Teacher Accountability

Every year, “teacher accountability” comes into play, whether it is elementary, middle or high schools. This is evident throughout the entire country, and can happen in many ways: whether it be cheating on standardized tests, a sexual relationship between teachers and students, teachers getting involved in illegal activities outside of school, or schools with illegal problems themselves. “Teacher accountability” also, and normally, means how teachers should be held accountable for their in-class performances.

For example, in Atlanta in 2009 there were accusations that were later proved to be true of district employees cheating on standardized tests. This included administrators and teachers helping their students do better and exponentially increasing their scores by cheating.

While reading this article, you might ask yourself: What does this have to do with me? Or even: Why is this in the Urbana High School paper? The answer is, that in light of all recent events around the country, we here at The Echo have gotten interested with our actual policy for teacher/administrator accountability.

Another example is very applicable in school. It is the cliché, “I’m failing this class because my teacher doesn’t like me.” In school, every student has either had a teacher that they have not liked, or a teacher that has not liked them. This is what makes this article very important to the community. Here at The Echo, we have asked: Who is at fault in this situation?

Superintendent Donald D. Owen is superintendent for USD116, recently replacing Preston Williams after the 2012-2013 school year. Williams served 27 years as Superintendent of USD116. Dr. Owen is currently on his 2nd.

Owen had a lot to say when asked about the district’s policy for problems with Urbana’s teachers.

He pointed me in the direction of a link on the district website that has the policies on it. However, they are very vague and are more like guidelines and responsibilities that district employees have.

He later explained why the policies/guidelines are how they are.

Owen said, “We believe that educators are professionals who hold a place of high visibility and respect in the community. With that level of visibility and respect comes the responsibility to use good judgment and be a role model for students and a positive contributor to the community. That doesn’t mean that we watch what employees do in their personal lives, but if there is a nexus between school and home, and it raises concerns, we address those concerns.”

Essentially, Owen states that the district is very trusting in the employees that they hire. USD116 doesn’t do any snooping through the personal lives of employees unless it directly connects back to the school, and even then it is not “snooping” but more of just “looking into.” He also says that teachers are role models to students and should act as such in the community. He also trusts that the teachers will maintain good relationships with their students and treat them as fairly as possible.

However, as for actual punishments, Owen said that they do not necessarily have a set penalty based on any sort of precedent at USD116. He says that they handle each case individually and that the few times during his tenure, at any school he has worked at, that they, to the best of his knowledge, have never dismissed an employee due to their actions outside of school.

Former UHS students Matt Feinberg and Ian Courtney, 2014 graduates, were asked about teacher accountability.

Feinberg said, “In my years at UHS, I have only heard of one instance where this might be applicable, but as a whole, USD is doing a pretty good job of hiring responsible and trustworthy teachers.”

Courtney said, “Personally, I have not witnessed any teachers or UHS staff being irresponsible outside of school, but I do believe that if this were the case that employees of the school district were breaking the law that they should be held accountable for their actions, not only by the law, but also by their employer.”

Basically, both of these past-students have said that they think “Teacher Accountability,” both in a legal sense and performance-wise, is not problem at UHS.

As for me, I personally believe that USD116 has had a very good track record of hiring morally upright citizens that not only do their job well; but, they also behave very responsibly in the world outside of school.

It is up to you to decide whether or not you believe that the district is doing a good job dealing with these certain instance of accountability, between teachers and students, after hearing from one current student, two former students, and the superintendent of the entire school district.