Senate Bill 6 and Why it Must Be Stopped

I have a student. For the sake of this article, we will name her Chloe. She is a bright young lady, but stricken with many problems in her life. For one, she had shingles earlier in the school year. She was out of school for over a week. She also has a troubled home life. Her parents split time with her since they got divorced. She is happy when she is with her father, but comes to school miserable when she spends time with her mother. Her older brother recently got arrested for possession of marijuana and intent to sell. When all is said and done, Chloe has missed over a month of school.

Do you believe Chloe is a unique case? Do you assume that this is the atypical life of an atypical child? Try again. Chloe is becoming the norm. The child with the weight of the world on her shoulders. The student that every teacher does everything in his or her power to assist. But I am prone to wonder one thing: With all of these issues that a child has circulating in the back of his or her mind, what are the odds that this same child will really care to learn about fractions on a given Wednesday afternoon in a cramped portable classroom with 28 other students? What is the possibility that Chloe will do well on her state mandated assessment tests in each of her classes?

Chloe, it can be told, is in particular trouble. But meanwhile, in an alternate universe, state lawmakers in Florida are attempting to pass a new bill into law. Normally the inane rumblings of politics serve little enticement for me to start clicking keys in my bedroom office. However, the alarming ideology behind Senate Bill 6 will make educators as well as students lives a proverbial nightmare. How so, you may ask?

1.) Increased Student Testing

Yup! You guessed it! As if the state-mandated Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests are not enough, we will now introduce (and drum-roll, if you please) end of course evaluations for every subject. This is also not including the other wonderful testing instruments purchased (at a premium) by school boards throughout the state of Florida like Kaplan, SAT's, ACT's, SRA's, XYZ's, etc... Chloe's throughout the state will be provided with as many as six more chances to be simply overwhelmed with the mountainous testing requirements, assuming she has six courses per school year. Shangri la!

2.) More Pressure on Teachers with a Sprinkling of the Dog-eat-Dog Mentality

The art of teaching has never been about "out-teaching" the educator across the hallway. But the passing of Senate Bill 6 will turn this belief on its heels. A new salary schedule will be introduced that will base more than 50% of each educator's compensation on student learning gains which will be based on standardized testing. No more creative, thought-provoking lessons! Adios to fun-filled artistic projects that expand on different levels of intelligence. This new bill will inspire teachers to "teach to the test," a controversial format of education that gives students the opportunity to mindlessly practice Scan-tron multiple choice questions and answers. Besides, if the guy down the hall is doing it, I better prepare my students even more!

3.) Length of Teacher Service Means Nothing

Brett Favre and Kurt Warner are two of my favorite quarterbacks in the NFL. Do you know why? Because, despite the fact that they have slowed down physically, they still get the job done. Because with experience comes wisdom and mastery. Because the more you work at something, the better you get at it. Knowledge is power and experience in any field should merit rewards. Can you just imagine for a spare moment what kind of ruckus would ensue if a politician were told that they must make good on everything they campaigned about, otherwise they would be paid less? (I.E.- For example, the "illustrious" intellects of Senate Bill 6 basically get to create their own salaries.) Indeed, helping the Chloe's succeed in the game of life is partly my responsibility, but we are not exactly talking about a front line assembly with machinery parts. My knowledge and years of service count for something because I have honed my skills like a practicing quarterback. According to this new bill, school districts would actually be penalized for using length of service or amount of degrees to determine compensation or reduction of teachers. That expensive Master's Degree an educator stayed up half the night studying to achieve? It's Charmin now!

4.) Yikes! Get Me Outta Here!!!

If you are an educator caught working in an inner-city school, my heart goes out to you. The additional challenge of gang violence, domestic problems, drugs, and other unmentionables cast an ominous shadow on your daily struggles to keep your students in class and on-task. But with the passing of Senate Bill 6, the accountability falls directly on the educator regardless of external influences in a student's existence. Can't point the finger at parents, society, environment, or any other factor that plays a role in shaping a child's mind and life. Can you just imagine how many teachers will consider and act on leaving these inner-city schools and possibly the state in general for far sunnier pastures where politicians may actually respect teachers and students?

While these realities paint a very dismal picture in the state of Florida, two questions remain: 1.) Why should I care if I am in another state and 2.) What can I do about all of this? Well, the fact that such politicians seemingly exist only to make the lives of students and educators more difficult is cumbersome. Also, one must believe that if such idiocy can come about in Florida, copy-cat politicians may very well get their own grandiose ideas and try to pass similar bills in other states. What we can do, whether you are a concerned parent, educator, or just a concerned citizen that does not want to witness a possible mass-exodus of experienced educators from the state of Florida is get in touch with the people who are trying to make this a stifling reality. Please visit http://makeourschoolsapriority.org/special/sign-the-petition and make your voices unified and heard!