[Mpls] teachers bumping

[Dan McGuire]

    I just heard about another turn of events.  This week, about 200 MPS elementary teachers with high seniority who also
were licensed in other areas have been reassigned to the other license area jobs, regardless of whether or not they have
experience in those areas or an interest in working in those areas.  That means that a 3rd grade teacher who got an art
degree twenty five years ago and then got married and raised some children,  never taught as an art teacher, but then ten
years later got an elementary certification and has since been teaching 3rd grade for fifteen years has been reassigned to
an art classroom in a building other than the one she has been teaching in for those fifteen years.  I spoke to three
teachers in similar situations today.
    Sounds to me like those who were trying to take career choices out of the hands of teachers and put the control in the
hands of the administration found a way to do it (some have suggested that was one of the unstated motivations for the
school closing plan of last winter.)  This is not good for anybody but control freaks.  Chalk one up for Jennings, Audrey
Johnson, and Pawlenty; erase about 200 for teachers, students and families.

Dan McGuire
Ericsson