It’s a bad time to have friends and family members teaching in the Salem/Keizer School District.
Especially for people in their mid-twenties.
Today I found out that my sister-in-law, my wife’s good friend, and a good friend mine lost their jobs as elementary school teachers.
The school’s budget crisis is a very unfortunate situation that doesn’t seem to have a way of fixing itself anytime soon.
Many of you may know Jason Gundlach as bearded member of Hot in Pursuit and Wright Family. He’s put the hip hop portion of his life behind him and spent the last year teaching at Scott Elementary School.
I actually attended Scott School growing up. (Regal Eagles all day).
Thanks to Jason for taking the time to chat about his experiences teaching this last year.
How’s it going?
Good. As good as good is I suppose.
So what happened today? Did they just kind of pull you aside and tell you?
This morning we had our regular weekly staff meeting and (our principal) said, “Yes today is the day that everyone’s been thinking about. So I’ll be talking to teachers throughout the day about what’s going on.”
It was strongly implied that it was not positive.
During our prep time he came in. It was just kind of like being the guy at the training camp who’s looking for the coach to tell him to pack up and that he didn’t make the team. I kind of had that feeling.
You know what I’m talking about?
I definitely know what you are talking about. How was the year leading up to this? It’s been a topic that people have talked about all year.
Yeah, it has. Even before the school year began. When I was just beginning to navigate my way through the job market, or what can be considered a job market, this conversation has always been relevant–even though I don’t believe entirely productive to be focusing on. But the entire year that has always been a looming idea. It’s a miracle and a blessing that I’m here in the first place and the major hits that have hit everywhere else across the nation haven’t hit Salem-Keizer yet.
From what I understand the school district has done a remarkable job holding off having to do layoffs, cutting fat, and everything on that side of the managerial side of education. This year this is just where it’s at. Next year it’s going to be the same exact thing. They’re going to be cutting even more teachers next year. That’s what the general consensus is.
How is the morale of teachers in general? How is it now and how is it compared to the beginning of the year?
I think that if teachers are affected by that sort of stuff, and if it affects morale, then it certainly affects performance and the students, and you probably shouldn’t be a teacher to begin with. I mean it understandably affects people and how they’re doing, but I think that at least in my classroom I focus on the students.
Even throughout this year, as the end of the year school year was coming up and these conversations started coming up more frequently, I was focused on what’s going on in the classroom and how I’m going to meet the needs of these kids. I think that if the conversation turns to ‘how are we feeling’ then it really starts to effect what we’re doing and it’s really kind of counterproductive to teaching.
Do kids understand what’s going on at all?
Not really. At least in fifth grade it’s a little different than the younger grades, because they’re a little smarter and older. They kind of have a general idea that budgets are tight but they don’t really know a lot of specifics about it. Students at this point don’t really even know that some of their teacher’s are not going to be with them next year.
How are classes sizes going to change from this year to next year?
Class sizes are expected to go up by one in elementary schools and two to three in middle schools and high schools. Teachers are going to be doing a lot more with a lot less in these coming years.
What do you think you are going to be doing next year?
Pressing on in faith. In the context of a 40-year career in education, this is not the last stop. It of course is not an ideal situation and it’s not what I was hoping for, but I certainly have confidence in the future. I know that people are going to retire next year, and then the coming years.
Hopefully I’ll have a job somewhere next year. But if not I know I’m on the recall list for the Salem-Keizer District.
Do you think substitute teaching will be something you’ll kind of fit into next year?
Yeah, the teachers that get laid off have preferential treatment in the subbing role. They have it worked out in the contract with the teachers union.
So the people that were subbing this year will be dropped down another notch.
Yeah, it effects everybody. The people who were subbing and looking for jobs this year are going to have it even harder next year. Now they’re behind a list of everyone who got laid off to get hired. Because according to the contract between the teacher’s union and the district, if a person is qualified for a position that becomes available and they were laid off, they get the job over any new candidate period for 27 months.
Have you thought about moving to another district or private school work?
Yeah. I’m totally open for that. I’m open to doing children’s ministries, to teaching at a private school, to teaching overseas. I’m really open to whatever opportunity presents itself and we prayerfully consider. I’m really open to whatever’s there.
Who do you think things are going to be most difficult for next year?
It’s going to be more difficult for everybody. The real losers are the kids. That’s just the most difficult part about anything involving education. When budgets get tight, it’s difficult. The reason that people teach, and the reason that people invest their lives into kids is because they care. It’s difficult when you know that they won’t be getting all they can and should be getting.
I’m sorry to hear about the situation, but like you said, hopefully it will open up some new opportunities in the future.
Yeah it’s definitely not then end of the road. When I first got my job there were over 100 applicants for the one position. It was that extreme last year, but this year there are no teaching jobs.