MN house Rep. calls teachers union "Gestapo"

[spedtr90]

Republican Rep. Sondra Erickson, who chairs Minnesota's House Education Reform Committee, reacted to the the state teachers union's suggestion that teachers completing an alternative licensing program have 90 days of classroom supervision upon entering the classroom by calling the union a “teacher Gestapo,”.

“It sounds like the teacher Gestapo to me. I think that if a candidate comes out of one of these programs, he or she is going to be well-prepared to be in the classroom,” Erickson told Minnesota Public Radio. “If a district has decided that candidate should be in the classroom, I’m not sure why we would need that Gestapo at work, and I would like to visit with them about that.” “I really believe that once they are in the classroom, they don’t need that extra supervision,” she said.

She did apologize for her choice of words, but apparently she still believes a teacher licensed under an alternative program would need no supervison....or is she worried what the observations would show? Perhaps she feels no teachers need supervision - because if a district chose to hire them, they will certainly be perfect? (Maybe we could save $$ by cutting principals if she plans to reduce their supervisory duties!)

Erickson is a retired English teacher. She should know something about the value of teacher observations and the value of mentoring programs. She should also be able to communicate more maturely and appropriately.

[aquart]

1. Rhetoric tone-down not getting through?

[meegbear]

2. Godwin's Law should apply to appointments ...

breaking it gets one dropped from a committee.

[spedtr90]

3. Tues Jan 11...

is when she was interviewed.

[yellowcanine]

4. Supervised Teaching is a standard components of teacher education.

So it is hardly novel that a teacher's union would think this is important and not certainly not equivalent to the "Gestapo."

Why is it that Republicans think business people know best when it comes to business but teachers don't know best when it comes to teaching?

Having gone through an undergraduate teacher education course myself, I would say that the student teaching part of it was more critical than any other single aspect.

Many professions have some variation of student teaching - for example, residency programs for medical doctors and preceptor programs in many fields.

[Hannah Bell]

11. especially since some of these alternative programs can be as little as 5 weeks

[xchrom]

5. there are three repukes with brains.

the rest are idiot bots with message devices.

[BanzaiBonnie]

6. Name calling does not constitute a valid argument

I'd like to see a referee with a whistle in all legislative bodies. Blow that whistle every time someone calls a name rather making an observation about someone's action or behavior..

[spedtr90]

7. add a penalty box

and maybe some hefty fines....

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Link?

[spedtr90]

9. Link is here

http://minnesotaindependent.com/76238/house-education-committee-chair-apologizes-over-gestapo-remark

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Thank you

[rbixby]

10. Somehow I don't think having these alternatively licensed teachers monitored

is the same as the Nazi secret police. When I heard her say that on the radio I was dumbfounded, its not like these teachers who would be observing are jack booted thugs waiting to bash in the new teacher's brains if he or she gets something wrong.


I don't get road rage, but when I hear that kind of thing while I'm driving home from work it does tend to make me swear and yell loudly at the radio.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. They want to be able to stick just anyone in our classrooms

and pay them far less than what they pay teachers now.

That's what this is about.

And yes, it's disgusting.