The article in the Baltimore Sun further noted that according to US Labor Law, districts could only hire foreign teachers with a work visas for positions unable to be filled by American workers. This law therefore makes the current situation change since American workers are able and ready to take those positions held by Filipino teachers. Dr. Alonso said that he wants to keep the teachers, but that pursuant to labor laws, he must act. The next market data test will take place every September from 2014 to 2017.
The recent article on this fiasco is definitely important to school reform. We all know that teacher vacancies and teacher retention is tough in the US educational system. Furthermore, what we see is that districts are forced to use different formulas to ensure students receive their education. I have witnessed how Filipino teachers in schools is a common phenomenon in Baltimore. However, I can see why the district chose this route. Filipino teachers also pose some issues such as a lack of cultural connection with students and language barriers. This is not to say that they are not compatible for our students; but it does shed light as to whether they are effective. I have students who have had Filipino teachers and they have cited an inability to connect or understand their teachers. We know that if students are not invested or build a relationship with the teacher, then academic and behavior concerns arise. I wonder what would be the ripple effect on all the schools and as budget concerns continue to plague us what will happen to other teachers in alternative programs.
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3 comments:
I was interested to see this blog post, as I have been hearing from Filipino teachers in my school that the possibility of their work visas expiring was a very real possibility. I feel terrible for these teachers who in some cases uprooted their entire family to make the move to Baltimore. At the same time, there is no denying that BCPS is in violation of the US Labor Law. I can't help but wonder how this major violation was overlooked by the system when making the decision to bring in such a large group of international teachers. There are over ten Filipino teachers working in my small high-school, and it is interesting to think about how much the dynamic at our school will change as a result of this announcement.
Pena,
I completely agree with your insight on how this relates to teacher retention. My school has a large contingent of Filipino teachers. Most of them teach the least desirable self-contained special education courses; it will be challenging to fill these vacancies with dedicated teachers.
I am interested in how many other districts nationally are dealing with a challenge like this and violations of labor laws. Is this unique to BCPSS and/or high-poverty schools?
I understand why Dr. Alonso initially hired hundreds of Filipino teachers. In many ways, having a diverse staff can be very beneficial to students. In my school, there are many Spanish-speaking families. Only two staff members speak Spanish fluently. Therefore in many cases, I, as well as other teachers, am unable to effectively communicate with Spanish-speaking families consistently. Many times, I have to schedule a time that our school “translator” is available. This can be extremely difficult since his services are greatly needed throughout the school. I also understand how students could have reported feelings of disconnect between themselves and teachers who do not share the same cultural backgrounds. However, I believe that it is up to those teachers to find common ground and use that as leverage to build relationships with students based upon humanity and personality traits. Once that is established, teaching them about the differences in cultures and creating a climate based upon respect for other cultures could decrease the negativity surrounding Filipino teachers. Also, if those teachers were required to teach at schools with a higher Spanish-speaking population, they could build strong connections with those students who’s cultures are similar and assist other in communicating with Spanish-speaking families. However, I do see the problem that Dr. Alonzo is faced with in regards to putting teachers who are U.S. citizens in the positions which are currently being held by those persons without permanent visas. This was a mistake made by Alonso; or was it? Did he know of this legislation prior to hiring these hundreds of teachers? Did he not foresee the budget cuts and/or the number of surplus teachers currently in the system? I wish that I had an idea to solving this problem. I hate to see educators without work, regardless of their background or ethnicity. I am intrigued about this topic and intend to continue reading up on it. I would like to know the final outcome.
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