools, state schools and local schools, and every degree in between allows no way to address common problems or benefit from our combinded strentgth.

Only UTNO is in a position to change that. As a teacher’s union they can work with school systems to make sure that the travesties of last year are not repeated and that our students do not have to again suffer.

Visiting my new high school last week I heard horror stories about the RSD and powerless school employees. I was told about a teacher who was told by state employees that she might get fired for trying to fix a paper jam in a state owned copier. I was also told about the concept of lampooning whereby two schools happen in one building, one school starting at 6:30 in the morning, the other starting after lunch. I was told about how text books and teaching supplies often did not arrive at school until well after the school year started. Giving UTNO the right to represent teachers in the RSD would help stop these absurdities and position our children to learn.

By granting the UTNO Union the right to collectively bargain with the RSD we let teachers take a stand on issues that affecting student education. That’s why I joined UTNO. I want my voice to be heard not just through the achievement of my students, but also with my peers that are fighting the same struggles.

My peers last year quit the profession of teaching, opted for early retirement, rather than be a part of a new system where the needs of special needs high school students could not be cared for. Teachers quit because they were forced to tell students over half way through the school year about an attendance policy that would count absences retroactively thereby automatically failing some students. A policy put in place without written notification being sent to the parents before hand. Many of those who choose not to quit choose to stay in their evacuated regions where they are being paid more and treated with more respect. This cannot be allowed to stand.

In the words of Superintendent Paul Vallas, we’ve only got two years to make it right before rigitty starts to set in again. We have to push forward.

UTNO has to be part of this push forward. As the only common tread for teachers around this city we cannot afford to throw away the opportunity to pool resources, knowledge and advocacy. Denying UTNO a way to advocate for change with the RSD is a loss for the children of New Orleans. With a RSD – UTNO partnership teachers could do enact powerful positive change. We could hold more than immunization drives such as the one on August 18th. We could better cut the confusion for parents on how to navigate the new schools systems. We could communicate and resolve real problems that our students face in the classrooms proactively.

Everyone agreed that for the New Orleans school system Katrina wiped the slate clean. The community for the first time saw the opportunity to break the stagnation that had corroded educational achievement. Now UTNO and RSD must partner to use this unique opportunity to excel for our children and our city.