Welcome back greetings to all and a very special welcome to our new MTA members! As I write this, we number 657 teachers, teaching assistants and nurses and this is before the new appointments to be made at the September 8th Board of Education meeting.

As I mentioned on Opening Day, our newest members impressed us on August 30th with their incredible enthusi-asm and energy. These are certainly attributes we should all try to harness (or re-harness), particularly given the climate in which we are working. Within a few short days, it has become evident that we have a lot of work to do and a lot of adversity to overcome. This can only be done through a united voice and a firm resolve that we will continue to stand for what is educationally sound–for our students and for ourselves. In just a few short days, the number of issues and concerns that have come through the buildings is overwhelming. It is unbelievable that we entered the school year without a working print shop, without master schedules, without teaching assignments, without classroom assignments, without advance notice of lesson plan changes, etc., etc.!

What kind of way is this to run a school district? What would happen to us if we came in this unprepared? I, for one, am sick and tired of hearing “We need to do this for the students.” Or, “You need to remember the children.” I believe that is why all of our MTA members report for work each day. I’m certain that’s why our teachers paid for their own photocopying so that students wouldn’t go without materials. I know many teachers who, despite going over their contractual work time, stayed on the opening days of school to supervise children whose busses were incredibly late. What about the HS staff, some of whom have been moved, moved again, and yet again–within less than a week! There isn’t a high school member who is not working under incredibly frustrating and stressful circumstances.

The problems exist district-wide, across all grade levels and disciplines. Sadly, many of these issues aren’t new but have carried over from the last school year. The current state of affairs in this district is so atrocious that it warranted my making a trip to the microphone at last week’s BOE meeting. For the full version of my statement, go to www.middletownteachers.org. While there, perhaps you would like to re-read the thank you letter sent to all of you last week. The MTA’s Executive Board is deeply appreciative of the hard work and effort that all of you put forth in order to get through the opening days of school. Your actions did not go unnoticed by your colleagues.

In order to effect change, the kind of change that is purposeful and meaningful, we must stand together and voice our professional viewpoints. We cannot continue to undergo the wide-sweeping changes, made without shared decision-making, which we have experienced over the past year. The effects, I fear, will be devastating. For that reason, in my comments to the BOE on September 8th, I very firmly stated that “The line needs to be drawn.” By that I meant we will not allow our members to be held responsible for the issues and problems that are clearly not within their duties and responsibilities, nor will we accept the blame for circumstances that are well beyond our control. It’s clearly time for those who are responsible, to step up and take responsibility!

We will continue to use our collective voice as well as our individual ones, in order to bring forth issues and concerns. We will not be silent and we will continue to work toward obtaining the professional respect and appreciation that is long overdue us. This can only be accomplished through open, honest communication within an established atmosphere of trust. On your behalf, I will continue to work toward achieving that goal.