Issue Position: Teachers

Issue Position

John Tedesco is a passionate advocate for teachers. In 2009, before John's elected leadership in Wake County, the school system experienced the first round of recessionary cuts in the amount of $22 million. At that time district leaders cut 900 teachers. John said no more. In 2010 & 2011 Wake experienced nearly an additional $100 million in lost revenue. Wake Democrat Commissioner, Stan Norwalk, challenged Tedesco to claim the schools would cut thousands of teacher jobs as was occuring across the state. Tedesco said NO. Through hard work, with surgical precision, Tedesco and team protected all teachers and even added teachers without asking Commissioners or taxpayers for additional resources.

In John's GOP primary there are a few very nice men who have spent 20-40 years in the classroom. They have our uttmost respect, and if we were electing teacher of the year they would be worthy of your consideration. John Tedesco, however, is the skilled administrator and leader who knows how to save thousands of teachers their jobs in these tight times and actually has. It is that bold leadership, experienced in dealing with hundreds of millions of dollars in public resources, that our education system needs today. John is also a strong political leader with the respect of our legislators. He will not be marginalized in his role as other candidates, and he will ensure North Carolina's teachers and schools are postitioned for success.

When it comes to making positive reforms to our education system some issues surrounding our teachers can pull us apart. On one hand, teachers are a national treasure. As individuals they are invaluable; so many of them are dedicated professionals who bring out the best in our children. On the other hand, teachers' unions/associations have protected failed policies and practices placing roadblocks to positive change. We have to be able to separate this in the debate to improve public education. Teachers have to be at the table and a part of the conversation.
We need to end "last-in, first-out" policies (seniority based layoffs that protect tenured teachers over more effective teachers). Many young and very effective teachers are pushed out each year across North Carolina because of policies like these. Nothing demoralizes a good teacher more than having to work tirelessly next to a bad teacher, and a year in front of an ineffective teacher can leave our students behind for life.

Our teachers need to be supported and empowered. Too often our state education leaders make decisions with great impact to teachers but little input. We are constantly seeing standards, systems, and practices change; effectively moving the goal-line without the appropriate professional development and support our teachers need. In addition, we see the bureaucracy at the federal and state level strangle a teacher's ability to actually teach. Our systems push teachers into a "teach to the test" culture, while asking them to be everything to everyone and bogging them down in processes and paperwork.

Further, we need to build on opportunities for our teachers. We need to expand opportunities for career teachers to grow as Mentor Teachers and Master Teachers. While we understand that most teachers enter the profession to serve, we should be willing to serve those who excel in their performance with merit-based pay opportunities. In any other profession respect for hard work and results earns more than an attaboy; it comes with increased pay and opportunities. Our teachers deserve no less.

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