Charlotte teachers left out of district's decisions

The district's teacher union president says when teachers called for a virtual learning model for students enrolled in local schools, district leaders ignored teachers them.

GETTING STUDENTS SAFELYBACK-TO-SCHOOL MEANS MAKINGADJUSTMENTS ALONG THE WAY.THANKS FOR STAYING WITH US.

I’MJANE MONREAL.AND I’M PATRICK NOLAN.

SOMECHARLOTTE COUNTY TEACHERS SAYTHEY WEREN’T INCLUDED IN THEORIGINAL PLAN OR THE RECENTADJUSTMENTSAND WHEN THEY SOMEDID FIND OUT ..

THEY WERE TOLDNOT TO SHARE THE INFO WITH THEIRCOLLEAGUES.THEY TELL FOX 4’S RACHELLOYDTHEY FOUND OUT ABOUT THEDISTRICT’S NEW LEARNING MODEL ATTHE SAME TIME AS THE PARENTS.24 TO 301:14 TO 1:19(PKG)CHARLOTTE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLSARE LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAYFROM ROLLING OUT THEIR NEWINNOVATIVE E-LEARNING MODELWHERE STUDENTS CAN LEARN FROMHOME WHILE THEY’RE ENROLLED ATTHEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLI think we’re going to that nowbecause the demand for it wthere all along.JOHN JORDANMUSIC TEACHER ATKINGSWAY ELEMENTARY TALKED TO MEABOUT THE NEW MODEL BEFORESCHOOL STARTED THISMORNINGUPSET THE DISTRICTHADN’T MADE THIS HAPPEN BEFORETHE SCHOOL YEAR BEGAN.Teachers were off all summer.

Wecould’ve put together a taskforce for different needs andput it together, and done thisthing right.AS PRESIDENT OF THE CHARLOTTEFLORIDA EDUCATIONASSOCIATIONHE’S DISAPPOINTEDTHE DISTRICT EXCLUDED HISCOLLEAGUES FROM THEDECISION-MAKING PROCESS.To find out that this wholething that we had asked to be apart of for months was reallygoing on in secrecy kind ofbehind our backs; it addressessome trust issues that we’regoing to have to work through.IN A STATEMENT THE DISTRICTSAID: FS We created the newmodel the best we could withinthe timeframe we had.

There aremany decisions made throughoutthe school year.

Some of themare made with Union memberssitting at the table and someare not.JORDAN SAYS THIS DECISION COMINGDURING THE FIRST MONTH OF SCHOOLAFFECTS TEACHERS WHO’VE ALREADYMAPPED OUT THE FIRST *QUARTER OFTHE YEAR.AND STUDENTS LIKESTEPHANIE MANLEY WHO’S HAVING ATOUGH TIME AS A SENIOR ATCHARLOTTE HIGH SCHOOL.A lot of the classrooms, I justfeel like there’s not a lot ofroom to social distanceeveryone.A lot of kids were taking theirmasks down.

So, I think that’sjust not going to work.ON TOP OF THAT A NEW ADDITION TOTHE FAMILYHER NEWBORN NEPHEW ISA DRIVING FACTOR TO STAY AWAYFROM COVID-19.

BUT WHEN HER MOMEMAILED A GUIDANCE COUNSELORABOUT LEAVINGBRICK-AND-MORTARSHE SAIDHOMESCHOOL USING FLORIDA VIRTUALSCHOOL CURRICULUM WAS HER ONLYOPTIONSO I EXPLAINED THEINNOVATIVE MODEL TO HER.Rachel: You would be able tolearn online and you would stillbe able to graduate with yoclass at the end of the schoolyear.

Is that something that youwould be interested in?SHE CRACKED A SMILE AT THETHOUGHT OF CROSSING THE FINISHLINE WITH HER CLASSMATES.(LLTAG)MANLEY SAID SHE PLANS TO CHOOSETHE E-LEARNING MODELBUT SHE HASTO TALK TO HER MOM ABOUT THATFIRST.

AND JORDAN SAYS HE’S NOTUPSET ABOUT THE NEW OPTIONBUTJUST WANTS A SEAT AT THE TABLEWHEN THE DISTRICT MAKES THESEDECISIONS SINCE HE A