Proud Missouri Educator

***Disclaimer: This post will contain my opinions on a political matter.  I have never used this platform for any political agenda but I feel the need to share this particular opinion.  You are welcome to share your opinion but I will delete any comment that is degrading, derogatory, or offensive in any way. Thanks for your time and understanding.

If you are a Missouri educator, Missouri resident, or student in the state of Missouri you will know what I mean when I say I'm proud to be an educator in Missouri where the people think about the students first. If you are not and you are wondering why I would take the time to say this; I'm going to share a little information about an amendment that was trying to be made to our Missouri State Constitution yesterday.

Ballot title

The official ballot text reads as follows:^[1]

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Official Ballot Title: Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to: Require teachers to be evaluated by a standards based performance evaluation system for which each local school district must receive state approval to continue receiving state and local funding; Require teachers to be dismissed, retained, demoted, promoted and paid primarily using quantifiable student performance data as part of the evaluation system; Require teachers to enter into contracts of three years or fewer with public school districts; and Prohibit teachers from organizing or collectively bargaining regarding the design and implementation of the teacher evaluation system? Decisions by school districts regarding provisions allowed or required by this proposal and their implementation will influence the potential costs or savings impacting each district. Significant potential costs may be incurred by the state and/or the districts if new/additional evaluation instruments must be developed to satisfy the proposal’s performance evaluation requirements. Fair Ballot Language: A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to require teachers to be evaluated by a standards based performance evaluation system. Each system must receive state approval in order for the local school district to continue receiving state and local funding. Teachers will be dismissed, retained, demoted, promoted and paid primarily using quantifiable student performance data as part of the evaluation system. The amendment further requires teachers to enter into contracts of three years or fewer with public school districts, with exceptions. The amendment also prohibits teachers from organizing or collectively bargaining regarding the design and implementation of the teacher evaluation system. A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution regarding teacher contracts and performance evaluation systems. If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes. At first glance, if you skim,   you might be thinking... teachers should be evaluated and held accountable. And I would agree, just as I agree that everybody should be expected to do their job appropriately.  What I don't agree with is the manner in which they wanted to hold us accountable. Not only is it ludicrous to base my ability to teach off of any assessment; that is in no way an indication of what any student is capable of, but it is unfair to put any student through all the assessments that will be required to fulfill this amendment.  Not only would this change have been costly, but it would have violated our United States Constitutional right of freedom of speech.  Most importantly though, teachers' hands would have  been tied and students would be forced to learn how to take tests that the government deems necessary. Not how to think critically, creatively and to have a passion for knowledge.  So, thank you Missouri voters who took the time to educate yourself on this harmful amendment and for supporting our children's education. Together we can continue to grow a generation of critical thinkers and doers!