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When Teachers Talk: Principal Abuse of Teachers / The Untold Story |  | Author: Rosalyn Susanne Schnall B.E.
Publisher: Goldenring Publishing, LLC
List Price: $21.95
Buy New: $10.97
as of 11/24/2009 15:12 CST details
You Save: $10.98 (50%)
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Seller: asramirez
Rating:  2 reviews
Sales Rank: 396163
Media: Paperback
Pages: 512
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6 x 1.2
ISBN: 0578005638
Dewey Decimal Number: 379
EAN: 9780578005638
ASIN: 0578005638
Publication Date: November 1, 2009 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Principal abuse of power and principal abuse of teachers, which has been clearly documented by teachers in this book, may very well be the most significant underlying cause contributing to the decline of public education in America today. Abusive and incompetent public school administrators who treat teachers with anything less than the dignity and respect they deserve do so at the direct expense of teachers, their student populations, and the communities in which they reside. Throughout the interviews in this book, teachers give detailed accounts of how principals do not provide them with the administrative support needed to effectively teach and maintain discipline in their classrooms. They explain how they have been prevented from functioning optimally and how their best efforts to help their students have been frustrated. The inevitable results are dysfunctional, permissive, non-disciplinary school environments which produce a steady stream of students who leave school and enter mainstream society totally unequipped to take on the responsibilities of functioning adults. For decades, the widespread condition of principal abuse of power has been hidden from public view. Throughout the book, teachers describe in detail, numerous examples of principal abuses they have personally witnessed and experienced, and how and why the situation remains unrecognized by the general public. Many teachers legitimately fear suffering repercussions for publicly speaking out about the problem. Consequently, parents have been almost completely unaware of its existence and the degree to which it affects their children's education. It is important to again emphasize, that the studies in this book are by no means a condemnation of all principals, and the positive contributions of good administrators have been fully recognized. The teachers who were interviewed for the educational studies in this text freely expressed their feelings regarding both “good” and “bad” principals for whom they had worked. However, the overall negative results of the studies unequivocally indicate that a crisis of major proportions may be present in many public school districts across America.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Gives one side of a many-sided problem November 17, 2009
Susanna Hutcheson (Midwest U.S.A.)
The author is a retired teacher of 35 years with the Chicago school system. Her book, "When Teachers Talk" is full of anonymous interviews with teachers. It addresses the problem of how the principals of schools they teach at or have taught at have caused them and the students numerous problems --- how some are "little Hitlers." The study was conducted over a five-year period.
No one can question our public schools are in crisis. The students they produce lack enough knowledge to survive in this world much of the time. As the book states, 30% of U.S. high school students don't graduate and 52% of black males don't get a diploma.
But, are the principals to blame in total?
As I read this book I found some absent voices -- the principals and the students. Also, the parents had no voice in the book. What I did hear, however, were teachers who couldn't seem to put together a decent sentence or talk in an educated manner. The book quoted the teachers verbatim. It did no editing. If some of these teachers taught my child, I'd take my child out of school!
Therefore, one wonders if perhaps the principals (in some cases) have reason to be a bit tough on teachers and perhaps even resent them and wonder how they got a degree to teach.
But let's look at an example of what one of the teachers says. "Basically, the principal manipulates the council and misrepresents the teachers concerned, so she can spend the budget money how she directs. Right now, in our school, we have a new library, built at the expense of two classrooms, but we don't even have a librarian."
Yet another teacher says, "One of the things that I see frequently occurring, and I think it stinks, is when extra positions for teachers become available, more often than not, those opportunities are open to only a select few. I think that it's terrible. I think that it's the source of a lot of animosity between teachers, and I've seen this a lot, and in many schools."`
We read the complaint of another teacher who says, "Another teacher, who was an excellent history teacher, who had also failed another council member's daughter, was asked to change her grades, and she refused to do it. I was also asked to change grades too or to give students a way to make up for their failing grades, and I wouldn't. But I still had a failing student graduate anyway, even though he had failed my required English class."
The book does indeed expose inept, abusive principals through these teacher testimonials. What it fails to do, however, is to expose inept teachers who are ill-equipped to teach. Nor does it expose parents who don't support their children or help the school system to help the children or who monitor the schools as they should. I do, however, understand that the title of the book is "When Teachers Talk" and that limits the discussion.
The book is a good start in opening up this nasty can of worms. Unfortunately, it gives only one small part of a very large story.
- Susanna K. Hutcheson
 When Teachers Talk--You'll not be able to put it down! November 5, 2009
Sherry A. Kessel (Carrollton, Texas)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I just couldn't put it down--reason being, I was one of 500 Chicago Public School teachers and numerous other teachers across the country interviewed in the book. But, more importantly is that YOU won't be able to put it down either. You'll be mesmerized, as was I, by the mind-boggling stories told by the other teachers who were interviewed. They describe in detail the abuse of both students and teachers--abuse going on daily-- right under the noses of the kids' parents who, by the way, are often being played like fiddles by the school principals.
This book is an anthology of one "OMG" (Oh, my God!) true story after the next. I found myself gasping in horror at what I was reading or sighing in empathy with disbelief at a teacher's plight in dealing with the stress caused directly by their administrator. The teachers' tales spotlight incident after incident of shocking, incredible, and egregious abuses of power that are perpetrated daily by school principals on their students and staffs. And, because the teachers were interviewed under the protective blanket of anonymity, they were free to pour out their hearts without fear of retribution on the job.
We all know that "Johnny can't read", but Schnall's book explains precisely why. Quite plainly, the crux of the book is that the problem lies right in the principals' offices. Thank goodness Schnall has had the courage actually write this book and to speak out on behalf of the kids --they are the ultimate victims when politics come before their welfare.
Schnall not only gives the teachers the freedom to talk of their worst experiences, but also additionally of their best experiences with principals. And, she has taken it a step further by asking teachers for their suggestions as to what can be done to improve their intolerable and deplorable work situation. Solutions are offered. Yes, the teachers offer substantive solutions. What a breath of fresh air.
I could not more highly recommend this book to anyone with a child in school. It explains what's really going on behind the scenes when you're not able to be there. Like I said, you won't be able to put it down and will want to share it with your friends. I find myself showing it to everyone I meet. And, they are mindblown and outright stunned when they realize what's really going on behind classroom doors.
WHEN TEACHERS TALK is sure to be a best seller. It is an amazing tribute to our dedicated teachers with all they are forced to endure--as well as a must read for all concerned parents. So, don't get your child's teacher an apple--get him or her this book! Or better yet-- do your kids a favor and give it to the members of your school board.
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