Christmas wish list offered for Cobb schools
December 15, 2009 01:00 AM | 449 views | 6 6 comments | 7 7 recommendations | email to a friend | print
DEAR EDITOR:

I came home Wednesday of last week and see a large stack of copy paper bundles with pretty Christmas bows on them. My curiosity piqued, I asked my wife what that was all about. She explained that she was giving them as Christmas gifts to her teacher friends. As I came to learn, she had asked her friends what they would like as their personal gift for Christmas, and "supplies for their classrooms" was their response. I will not name these teachers because I do not want them to suffer reprisal from CCSD (nor for school board Chairman Dr. John Abraham to suffer shock and amazement, and possible heart failure, should this come to his attention and force him to vehemently deny it yet again).

I am writing because I find that the actions of these teachers is a testament to the caring, giving and unselfish nature of Cobb's teachers in general and I want to commend all teachers for the job they do and the conditions under which they are doing the job. Rather than identify a Christmas gift for them personally, these teachers asked for things they could use in teaching our kids. If anyone has any doubts about Cobb teachers at large, these shining examples should remove all such doubt. I also want to encourage anyone who reads this, whether you agree with me or not, to do something nice this season for a teacher, if nothing more than giving a $10 gift card to buy paper.

Despite being heartwarming, there is a sad part to this story. Once again, we see teachers in need of supplies. Based upon what I hear from teachers, there was and continues to be rationing of supplies (Sorry, (board member) Lynnda Crowder-Eagle, but denial does not make it untrue). However, not so for raises for Superintendent Fred Sanderson (I recall that small matter of a $25,000 raise and wondered how much paper that could have bought).

There also was an increase in board member salaries, which I find mostly offensive in a pay-for-performance analysis (Yes, Virginia, Santa may be real, but school board performance is not). Then there was a proposal to use SPLOST money for GPSes for buses (but not for A/C for buses, and I would bet that board members were already plotting the balanced calendar, which results in earlier start dates in the hottest month in Georgia). But hey, micromanaging bus drivers is a higher priority than child safety, I guess.

What a pity that the district staff and school board cannot match Cobb County teachers in character, integrity or quality. This year, I am going to follow the shining and unselfish example of the teachers, albeit with a slightly different request as follows:

"DEAR SANTA - All I want for Christmas is a new school board ... and hopefully a new super ... and ultimately a whole lot of other new personnel and service providers. This is my Christmas wish for December 25, and yes, I've been a good boy (or at least a "good at it" boy)."

Alan Faircloth
Kennesaw
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comments (6)
« anonymous wrote on Wednesday, Dec 16 at 07:53 AM »
Let's have Mr Gillooly do a study of how much paper each school uses and divide that by the number of students and see what it shows. I think that will be the only way people see the waste
« rita jones wrote on Tuesday, Dec 15 at 06:16 PM »
Wow Maisey - I thought someone might make that conclusion. No they (2) are not lazy - just the opposite. Both give the kids work that is above and beyond what is in the textbook - they do NOT teach to the test but teach what the kids should be learning. they use the workbooks and supplement with other sheets.

They are printing study guides, the students research from the internet, kids work that is being published in the room and around the school... Stuff a great teacher should be doing, but cannot in many cases because of lack of supplies.

they even used a ream of paper to create paper airplanes to learn aerodynamics. these are not teachers that sit and give busy work.

Sad how your first thought was bad teacher -
« Maisey Tillman wrote on Tuesday, Dec 15 at 04:29 PM »
Why is the teacher using so much paper? That is a sign of a lazy teacher!!!
« jst wrote on Tuesday, Dec 15 at 12:54 PM »
If you ask them, many teachers will tell you that what they would really like is having to do less mindless paperwork and having more time to actually teach the children. Honestly, the amount of paperwork teachers are having to do is taking time and energy away from the true task of teaching. Maybe Santa can do away with the ridiculous mandates of NCLB.
« rita Jones wrote on Tuesday, Dec 15 at 08:05 AM »
I have already donated $50 worth of paper and supplies when my teacher ran out a few weeks ago. That of course doesn't count the $200 in supplies that was required to start school. My kids teachers asked for paper then too.

Yes I will be sending in more supplies at the "holiday" party and more supplies...

Get the picture, I'm constantly sending in supplies for these teachers and school - yes there is a shortage.

thank you for pointing this out, now maybe some businesses and other citizens will donate.
« anonymous wrote on Tuesday, Dec 15 at 07:56 AM »
There is money available to buy supplies for teachers if the money was in the right budget and spent efficiently. There is waste still going on now but then again, you have people in charge of millions of dollars that have no real business background. They were raised in this same government environment when they are given money and do not have to account for it annually. Scream loud and get what you want.