Comments on: Mining for home-grown teaching talent

By: Fancy Nancy

Fancy Nancy — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:41:54 +0000

Actually, the yrear I am scheduled to retire will be exactly 100 years after my grandparent graduated high school in Oakland…our family has lived, worked, and educated in Oakland for over 100 years…Now, on the issue of Black Male Status in employment in the OUSD, that is very different than the status on the street obviously…my comment refers to obvious reverse discrimination (fueled by hate of past historical effects of racism)…I would like to know how to “pad” a salary…Perhaps, the teacher who wrote the article should take a course in Family and Consumer Economics and then breaksown his “padded” salary and what the purchasing power is…a teacger’s salary, equivalent to a beginning police officer in Oakland, allows for 1/3rd take-home pay for rent (next to the inmate families and good families he/she serves), 1/3 for childcare/preschool, and the last 1/3 takehome for food, gas, and other necessities of life. I just would like to see the Math. Last, your wrong “guess” about where I am from also applies to you obvious reversed racist guess about my status, yet in the end we were all created in God’s image, which is diverse, otherwise we all would not be present and diverse on this Earth. People who are different, or have experienced a different kind of pain, whether through racism, sexism, languageism , and/or classism, does not mean their experience is any less, nor does it justify the oppressed to oppress, etc…etc..etc…

By: Anti Elitist

Anti Elitist — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:40:57 +0000

Wow! Fancy, I’m guessing you’re not from the Bay… Are you actually claiming that being African American and male is somehow a status of privilege in Oakland? I think I’d have to question YOUR math on that claim! Ridiculous! Your logic is exactly why we need home-grown teachers! Anyone raised in Oakland would clearly see that being African American and male does not give one automatic privileges (unless you include being pulled over regularly by the police)! Why do you assume that character is not what allows Mr. Knight to find extra work? Hmmmm… Also, if you were from Oakland you might get that LaRavian is Ms. Math Teacher, not Mr!

Anyhow, I am very much in favor of encouraging local youth to teach in Oakland. Some of the best young teachers I know are Fremont High graduates. That’s not to be divisive, it’s just true. I fail to see how promoting more of that is divisive. TFA’s who by definition are not local, are also very well prepared and dedicated, but they tend not to represent our student body culturally. In the best case scenario, Oakland would support its teachers enough to retain all who are dedicated, no matter where we are from.

By: Nancy (Fancy)

Nancy (Fancy) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:40:32 +0000

The figures just don’t add up…Purchase a home?…Save for a child’s education?…Vacations?…Where did you get your down payment is one question…What was the total cost of the home is another question and how much of a loan did or could you qualify for is still another?…others tba?

First, your ability to “pad” your salary is an insider scheme…as well as the fact that your status…A/A Male from Oakland…allows you to coach for one and to actually be an “insider” to get preference both formally and in the view of public opinion…

Second, with all of the duties of a teacher that are not compensable, where do you find time to parent your own children for one?…and, do you actually perform all of those other duties?…Or, are you also in with your principal and abscond from evaluations?…and, perhaps, parent opinion?…because you are liked and known?…status not based on merit…

Third, what would be the purpose of investing in higher education or further education and credentials when the professions of both administration and teaching are basically low paid? The +/-$3000 income difference, based on what other professions? Contractors in IT make 100-200K/year in some places in the bay area…last I saw and analyzed over the past 10 years in Oakland, homes are over the 500,000 range…with down payment and

You are an insider and making based on your status, not merit alone…and I question your Math calculations on your salary and the purchasing power you claim…

I also grew up in the Bay Area and did many of the Summer school teaching, etc, when I was the lowest on the pay scale..still, the police dept can’t even recruit and retain enough police, much like teachers and administrators if the math is correct…

The “home grown” theory is divisive along with the theory that teachers are getting more than classified and trades…purchasing power is the key no matter what the proportion is, Mr. Math teacher…

The theory of content of character is the theory I stand by…

By: LaRavian Battle

LaRavian Battle — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 17:08:47 +0000

I grew up in Berkeley and I am an Oakland teacher. I think it is important to include the entire Bay Area when looking for “home grown” teachers for Oakland. I love teaching Oakland’s youth. But I must confess that I need more pay. I resent the fact that I have to take on extra duties as you’ve described in order to make ends meet when I already work hours outside of the school day grading papers, lesson planning and calling parents. None of that time is paid for and yet the only option I have to pad my paycheck is to work more? I am an African American bilingual math teacher that just finished applying for National Board Certification and am in the process of obtaining a tier 1 administrative credential. Surely I am worth a lot more than I am paid. Oakland had better step up its game or we will continue to lose great teachers to other districts.

By: Cranky Teacher

Cranky Teacher — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:28:50 +0000

Frank, you sound awesome. Keep it up.

For myself, I don’t have a problem with the low pay as much as the unrealistic demands on our time. As a parent and a person who wants a balanced life, I don’t want to work 60-70 hours a week — yet this is what it seems to take to accomplish all that is expected of me!

Is that what you are doing? It sounds like it.

By: Rachelle

Rachelle — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:50:08 +0000

Frank,

Thanks for shedding some light on the untold story! I am the new Program Manager for Teach Tomorrow in Oakland, a joint venture w/OUSD and the Oakland Mayor’s office to recruit and retain outstanding people from Oakland who want to teach in Oakland.

We are extremely proud of this program, and I’d love to hear from anyone who is interested in teaching Oakland’s young people. Please feel free to email me: rachelle.rogers-ard@ousd.k12.ca.us.

Let’s make a difference in growing our own teaching force!

By: JoAnne

JoAnne — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:15:25 +0000

Frank is inspiring. What a delight to read this article. I went to Oakland Public Schools through jr high and then to Bishop O’Dowd for high school. I would love to give back to my community the way Frank does. Kudos to Frank for taking care of himself, his family and his community. Great teachers and parents make all the difference!

JoAnne

By: Nate

Nate — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:28:07 +0000

Great article. I’d love to get contact info (email address) for Frank if possible.

By: Karis Stoudamire

Karis Stoudamire — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:39:55 +0000

Frank,
Very well said and absolutely true! Your commitment to your profession and to youth is tremendous and soooo encouraging!
Karis