Why do teachers/retired teachers care so much about bids for snow removal, paving of parking lots, bids to service toilets, policies for media usage, etc. Isn’t that the School Board’s job? DISTRACTION. They are trying to DISTRACT the voters/parents/students away from the real issues at APS, which are illiteracy rates, poor test scores, truancy and even discipline.

According to the teachers, they are not effective because parents are (and I quote from a FB discussion with teachers AT APS… “loud and bossy,” “uncaring,” “don’t care about their kids,” “lazy,” “we are paid babysitters.” The teachers say, and I quote: “kids are disruptive,” “rude,” “undisciplined due to poor parenting.”

The Board sets policy, budget. Teachers/administrators/Rabbideau are responsible for communication with families, engaging the community, promoting discipline, monitoring student progress, managing and solving conflicts, student focus, instructional leadership, and ensuring student academic success. Voters/parents expect a higher quality of education at APS. If there is a problem, it should be a collaborative effort with parents/teachers/administration/ superintendent to handle those issues at the “school” level.

There was an article in The Alpena News with Rabbideau pointing out the failings at APS. Shouldn’t it be his job to address these issues? How about you leave the budget/policies to the Board and do the job we hired you to do… DISTRACTION. Are parents getting what they need from APS… are the students? How about we let the Board do their job and insist the superintendent/teachers/administration do theirs. Install security cameras in classrooms to catch these disruptive behaviors and bring back the PTA? Do the parents/students know teachers claim no accountability for their failures and place all the blame on them? DISTRACTION.

JOANN PINKERTON

Alpena