ROEA REPORTER

DONDERO - A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT

The environment at Dondero has been a hostile one for ROEA members and their students. Early in the year two teachers were disciplined (and one was screamed at by a central office administrator) for sending e-mails to staff members in the building. The e-mails discussed their opinions about whether teachers should rotate their class schedules annually or continue to teach the same classes the following year. Typically, Dondero administrators had refused to allow adequate discussion of the issue at staff meetings. In frustration over the attempt to not involve teachers in an important professional issue, the e-mails were sent. Wham! Discipline was swift and certain in the form of a letter in each teacher's file stating that the teachers could be subject to discharge should they again use the district e-mail in such a fashion. E-mail was not to be used to discuss professional issues, said our administrators. I suspect that had the e-mails agreed with the administrative position on teacher scheduling that our teachers would not have been disciplined. Using the e-mail wasn't the real issue--it was just the pretext for discipline. The real threat was our teachers' expression of a different opinion.

The hostility continued when an Association Representative was taken aside by the building principal and admonished for union activities. Our AR was told that she was not to file any grievances and that she was not to announce at staff meetings that an ROEA meeting would follow--a common practice in other buildings, but apparently a threatening one to Dondero administrators. Later in the year, the same AR received a disciplinary letter. Her transgression in the eyes of the administrators was keeping her students informed of the status of a changing student leadership program. Once again, Dondero administrators felt threatened by a teacher's expression of a professional opinion. Keeping students informed about a student leadership program in which they were involved was too much of a foray into participatory democracy for the administration.

Next, two teachers were given Individual Development Plans after their evaluations. (An IDP is the first step to eventual discharge for alleged incompetence.) Our teachers, a 22 year veteran and a 7 year teacher, had never received even a "needs improvement" category on any of their previous evaluations. Now, they were suddenly confronted with being incompetent teachers--potentially subject to being fired--in the eyes of the Dondero administration. However, I am certain that the IDPs were political retribution for the teachers' involvement with the ROEA. One of the teachers has an active grievance regarding the administration's continual refusal to post available positions. The other teacher had called the ROEA when an administrator assigned her to clean the chemical storage room--a room that was filled with unlabeled bottles of chemicals, some of which were more than 20 years old and have since been considered as toxic and no longer safe for use in schools. (The wise administrators also felt that students could assist in the clean-up.) The union insisted that this was a dangerous job for untrained individuals. Eventually, a professional hazardous waste company was called in to clean the room safely and properly dispose of the chemicals.

It is not coincidental that these veteran teachers received the only IDPs of their careers. In essence, the Dondero administration, with support from central office, is telling teachers that if they use their union rights they are jeopardizing their careers.

There are other concerns. On two occasions, for example, teachers were asked to come into an administrator's office for a conference. They were specifically told that a union representative was not necessary as the meetings were not disciplinary. Each teacher then received a disciplinary letter.

The ROEA is supporting the Dondero teachers. We have filed grievances and are investigating the possibility of whether the retributive IDPs constitute an unfair labor practice. Under the Public Employees Relations Act, we are free to engage in legally protected union activity without fear of reprisals. And we plan on informing the school board about the threats to our teachers. On Tuesday, June 12th, we are going to the Board meeting to request a private meeting with Board members. We will specifically request that administrators are not in attendance at such a meeting as there is a credible fear of reprisals. Please support our fellow teachers and their students by joining us. The meeting begins at 7:30 in the Board office. My remarks will also include the arbitrary reassignment of teachers and the lack of opportunity for us to move to available positions. The time commitment should be 30 minutes or less to support professionalism in our district.

I believe the hostility at Dondero is strongly supported by some of our central office administrators. The Board also needs to know that we do not support the unprofessionalism, hostility, and anti-teacher climate that these central office administrators actively and continually create.

Sid

ROEA Scholarship Winners

The Royal Oak Education Association would like to announce the winners of the 2003 Royal Oak Education Association Scholarship. Each of these winners will receive a $350 scholarship. We would like to thank all of the members of the ROEA who contributed their time and money to this worthy cause. 

Our scholarship winners are: Natalie Attan, daughter of Dan and Bonnie Attan; Evan Kardon, son of Sid Kardon; and Megan Knaus, daughter of Donna Knaus. Natalie plans to attend Western Michigan University. Evan plans to attend Baldwin-Wallace College. Megan plans to attend Michigan State University.

Congratulations to our scholarship winners!

Last year's winners, Kathryn Caruso and Lee Mayers have just completed their freshman year in college. Kathryn earned a 3.0 G.P.A. this year and will return to Western Michigan University next year to continue her studies in Environmental Science. Lee also earned a 3.0 G.P.A. at Michigan State University and will continue his studies in the area of Astro Physics. 

The Royal Oak Screening and Endorsement Committee, consisting of our three MEA locals, have screened the four candidates for the two available school board positions. Our recommendations are as follows:

The committee recommends Jeff Knaggs as a preferred candidate. Jeff, the parent of two children who attend Franklin Elementary, enthusiastically sought union endorsement. His activities in the district such as PTA involvement and serving on last year's bond committee have earned him the respect of teachers, parents, and administrators as a dedicated and hard working member of the school community.

