Newspaper story: PLACES and tuff-teach

[Unregistered]

Good morning.
As many of you may know or have suspected, the school district has a committee studying employee use of computers and working on a set of guidelines. One of the issues appears to be how PLACES is used, such as whether the discussions that go on there are appropriate for a district-owned and sponsored site.
At this point, is there anyone ready to talk to me, for a story I plan to finish Friday, about the discussions that have gone on on PLACES, the need for this alternative forum and what you hope to accomplish here? I know the last time I posted you weren't quite ready, but my boss is eager to put a story on these topics in the paper sooner rather than later. So, I hope at least someone -- at least teach1st? -- is game. I would need to hear from willing people by Thursday afternoon, either here (with permission in the note to use your full name and position), by phone at 892-2273 or by email, ryan@sptimes.com
Thanks for all of the feedback you've given me so far, including some emails to my work account. Keep it coming!
-- Kelly Ryan Gilmer
St. Petersburg Times

[DHG]

:confused: Why is THIS particular topic so important? There a plenty of other angles and stories you could be following about the plight of teachers and public education. It sounds like your boss is eager for some good ole tabloid fodder. What kind of angle are you taking on this PLACES/TUFF article anyway? I'm curiuos.

[teach1st]

Kelly, I e-mailed you from a tuff-teach e-mail address. Feel free to contact me.

[Dee]

I'm in agreement with DHG. The first thing that came to mind
after reading her post was why is Places such important
story to her boss when there are so many other issues of
greater importance? Kelly, could you clear the air on this
issue please? Many are ready to talk but make sure you are
asking the right questions!

[Unregistered]

Good morning,
The story is about two issues: One, that a district committee is studying how PLACES works and is trying to come up with a policy about how employees are allowed to use their work computers. Two, that a group of teachers and other district employees, frustrated by the state of public education, have created their own website and organization to work together for change.
Of course, there are myriad issues to write about besides this. This is simply one story that should be able to illustrate to the public just how beaten-down teachers feel at this point in time. For example, as you know, your posts on PLACES are public records. I have seen some of your concerns about Hinesley's contract and representation by PCTA -- another issue I am interested in.
As I have written in other posts, I am interested in your thoughts and ideas that can illuminate the working conditions in Pinellas in particular and public schools in general. That's why it helps me for specific examples of problems and how they affect your job -- for instance, not just that your classroom and supplies are inadequate but why? and how? How does that take away from the lessons you've planned. We know that teachers are forced to spend an inordinate amount of time on testing and getting ready for FCAT. How does that take away from a child's learning experience? How does that stifle creativity? How does that affect how you approach and enjoy your job? What have you and your school given up in the name of better test scores? Does any good, at all, even a shread, come from standardized testing? The issues I have seen explored on this website so far follow some threads that have been written about before -- discipline issues, no support from administrators, too much testing, poor morale, no connection between the Taj and the building employees, poor pay and benefits, etc. -- so anything you can do to help me understand new angles and perspectives will help me get more and more stories in the paper with your point of view.
Does all that answer your questions, or only confuse more? Please let me know, and I'll be happy to ramble more...
Kelly Ryan Gilmer

[Unregistered]

Oh, and I neglected to mention, I will be at the next board meeting, so would love to meet all of you. For night meetings, I usually sit in the back in the press area so I can plug in my laptop. Feel free to approach me or I'll try to find you...
-- Kelly

[pip]

It will be easy to spot us!

[BWITZ]

The buzz at my school, is that we will be a pilot next year for a new security system on our computers. Doesn't this sound "Big Brotherish?"

What gets me is that we have computers dying at our school with no money to fix or replace them, BUT the county has money to put into a monitoring system...to keep track of what and when staff and students are utilizing the computers for. For one, I'm way too busy getting in curriculum and preparing my students for FCAT to have time to "surf the web." I do that at home on MY TIME.

What a waste of money!

[Eleef]

You are so right, Bwitz. It's a terrible waste of money and time. Any time a principal or other administrator thinks someone is wasting or inappropriately using resources, meaning time and computer, they can check the computers memory, cookies, etc and know who's doing what. They did so at my school and gave an employee (not a teacher) a choice to resign or be let go. They really don't need a different monitoring system!

[Charlie]

Unless I missed it, there was no story about the PCS intranet, Places, etc. Anybody else see it? Maybe they are holding off until after Tuesday night???? :^

[moebius]

:N
Kelly,
You have a lot of friends and fans out there.

[DHG]

I'm curious. Has Kelly written anything of late? D.

[lhagen]

I don't know how relevant this is, but I believe that Hillsborough County Schools had similar troubles with their school site several years ago- IDEAS. Administration was concerned about what was being posted in the forums. As I understand it, IDEAS no longer has forums. They just took them all off the site.