News Feb 26, 2011 at 8:21 am

Comments

1
I want Margaret Atwood's hooded coat - and her diction.
2
Are we supposed to feel sorry for those teachers because they're dealing with the anxiety of possibly being laid off?
Welcome to the real world. The best lesson in life is that there is no such thing as job security.
Maybe they'll sublimate that anxiety into improving their performance.
3
raindrop, how is it supposed to improve your performance when you're getting laid off no matter how good your performance is/was?
4
It's a sad day for animals in the Morning News.

It is also way too fucking cold out. I plan on spending it engulfed in the King Of Limbs.

That is all.
5
Jesus, they're not going to lay off all of their teachers. The deal is, under their collective bargaining agreement with the teachers, this kind of notice is required beforehand. Yeah, some of them will probably end up being laid off, but I doubt that it will be more than a handful.

But that wouldn't be "news," would it?
6
Woot! Shout-out to Robertson Davies!
7
@3: Great question!
Most corporations have performance reviews for all employees, all the way up to VPs and executive management. No matter well they perform, they still need to meet or exceed their objectives and commitments. That model hasn’t been there for public employee teachers and that’s too bad. I’m sure that most of Providence’s teachers are good-to-great teachers. But I can’t think of any profession where improved performance cannot be continuous goal.

And, I speak from experience. I had a similar Sword of Damocles over my head last year but was laid off anyway – after 15 years! I did my best work during those few months.
8
When contemporary Canadian and European journalists interviewed Atwood about The Handmaid's Tale, they asked about how she came up with such a bizarre, dystopian vision of the future, and an inconceivably cruel, fundamentalist, sadistic, totalitarian government. When US journalists interviewed her, they asked "so how long have we got?"
9
Margaret used to be a lot more fun at parties.
10
@3: Acutally, the answer really is: improve your performance anyway for the students.
11
Well, agreed, raindrop. I think we should always be pushing ourselves to be better in our professions and our personal lives.
12
FTE, I thought that was obvious, but maybe not. Cheers to you on this sunny day!
13
@7

That is a great, inspiring story! I share your joy in getting fired in spite of doing your best. You must have been so proud to get canned by a company that was so adept at looking out for its own interest without getting all sentimental.

Points off for your lack of selfishness, however. Don't you realize the market fails if actors don't make rational choices that serve only their own best interest? You know what happens if everybody becomes as selflessly docile to their corporate masters as you are? COMMUNISM! COMMUNISM!

Next time, do capitalism a favor and put YOUR needs first. Take care of yourself first and foremost and we all win. And by looking out for your self interest, I mean, of course, join a union. Join a union now, before communism swallows us all in it's dark maw of selfless loyalty to the group above the individual.

Get thee in a union. Our free market system demands it.
14
@ raindrop,

How should teachers' performance be evaluated?
15
@14

Oh, oh, oh, I know! Tie teachers' evaluations to pointless, learning free testing that is geared towards only a specific type of student!
16
Maybe what we need is parenting evaluations. The best teachers in the world don't mean anything if the parents are not suitable for parenting. Send the parents layoff notices and let's see what happens.

Raindrop dear, I'm sorry you were laid off, and I'm sure you worked extra hard packing curlers or whatever it was you did, but wishing similar misery on others is just boorish. You should be ashamed of yourself.

And don't hog the terminal, dear. I'm sure the librarians would appreciate it if you did your business and let other people have some internet time.
18
If the teachers are laid off, the are rehired according to seniority, if the are terminated, the district can hire who ever they want back, regardless of seniority. In other words those with the lowest pay and least amount of experience.
19
No matter how many times I look, I always have a typo. I'm a real retard.
20
Correct self-assessment is the first step to improvement, Rotten.

In response to your comment at 18, I suspect that pay levels are part of it, but getting rid of tenured dead wood is probably in play too.
21
@16: Thanks Catalina. I bouned back. You're wrong about inflicting misery though. It's only miserable if you don't have a plan.
22
@17,
You're being sarcastic, right?
23
I'm so happy for you, Raindrop. And it's good to know they are hiring in light manufacturing and assembly! Is it something related to the stimulus plan?

And please go back and re-read what I said. I scolded you about wishing misfortune on others. My scold still stands.
24
@23: You're right. As soon as I clicked I thought I goofed on that.

I know you're still irked, but that stain will come out!
25
"Tomorrow: Officially John T. Williams Day, says Mayor Mike McGinn."

Jesus fucking christ. *eyeroll* Maybe after this we can all move along and forget about this sad excuse for a human being? Dude got shot that was a bummer. He wasn't the fucking messiah.
27
@25 Fuck Off- citizens are made examples of all the time by the justice system at the whim of a judge. This cop needs jail-time.

Commuted his privileged soccer playing ass into the city for a union wage, where real people are struggling in the streets no less.

Seattle should go Egypt on these fuckers but no, someone in Wisconsin has been asked to pay a little more for their own medical care.

Where is the Chief Sealth Club in Pioneer Square? I'm going and I can't find it's address online...

Please wait...

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