Randolph teachers displeased by union

By Nancy Mitchell, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 24, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.

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Teachers at Bruce Randolph School on Wednesday called their union's response to their autonomy request "unacceptable" and said they'll consider other options to run the north Denver school their way.

Those options could include applying to become a charter school, which would give the Randolph staff the greater freedoms they sought in hiring, time in school and budgeting.

But it's an idea that Randolph teacher Greg Ahrnsbrak is reluctant to discuss.

"We feel we're being pushed to look at that," he said.

"We want some of those advantages that charter schools have . . . but we want to serve the neighborhood children, and we're not going to deviate from that."

Randolph's historic bid to free itself from union and district rules is being followed closely by politicians, parents, policymakers and education reformers.

That's largely because Principal Kristin Waters and her staff have lifted the school from among the worst in Colorado with out-of-the-box strategies such as refusing to promote students who are failing classes.

But Randolph teachers said they believed they could do more if the red tape were loosened. Denver Public Schools board members last month agreed 7-0.

The union's governing board on Tuesday, though, issued a counter proposal that approved some freedoms sought by Randolph but not others. The response, from many, was swift and angry.

"I'm surprised that this board isn't willing to support their own union members, their own teachers," said Tony Lewis of the Donnell-Kay Foundation, among the groups supporting Randolph in its request.

"Their own people are asking them for ways, and the ability, to teach their students more successfully."

Van Schoales with the Piton Foundation, which offered the school $100,000 if the autonomy bid were approved, said the union's counter proposal added more layers of bureaucracy.

"If somebody there says they'd like to do a charter," he said of Randolph, "we'll give them the $100,000 and I'll go back and try and raise more money."

Ahrnsbrak said some have encouraged the staff to go ahead andimplement the proposal anyway, regardless of the union's stance.

"The truth is, we don't know what DCTA will do," he said. "Will they sue us? That's definitely a possibility."

There's even talk of a legislative solution. The Randolph autonomy bid caught the attention of State Senate President Peter Groff, D-Denver, who has said he plans to introduce a bill that would allow other schools statewide to make similar requests.

Wednesday, some state lawmakers were talking about the union's decision with puzzlement.

"I don't personally undersand why the union is turning down their own members," said Rep. Chris Romer, D-Denver.

Added Rep. Rob Witwer, R-Genessee: "If they've been successful at Bruce Randolph, why on earth wouldn't we let them continue doing what works?"

Kim Ursetta, president of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, in releasing more specifics about the counter proposal,said the union is allowing Randolph to do most of what it is requesting.

For example, the school can post teacher vacancies and fill them "at any time" with candidates from inside and outside the district.

But Ahrnsbrak said even on waivers the union agreed to, it set conditions. In one case, the union states the school can determine time in school - but it also says union leaders must work with school staff on exactly how they plan to do so.

"They're not essentially agreeing to waive anything," Ahrnsbrak said."We would have to re-vote on everything. Say we did that, what's to stop them from throwing out something else? We see no end to this.

"We totally reject this," he added. "I don't want to close off conversations but at the same time, we have to have some meaningful dialogue. Because this is not."

mitchelln@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5245

• January 24, 2008

  5:03 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  amicuss writes:

  Ironic isn't it. If the school had failed the state could have turned it into a charter, now the school may have to become a charter to do the things its staff feels is necessary to improve.

• January 24, 2008

  6:34 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Brian1973 writes:

  yes it is ironic.

  It's more telling though that the union is having issues letting go of some of its power......

• January 24, 2008

  7:09 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  forwhatitis writes:

  What is ironic is that the teachers are doing a better job than the union will let them do. Typical. Then, the teachers want all the protections of the union, but the autonomy they want to do things differently. Get real, you can't have it both ways. Dump the union, and use this school as an example to other teachers in other schools that if they don't perform without the shield of the union, then they will find someone else who will.

• January 24, 2008

  9:42 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  LiveWell writes:

  forwhatis- You are oversimplifying this a bit, unfortunately. If you really look at what this school is asking for, they are trying to waive many of the union protections, as well. The problem is, it is a collective agreement between the union and the district. Even if no teachers at this school were unions members, they still can not break from the agreement without support of both the district (which they do have) and the union (which they don't have) The only other option is becoming a charter school (which poses problems for the students they serve).

• January 24, 2008

  11:39 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Scott writes:

  Mafioso Kim Ursetta of the Denver Teacher's Union had better read the hand writing on the wall. The mob's lap-dog, democrat party, is starting to question Mafioso Kim Ursetta's reluctance to give the teachers at Randolph relief from mob rule. Both state senate president Groff and state rep. Romer are democrats.

  I can answer rep. Chris Romer's statement, "I don't personally understand [sic] why the union is turning down their own members". Well Chris the answer is really simple Mafioso Kim Ursetta would have to give up some of her power. Unions goons would rather leave dead bodies (or ignorant children) all over the place before they admit that they are part of the problem.

  Scott

• January 24, 2008

  2:08 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  geriatric1943 writes:

  While unions can be used to do good things they must remember that their power comes only from their members. When they act like the executives of the companies or government entities they are supposed to protect their membership from then unions become the very thing they desire not to become.

  Union membership is still declining after s brief bump but as long as they do not appreciate their membership, whose true desire is to teach the children, then membership will continue to decrease.

• January 24, 2008

  2:20 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Scott writes:

  geriatric1943,

  By the way, government entities are "suppose" to remember that their power also comes from the members, i.e. citizens.

  Third biggest lie in America, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you."

  Scott

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