Lessons Learned

Garden City Teachers Association

Reflecting Quality Education

Lessons Learned

March 2007

With the prospect of a resolution of our contractual dispute with the District on the horizon, now is a good time to reflect upon our recent experience in an attempt to draw some lessons from it. In fact, recent developments, however frustrating, are instructive on several fronts.
To begin with, one of the most important messages to emerge concerns the fundamental significance of maintaining solidarity among the membership in the face of adversity. As was mentioned in this space several months ago, one of the few weapons we have in our struggle for decent wages and working conditions is the knowledge that we can count on our colleagues, at every level, for support. As Rayna Petrella pointed out recently, veteran GCTA members will recall that in past contractual disputes, primary and elementary teachers faced disproportionate disadvantages, and yet solidarity prevailed, and an equitable solution was ultimately reached. So while it was the secondary teachers who were targeted more this time around, it is important to remember that a setback for any of us is a setback for all of us. Maintaining solidarity in the face of adversity is essential to our success as a union.
Another important lesson highlighted by our recent experience is the fact that our relationship with administration and the Board of Education is fundamentally an adversarial one. While this does not mean that relations must necessarily be confrontational, it is important to remember that our best interest is not their bottom line. If the recent months have taught us anything, it should be that the District’s ultimate objective is not to make you feel happy or professionally fulfilled. Instead, it is to wring from you as much of your time as they can, at the lowest possible cost to the District. While this view may strike some (especially the naively optimistic who tend to become teachers) as overly cynical, the District’s adamant pursuit of ever-increasing obligations in recent years allows for no other conclusion. This lesson is especially important to bear in mind as the memory of the recent confrontation begins to fade, for with every well-intentioned compromise and concession we make when times are good, we only set the stage for future mandates from the District.
A further lesson brought into focus recently is the importance of holding ourselves to the highest professional standards. While the District may continue to push policies that reflect disdain for our professionalism, it is imperative that we deprive them of any legitimate examples that would validate their cynicism, and more importantly, garner support for anti-teacher measures in the community. An unfortunate reality that we must all confront, and that has been born out by recent events, is that much of the community is either indifferent or unsympathetic to our lot. Consequently, it is incumbent upon each of us to clearly demonstrate and draw attention to the remarkable lengths we go to to meet the needs of their children.
While an end to the impasse is clearly welcome news, we will all do well to preserve the spirit of unity, sense of professionalism and feelings of indignation that fortified us through these difficult days.

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