Voting season is upon us and I think this is the first
election where I want my voice to really be heard. In previous elections (okay,
so I've only voted once. Blame my birthday, not me) I have just voted because I
believe as a citizen you should exercise that when so many others do not
have that right. If you want change you have to get out there and make it happen.
Well this is me getting out there and making it happen.
I was hesitant about making a status about the Amendment 3 issue, but this is important to me and many people in my life. I know a lot of people are uninformed and if you don’t like what I’m about to say then go out and educate yourself! DO NOT go into those polls not knowing what you’re voting for. So here it goes, some of you may know what Amendment 3 is about and what it will do to teachers, if not let me tell you.
I was hesitant about making a status about the Amendment 3 issue, but this is important to me and many people in my life. I know a lot of people are uninformed and if you don’t like what I’m about to say then go out and educate yourself! DO NOT go into those polls not knowing what you’re voting for. So here it goes, some of you may know what Amendment 3 is about and what it will do to teachers, if not let me tell you.
Amendment 3 is an amendment that will change the teaching profession
as we know it. It states that a teacher’s employment will be mainly based on their student’s standardized tests. This means that those end-of-year tests, that are
not for a grade, that stress students out (creating test anxiety), and take
Missouri citizen’s tax money to create will be able to determine if current
teachers and future teachers keep their jobs. I, as a future teacher, have a
HUGE issue with this. A test that is so subjective to how a student feels that
day can determine my job? Are we making a doctor’s patients take a test while
they’re sick and he gets fired if that patient doesn't get better after one
treatment? I don’t think so. I agree that part of my job should be based on how
I teach and what my students learn, but I do not agree that it should be based
on if a student comes in sick, tired, or hungry and doesn't test well. Teachers
are going to start teaching to the test in fear that they could lose their job.
Our students will suffer and that’s not what we want.
Another part of this amendment is to take away teacher
tenure. Before I joined the education program I had no idea what tenure really
was for Missouri teachers, and I’m so glad I do now. Many people believe tenure
is something that prevents schools from firing bad or ineffective teachers
because of their tenure. When you look at what tenure in Missouri really means
it just means that we get due process when a school decides to fire us. I’m
sorry but wasn't that something we were already promised in the U.S.
Constitution in the 5th Amendment? Why is it because of my
profession that I am denied that until the first day of my sixth year of
teaching?
That means for five years I am going to be constantly looking over my shoulder worried that one little mistake and I’m gone. Now I know people are going to argue, “Well if you are doing your job right then you have nothing to worry about.” In a perfect world that would most definitely be true, unfortunately we do not. We live in a world where biases are very strong and apparent in our schools. I have seen good teachers lose their jobs over someone in the community not liking them and having enough influence to get that teacher fired. If Amendment 3 is passed there will longer be due process for teachers, and schools will only allow 3 year contracts for any teacher.
That means for five years I am going to be constantly looking over my shoulder worried that one little mistake and I’m gone. Now I know people are going to argue, “Well if you are doing your job right then you have nothing to worry about.” In a perfect world that would most definitely be true, unfortunately we do not. We live in a world where biases are very strong and apparent in our schools. I have seen good teachers lose their jobs over someone in the community not liking them and having enough influence to get that teacher fired. If Amendment 3 is passed there will longer be due process for teachers, and schools will only allow 3 year contracts for any teacher.
I know I have thrown a lot of information at you, but this
is something that needed to be said. If you have questions I urge you to get
online and look up more information on the issue. As an education major in my
senior year I am asking you to vote NO on Amendment 3 when you step into those
polls.
If this amendment passes not only is it going to discourage future students from going into teaching, but it will take teachers out of high-risk areas where teachers are so desperately needed. It will also cost Missouri taxpayers millions of dollars to create new standardized tests for students to take. This will affect teachers, students, and the communities around schools. It is also good to know that the people who started this bill are no longer supporting it. They have not been doing any proponent work to get this bill passed, but have left it to be passed and forgotten. It won’t be forgotten by teachers or their students so I encourage you to get out and VOTE!
If this amendment passes not only is it going to discourage future students from going into teaching, but it will take teachers out of high-risk areas where teachers are so desperately needed. It will also cost Missouri taxpayers millions of dollars to create new standardized tests for students to take. This will affect teachers, students, and the communities around schools. It is also good to know that the people who started this bill are no longer supporting it. They have not been doing any proponent work to get this bill passed, but have left it to be passed and forgotten. It won’t be forgotten by teachers or their students so I encourage you to get out and VOTE!
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