Teachers Need To Give Our Support To Pascale Mauclair

The righteous rise/With burning eyes/Of hatred and ill-will/Madmen fed on fear and lies/To beat and burn and kill....Neil Peart 1981

Last night before the radio show I was reading Edwize to do catch up on what I wished to discuss with Leo Casey. But before I could I get the information I was seeking I came across an excellent blog post by Leo of the plight of Pascale Mauclair who through no fault of her own was rated the worst teacher in New York City. And of course the New York Post and "reporter" Georgett Roberts was there to not only kick her when Ms Mauclair was down, but to throw the proverbial salt into her wounds.

The New York Post and it's reporter Georgett Roberts decided to make Ms. Mauclair its target. Not only did Roberts find the need to harass Ms Mauclair's father at his own home, but found the need to go to her home, on private property and hound and harass her as well. When they couldn't get any information from her Roberts started to hound and harass Ms Mauclair's neighbors as well. Police had to be called in twice. Obviously Roberts didn't get the hint the first time.

Never mind, and Leo Casey pointed this out in his blog post, that Ms Mauclair's school, PS 11, came out of its quality review as proficient, but that by any conceivable measure it is a successful school which is 100% over capacity.

Also, let's not forget being in Woodside, Queens the number of ELL's in the school, the amount of free lunches, the students from troubled homes. This school works.

Worse, The Post and Georgett Roberts need to stretch the truth more. In the article this past Sunday "reporter" Roberts blabbered, "ranked among the very bottom out of more than 12,000 fourth- through eighth-grade math and English teachers citywide." Amazing, simply amazing. But how is it possible that Ms Muclair was amongst the worst in English when there were no scores for her at all? Just her math from 2010 and lifetime math scores were shown. And still no one can explain what the hell her lifetime math score mean.

But in 2010 Ms Mauclair had 11 students in her class. What do we know of these students? What do we know of their homes? Previous test scores. Could it be that the previous year each and every student of Ms Maulcair got every single question correct on their 5th grade math exam and statistically only went down? My son aced 3rd grade math, should his 4th and 5th grade teachers be held accountable?

There is so much we do not know about what goes into a kids mind. Especially a 6th grade student that MS Mauclair teachers. Most of these students at that age are in, or what on the cusp of puberty and adolescence. We should all remember that which we all went through.

And let's not forget, and at least in my opinion, that boys fare tougher. I see it now with my own son who is in 5th grade. He just made high honor roll for the past quarter and since 3rd grade has always made honor roll. He standardized test scores are outstanding. But, his behavior has been a bit off lately and we are attributing it to that he does not want to seem like a brainiac. He wants to be seen as a jock, as one of the guys, and not some nerdy kid. This is what happens.

Name me a scientist that would allow all the variables that are present in students, in children's lives to be part of any experiment. In fact, how could a scientist make a plausible hypothesis on any experiment with all the variables we see in students? Yet, we as educators are not only asked to come up with a system which is imperfect and has countless variables to judge students, but worse, it is being used against us. It does not make sense.

But she's nobody's hero/Is the voice of reason against the howling mob/Hero...is the pride of purpose/In the unrewarding job...Neil Peart 1993

I have never met Pascale Mauclair and I don't know if I every will, but I hope to some day. The class and dignity she has shown should all be a lesson to not only us as teachers, but to her students and the students of New York City as well. What a lesson on facing adversity and holding your head high it can be using Ms. Mauclair as an example. She is an example, she is a light of what teaching is, what it should be, and what it can always be. We need to support Ms Mauclair in any way possible. We are are  brothers, sister, and comrades. Perhaps one day Ms. Mauclair can give a lesson to Uncle Mike about class.