Teaching the Wrong Lesson

While I sympathize with people being underpaid and having to work long hours, that's something most professionals do without complaint. But to intentionally cut back on work that's truly part of your job -- that's definitely unprofessional...

Berkeley students aren't getting written homework assignments because teachers are refusing to grade work on their own time after two years with no pay raise.

So far, a black history event had to be canceled and parents had to staff a middle-school science fair because teachers are sticking strictly to the hours they're contracted to work.

"Teachers do a lot with a little. All of a sudden, a lot of things that they do are just gone. It's demoralizing," said Rachel Baker, who has a son in kindergarten.

Teachers say they don't want to stop volunteering their time.

"It's hard," said high school math teacher Judith Bodenhauser. "I have stacks of papers I haven't graded. Parents want to talk to me; I don't call them back."

The action was organized by the Berkeley Federation of Teachers, which wants a cost-of-living increase next year.

District Superintendent Michele Lawrence said she sympathizes with teachers but said there isn't money for raises. She blamed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for not providing as much money to education as promised.

Oh, yeah, sure. Blame the Terminator. There's a good idea -- who's America going to believe, a school administrator or Ah-nold? Let's ask why California's legislature doesn't go part-time instead amd sve the state money to pay the teachers.

Look, I won't complain too much with teachers refusing to volunteer for events after school -- that isn't necessarily part of their job description, although we could argue about it. I still think it's unprofessional to a degree, but I'm guessing that while there are dedicated teachers who help out with extra-curricular activities, there are also slackers who let others carry the load. That happens in every profession. And to me, this is a legitimate pressure tactic for the union to use in seeking a pay raise, even though I can't stand unions in general and teacher's unions in particular. I'll leave out my problems with any group of professionals having unions for another time.

But cutting back on student homework strikes me as going a step too far. Look, most of us in the private sector have jobs that are loosely defined as 9-5, but we arrive earlier and stay later (or much later, as the case may be). That's part of the job and part of being a professional -- your time isn't dictated by the clock, but by how much work you have to complete.

I'd agree that teachers aren't paid enough for them to dedicate the same kind of time to their jobs -- but I'd also argue that certain activities are part of your job, and that assigning your students written homework (and grading it) falls within this definition. To me, the teachers are basically abdicating their responsibilities. They deserve credit for the work that they do -- we know that they don't get enough credit, or compensation -- but they also deserve criticism when they act in such a manner.

The school district may be wrong in not providing a pay raise (or maybe it's the state's fault), but two wrongs don't make a right. Unless you believe Homer Simpson. Speaking of which, perhaps this quote sums the story up, ironically enough from an episode with a teacher's strike...

Homer: "Lousy teachers, trying to palm off our kids on us!"

Lisa: "But, Dad, by striking, they're trying to effect a change in management so that they can be happier and more productive."

Homer: "Lisa, if you don't like your job, you don't strike: you just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way."

The Berkeley teachers seem to be following advice from Homer Simpson. Perhaps they should stop and consider that.