Current Board president Richard Granke and candidate Gary Briggs are recommended as qualified candidates. Granke has served as a Board member for eight years. He is a committed and passionate advocate of public schools who actively lobbies statewide and nationally for legislation to strengthen public schools. Briggs, a lifelong Royal Oak resident has been an active parent in the district. He has served on district building facilities committees since 1995. He is an advocate of a stronger school board; one which would provide a counterbalance to administrative perspectives on issues such as consolidation and budget.

We Remember.... Marilyn Droz

Marilyn Droz was an academic support teacher for the Royal Oak School District for 31 years. She was exceptionally dedicated, creative, humorous and enthusiastic about life and work. Marilyn was politically active and was asked to testify before Congress on the effects of television and the media upon children. She served as Vice President of the National Coalition on Television Violence and the Senate Task Force on Media Violence. Marilyn had a fabulous sense of humor. She loved lecturing on her books Laughing While Learning and AH HA (Aspects of Humor and Humor Assessment). Marilyn enjoyed writing books and was always brainstorming on her next project. She had endless amounts of energy. Thus, she spent hours tutoring students. She was a dedicated wife to Alan and a doting mother of her deceased son, Matthew.

Marilyn was an active member of the ROEA. She was an Association Representative for many years. She helped to establish our ROEA scholarship for the children of our members.

Laughing While Learning is available for a contribution of $17.95. AH HA (Aspects of Humor and Humor Assessment) is available for a contribution of $10. E-mail your request to Lori Ellis at silkspeech@aol.com or call Lori at 248/661-9048. If both books are ordered the total contribution is $25. All of the proceeds from the sale of Marilyn's books go to the Marilyn and Matthew memorial fund. The fund supports a memorial garden at Adat Shalom synagogue which is open to the public.

-Lori Ellis

We Remember..... Martha Morand

All I'm askin'
Is for a little respect when you get home (just a little bit)

On February 21, in the Keller Middle School gym, Martha Morand took center stage and entertained the student body with her lip sync to Respect by Aretha Franklin. She let us know that she definitely deserved some respect. On April 14, less than two months after that wonderful day, we mourned the passing of our beloved Martha Morand. Ms. Morand, you have our respect and so much more.

A consummate educator, Martha was concerned about curriculum, kids, families and community. Martha believed in her students and pushed them to do their best. Even though the education of her students came first, she knew it was important to have a little fun along the way. It was not unusual to hear music coming from her classroom. She was known to sing and dance by herself or with some wide-eyed students. Students would stop by her room on their birthdays so that they could hear her sing "Happy Birthday" in her own special way. She cared about her students' academic achievements as well as their emotional needs.

At sixth grade camp, she cheered kids on with "You rock!" or "Awesome!" while they were 30 feet up in the air on the high ropes course. The dance and music at Camp Copneconic would be centered around Martha's enthusiasm to get all the kids and staff dancing and singing.

For those of us lucky enough to have worked with Martha, we were blessed with her gift of storytelling. Stories about her family and growing up in a houseful of seven kids entertained us all. During her last days, as staff members visited Martha at home, her family was amazed that we knew their names, their children, where they lived and what they did for a living. The Morand family truly felt like family to us. She explained how her father would play Wang-Ho. She played this game often with her students. Martha told about how she and her sisters would sing together in harmony, one sister taking charge of assigning the parts. She spoke often about her nieces and nephews for whom she held deep adoration. 

Many people in the district felt a special bond with Martha. On Friday, April 11, a candlelight vigil was held at Martha's house. The Keller staff and staff members from many other Royal Oak schools were in attendance. We sang songs, consoled each other, talked about our favorite memories of Martha and listened to stories told by her family. The Keller staff is especially grateful to schools who supported us. Both Addams and Kimball teachers offered to take our classes so that we could attend Martha's funeral. Teachers called our building to see if there was anything they could do and to let us know they were praying for us. We'd also like to thank our Keller families. The Keller PTSA provided lunch and breakfast for the staff so that we could eat together and support each other. While the Morand family gathered at Martha's house, Keller parents provided meals for them. There are no words to express how thankful we are to have such compassionate people in our lives. 

Martha saw her cancer as a gift, which allowed her to share her faith and her belief in people with others. Throughout her eight-year battle, she remained strong for all of us. She was more concerned about her friends, her students and her family than herself. On April 2, her last full day at school, Martha sent an e-mail letter out to the Keller sixth grade team of teachers.

"...I really have come to terms with all of this - long, long ago. I have known since 1997 that my cancer would not be cured and I know that now I am pretty much looking at trying to buy more time, or trying for a better quality of life. In 1998, I was told that on average, bone marrow transplant patients live 20 months. Here I am, over five years later, most of which time has been very well spent in a job that I love, with people I love, and doing the things I want to do. I am at peace."

Those of us who have had the privilege to work closely with Martha Morand know that we were part of something special. For many of us here at Keller, the song Respect will forever remind us of the energy and spirit of our good friend, Martha. She loved, taught and inspired us in so many ways. She will live on in all of us. And, Martha, there will always be a seat for you at Marinelli's.

-The Keller 6th grade Gold Team

Editor's note: If you would like to further honor Martha, a contribution can be sent to the Martha Morand Camp Scholarship Fund. Please make the check out to "Keller Middle School" and memo it for the camp fund.

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