Hernando Today
Teachers Receive Pink Slips
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Published: May 17, 2008
BROOKSVILLE - Last month, administrators began pulling teachers into their offices privately to deliver the bad news.
You're fired.
Only problem is, they couldn't tell them why.
Ninety-three teachers on annual contracts - or those who have been with the district three years or less - have received word that they will be getting pink slips next year.
But by Florida law, neither district officials nor administrators can comment or give rationale for their nonreappointment decisions.
This is meant to deter lawsuits - and can be frustrating for the employee who doesn't understand why, said Hernando Classroom Teachers Association president Joe Vitalo.
"It doesn't mean they're bad teachers, just that they may not fit expectation at that particular school," he said.
Released to the public Friday, the list of nonreappointed district employees totals 250. However, that number includes paraprofessionals, cafeteria aids and bus drivers, some of whose positions are being eliminated as part of the district's three-year reduction plan.
Others are retiring, resigning or switching schools. Of the teachers, 18 are retiring and 24 are resigning, often meaning that they have plans to move elsewhere with their families.
The teacher nonreappointments are mostly due to personality conflicts between administrators and teachers, many of whom have had excellent evaluations and earned high marks for teaching and test scores, Vitalo added.
"It's very subjective. When your evaluation comes back outstanding and then you get a (notice) you're being fired, it can be difficult to understand what you need to improve on," he said. "You want teachers to be held accountable, but yet you won't tell them why."
In 2006, 132 annual teachers were fired, and 82 on 2007.
However, 60 percent of those teachers were rehired the following year at other district schools. Of those, less than 2 percent were nonreappointed the following year, Vitalo said.
"Often they're just not a good match with the administration at that school, but successful at other sites," he said.
Other teachers are being reappointed but moved, with 42 positions being transferred to other schools due to downsizing and rezoning efforts by the district. Dozens of teachers have secured positions at Explorer K-8, the new, 2,100-student school set to open this August off Northcliffe Boulevard in Spring Hill.
The district is expecting approximately 100 teaching openings due to attrition and reallocation to different areas, such as added art and music teacher positions.
And the changes are far from over. This is the time of year when teachers who still have their jobs start attempting to apply for jobs at other schools, oftentimes to remain with an administrator who is being switched, Vitalo added.
"This is when people start hopping schools. Then when they get jobs, it creates an opening at their school, and it's a ripple effect," he said.
Because of Superintendent Wayne Alexander's reorganization plan, approximately one-third of the district's administrators are set to switch schools in August.
And the employees being fired will never know the real reason.
"When a child does poorly on a project, we tell them why and give them feedback to let them know what they need to do to improve themselves - but when a teacher does that, the district cannot tell them why," Vitalo said. "It's a glaring weakness in the law."
Reporter Linnea Brown can be reached at 352-544-5289 or lbrown@hernandotoday.com.
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