San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Pull a fast one on teachers? Abbott gets that one wrong
In my column last Sunday, I offered Gov. Greg Abbott advice for the new teacher shortage task force. But his task force included mostly administrators — and teachers noticed. Of course they did. Nothing gets past teachers, especially when they’re fed up.
How can a task force of 28 with the sole mission of solving a teacher shortage crisis include only two teachers?
But you can’t fool teachers, who launched into investigative mode and didn’t hold back their disdain for what felt like a disingenuous ploy for votes. In the general election, Abbott will face Democrat Beto O’Rourke, who has been giving voice to education issues.
Teacher Amy Lambert created a widely shared spreadsheet of research detailing Abbott’s original task force. Lambert found, on average, the administrators have been out of the classroom for some 15 years and some have never taught; the average pay for the positions she could find was $171,000 a year, but the average teacher salary in Texas is $58,000.
“THIS should answer why teachers are frustrated & are leaving. Gov Abbott can’t even let teachers talk for themselves,” Lambert said before signing off as “an actual teacher.”
Another teacher who goes by Mandy @LitNerdLove on Twitter created a graphic to show the distribution of voices. “Notice the lack of Purple on this map,” she tweeted with the image of a Texas map with two purple dots representing teachers.
Tuesday, the TEA released a statement announcing the expansion of its teacher vacancy task force to include two dozen additional teachers, balancing the number of teachers and administrators.
Some educators were pleased. But the announcement of the expansion still didn’t appease the most vocal teachers and educator organizations, who were deeply critical of Abbott’s motives and tactics. Sarcasm and judgment were thick.
Pastors for Texas Children, a state ministry that advocates for public schools, tweeted on Wednesday: “Glad (Greg Abbott) appointed teachers to a task force on…wait for it…TEACHERS. Cancel STAAR, drop vouchers, limit charters, fund schools & cut out your absurd racism/pornography slander about (Texas education). We will then know you are serious about supporting Texas public education.”
Sure, teachers and their supporters advocated this change, and that is a victory, but this task force is still too heavy on administrators. The state leaders and administrators who have been at the table have had their chance to retain and recruit teachers, yet here we are.
I am trying to muster faith that the task force will work toward genuine change, but I’m skeptical.
Josue Tamarez Torres, an award-winning fourth and fifth grade math teacher in Dallas ISD, was chosen to chair the group. In a statement, he called his appointment an honor and responsibility, saying that “this Task Force has the ability to recommend the needed changes and innovative solutions necessary to ensure all Texas students have access to the high-quality educators they deserve.”
Sounds like a heartfelt mission statement from someone ready to put in the work — but some teachers were immediately distrustful, digging up background on Tamarez Torres, a master teacher paid a $90,000 base salary who is a Teach for America alum and appointee to the Texas Commission on Virtual Education and State Board for Educator Certification. They say this shows he supports charters, school choice and performancebased incentive teacher pay. Some call him a “puppet for Abbott.” Harsh, but Abbott created this.
Education Commissioner Mike Morath finally declared getting insights and recommendations of current teachers imperative, saying the expansion strengthens the task force, but will it?
A few teacher surveys are being circulated, but why stop there? Every teacher in Texas — including those who recently quit — should be surveyed. I am one of those ex-teachers, and my final tip last Sunday — “Listen to and value teachers, and treat them that way” — sums it up for me.
The expanded task force must be diverse and solution-focused. The members must thoughtfully consider the facts, expertly analyze the problems, develop real solutions, and then help drive and track their implementation.