Trained teachers can’t find jobs

After reading the article “New teachers on a mission to help KC area schools” (6/30, National/Local), I was somewhat ticked.

I attained a bachelor of science in education with a major in biology. Today there are many local graduates in education seeking positions in surrounding school systems, and they cannot find jobs. In fact, a member of my family who is a KU grad with a degree in education has been trying for more than a year to attain a position in teaching.

I do not understand how trainees who are not yet state qualified are accepted when there are others out there looking who took loans and jobs to get through school and met the state requirements for their degrees in education. There are people out there who have been tried and tested, and they want the jobs. Experience counts.

Andy White
Overland Park

Comments

[KC Educator]

I do not know what the demographics of the residents of the District are today. Through last year, 70% of the residents that resided within the KCMSD were Caucasian. The last time that a levy or a bond issue passed in the district was in 1969, which coincidentally was the last time that the majority of the students were of Caucasian descent also. Support for the District by the majority of the residents completely ended when a majority of the students in it’s schools were minority students.

In all honesty however, the support for district schools began to weaken in 1960 when, under federal court order, the school district was forced to start providing equal educational opportunities for minority school children, and end the forced segregation of the schools. For the next nine years the Caucasian community resisted change by transferring teachers of advanced subjects out of schools that had transitioned into schools with a mostly minority population to schools that had mostly Caucasian students. The most notable example was in the case when the District transferred the chemistry teacher out of Paseo High School to Southwest High School and replaced him with a teacher whose curriculum for the course was basically janitorial science. The District also redrew school boundaries to keep minority children whose parents moved into mostly Caucasian neighborhoods in the mostly minority schools that they were trying to escape from. In some cases boundaries were changed multiple times during the school year specifically around the homes of minority families. Caucasians moved out of the District specifically to make sure that their resources would not be shared with minority families, and their children would not go to school with minority children.

In the 1870 census, most people of African descent lived in rural areas of this state. By the 1950’s, most people of African descent lived in urban areas, mostly in Kansas City and Saint Louis. One of the reasons for the change is because by state law in Missouri school districts were segregated and school districts were not required to provide educational opportunities to minority children if the number of students wishing to attend the school was low enough or there was no availability of minority teachers for the school (White teachers could not legally teach minority students). Only Kansas City and Saint Louis gave minority children K-12 educational opportunities. Minority families have a history of trying to give their families the best educational opportunities. It is understandable that minority middle class families would move out of the KCMSD when the majority of the residents of the District refuse to provide the resources for quality district schools, or take responsibility for the education of district students.

All it would take from this community is a commitment that all children have the right to be educated in order to turn the KCMSD around. To this point it has been much easier to place blame than it has been to accept responsibility.

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

What defines a "good teacher"?
No one is entitled to employment. Again that is something you have to earn. The best teachers should be rewarded, the less than best should be working the drive thu window.

[JoCo]

"I remember massive campaigns to get vital school levies passed even in the sixties in KCMSD; with the greater economic well-being moving to the suburbs at that time came a greater chance of passing needed levies".--

Of course, I'm referring to levies passing more easily in the outlying districts. Meanwhile, levies in the core KC became impossible to pass.

[JoCo]

Sure am getting tired of this last bit of BS.
I've yet to see an image or glean the reason why posts are sometimes rejected the first time but will post identically the 2nd time. How 'bout some help. Mr. Editor.

[JoCo]

I graduated KCMOSD in 1969 and am now in a great suburban school district where my son graduated.

Although I would definitely agree the school district has collapsed, from the time when James Hazlett led it for TWENTY YEARS to the days now of almost annual leadership changes, I know in my case, it was financial gains that led us to a better suburban lifestyle resulting in withdrawal from the KCMSD.

That being our case and likely that of lots more, then, the city district early on became the victim of the "flight", not the cause in any way. Eventually, from 1970 to the early 1980's, the scales tipped away in all directions, leaving the city district to suffer the worsening budgetary constraints and still sliding quality.

I remember massive campaigns to get vital school levies passed even in the sixties in KCMSD; with the greater economic well-being moving to the suburbs at that time came a greater chance of passing needed levies.

So the notion that bad schools initiated the original flight is misinformed. People sought an easier lifestyle in the crabgrass and the asphalt jungle became poorer per capita leading eventually to what we have today.

I would imagine KCE, just being tipped by the tag, has a better notion than most about what to do now.

Posted by: JoCo |

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[Gary]

KC Educator, do you think there is no reason why first white, now black middle class families have abandoned the KCMOSD? Could it be the same reason why few teachers want to work there long term? Get your head out of the sand.

[KC Educator]

"A kazillion Andys' could not help that zoo called the KC school district...." - Kee

What a stupid statement.

Forty years ago the KCMSD was the most elite school system in the state. People like you abandoned the district because all of a sudden they found black students in the same classrooms as their white children. Now what you are seeing is middle class minority families abandoning the district also. People like to blame the board for the problems, and believe me they are a problem, but they fail to take responsibility for the failure of the schools themselves. The board members are elected officers. If you have abandoned the district or choose not to participate in the process, and you do not support the opportunity for every child to get a good education, you are as much to blame as anyone.

In saying all that, when it comes down to it, a good teacher can make a difference. All that is important that happens in a school happens in a classroom. Good teachers do make a difference to their students.

[Kee]

A kazillion Andys' could not help that zoo called the KC school district....

[ScooterJ]

Andy, your letter answers your own question. You are seeking positions "in surrounding school systems" instead of in the one school system that needs help the most.

[JUNGLEJACK]

Maybe there are a lot of people out there that got an education out there and communicate better than this supposed college graduate who can't even compose a decent letter... out there.

[KC Educator]

A. Dub,

As I remember, the Teach for America teachers are working in mostly urban districts that have high minority student populations. Throughout the entire year in the KCMSD there were science openings that were advertised and never filled. Those teachers are recieving the opportunity to get on the job experience in jobs that I don't believe you want to apply for. If you do want to teach, I'm sure that a job is waiting for you also.