New teacher group sparked by GEB decision
While the Guam Education Board works to decertify the Guam Federation of Teachers union for its teachers and support staff, another group led by teachers takes flight by way of social networking.
By KUAM Newsby Krystal Paco
Guam - While the Guam Education Board works to decertify the Guam Federation of Teachers union for its teachers and support staff, another group led by teachers takes flight by way of social networking.
Hundreds of the island's school teachers are teaming up to keep members of the Guam Education Board in line. Their meeting place? Facebook!
According to John F. Kennedy High School teacher Steve Protasio, the Facebook group for Guam Schools United was sparked by the GEB's recent decision to convert all high schools to the 4-AB schedule, which adds two classes to the school year calendar. "Guam Schools United is just a group of teachers that started at JFK and has expanded to a point that includes teachers from all of the public high schools and several of the middle and elementary schools. The purpose of forming the organization was basically to get ourselves so that we could generate a focused perspective, a focused position, regarding these changes that the board has decided on."
Protasio was one of dozens of JFK stakeholders to voice their concerns to members of the Guam Education Board on Monday night. Protasio points out that the GEB failed to get stakeholder input via public hearings, surveys, or questionnaire, and that he can't advocate a schedule that compromises student achievement.
He said, "Even Mr. [Barry] Mead has publicly admitted that students would lose instructional time in each class under this plan, but he somehow believes that by adding two additional classes that it will offset the negative effects from the loss of learning time. And no offense, sir, but if you agree with this logic, then you must also agree that our students will be learning less about more until they become masters of nothing."
JFK teacher Ray Guerrero also spoke out about the lack of data on 4-AB scheduling, saying, "We are asking that the Guam Education Board differ the 4-AB schedule for one year - at least - so that the board can get more input from the professional educators, parents, students and stakeholders in our public schools. John F. Kennedy High School is a school that embraces change. We embrace change if it offers opportunities to improve our educational system based on data."