I just don't know what to make of this story, so I'm simply going to put it up for discussion. 
 
Kathleen Beeman of the Tampa Tribune wrote about a workshop for Pinellas County teachers and school officials entitled "Administrators' Role in Reducing African-American Male Disciplinary Referrals." The workshop, presented by Martha Bireda of the Southeastern Equity Center, offered these tips for dealing with African-American male students: 
 

• Black males have a keen sense of personal space. If someone points a finger in their face, they will remove it.
• Lowered eyes are a culturally-approved manner of showing respect among blacks. But some teachers perceive this as disrespect.
• Blacks tend to be expressive and emotional. As they become excited they become louder. This does not mean they are becoming aggressive.
• Black males have an overwhelming need to have their say. If not given a chance to explain, they will find a way to express themselves, even if it is in a negative way.
• Public shaming of black males will almost always result in negative reactions.

Last week, discussing an AP story on substitute teacher shortages, EIA reported that the state of Kentucky utilizes subs who have only a high school diploma. Tim Dedman of the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board (and NEA Board of Directors, busy man) wanted to be sure you knew the circumstances under which these emergency subs are used. They are already classified employees of the district (aides, for example), receive basic training and can only be used if the district certifies that the alternative would be no coverage at all for the class. The program is being piloted in five districts. 

One state has avoided the teacher shortage problem that seems to be plaguing the nation. Rhode Island is enjoying a surplus of certified teachers and has for 20 years. Why? According to the Providence Journal-Bulletin (subsequently picked up by the Associated Press): "One possible answer might be the pay of teachers relative to other workers in the state. In 1996-97, Rhode Island teachers earned an average of $43,084, compared to an average pay of $26,129 for workers in the private sector, according to a report by the American Federation of Teachers. Only Pennsylvania had a larger gap between teacher pay and the pay of private-sector workers." EIA expects the lead story in next month's NEA Today to read: "Right- wing researchers infiltrate AFT!" 

A new report by the Idaho Education Association reveals that in the last ten years, the salaries of the state's district superintendents rose an average of 61 percent, while those of teachers grew by only 47 percent. School board members cited the competition for administrators as the primary reason for the rise in salaries. Apparently no one complained about "apples and oranges." 

Meanwhile, school board members in Hawaii are questioning the moving expenses of new Superintendent Paul LeMahieu. Moving LeMahieu from Delaware to Honolulu will cost state taxpayers $35,000. About $1,250 of that is the cost of flying LeMahieu's Labrador retriever to Hawaii. 

The scope of collective bargaining is coming under some scrutiny lately. La Rae Munk of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy undertook the Herculean task of studying the teacher contracts of every one of Michigan's 583 school districts. School board members will benefit from her plain-language insights into the negotiating process (Munk is a labor attorney and former union president) and her recommendations are applicable in every state. Munk also compiled the per-pupil spending, average salaries and pupil-teacher ratio for every district in Michigan, data which opens the door for comprehensive research and cost comparisons in the state. The Mackinac Center can be reached at (517) 631-0900 or mcpp@mackinac.org. 

Julia Steiny also addressed collective bargaining in a column in the Providence Journal-Bulletin. "Cutting the schools loose from the intrusive micromanagement of those over-written, largely antiquated, litigious-society-gone-mad documents called teachers' contracts would enhance the professional considerably," Steiny writes. "The time is right for unions to ride in on white horses and become the champions of change, and especially the champions of responsiveness." 

Gene Neely, president of Kansas NEA, apologized to union members for sending out negative mailings in the recent Republican primaries without identifying KNEA as the source. One mailing targeted state House incumbent Vince Cook, claiming he had child support and tax problems. "The reaction of our members was swift and nearly unanimous that it was wrong," said Neely. "I have promised the members we will not do the same thing in November, and we are taking steps for beyond November." Neely identified KNEA political director Craig Grant as the inspiration for the mailings, but added, "Craig's not in any difficulty with me whatsoever." 

The Professional Educators of Iowa has opened an office and hired a full-time staff, signaling its effort to become a viable alternative to the Iowa State Education Association. It has an uphill climb. ISEA outnumbers PEI by 40 to 1. "They represent no one," said ISEA spokesman Bill Sherman. 

Copies of EIA's report, "One Yard Below: Education Statistics from a Different Angle," are still available via snail mail. The report contains 14 tables of state rankings on various measures of education spending and administration, including salary/benefit ratio, classroom teachers as a percentage of education employees, starting salaries and "climb," teacher demographics, and much more -- all of it written in plain English (no Educanto!). Best of all, it's free! Contact EIA at PO Box 2047, Carmichael CA 95609, or at any of the numbers on this page. 

Quote of the Week: "Our big fear has always been that children may be shortchanged with the comprehensive education if we're focusing all of our time and energy with reading, writing and math." — John Wilson, executive director of the North Carolina Association of Educators.