Teacher Appreciation Week has come to a close, a time during which the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) offered its annual platitudes, claiming that it values and supports its hardworking educators.
The chief of human capital management at DISD offered such a statement in a video posted to Twitter.
“As part of Teacher Appreciation [Week], we just want to reach out and tell you all how much we appreciate all the hard work you do for our students and the amazing things you accomplish every day in Dallas ISD,” said Robert Abel.
Similarly, Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde tweeted out her “appreciation” and referred instructors to a district web page that lists stores and venues where educators can get a discount this week:
“Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to every single one of the 9,750 Dallas ISD teachers who serve our students! This week, you get free cookies, free tickets to the Dallas Arboretum, milkshakes, and coffee, plus lots of discounts!”
Some veteran teachers, however, have been claiming for years that administrators and school board leaders have not been supporting them in terms of pay and workplace safety.
At a DISD school board meeting back in January, The Dallas Express saw DISD instructor Elizabeth Farris chastise trustees to their faces, accusing the district of misallocating state taxpayer money that was supposed to be paid to teachers.
“This money has been stolen from the teachers, and it’s a continuing reflection of the culture of contempt, disregarding, and devaluing its teachers by the district board leadership,” Farris said.
DISD has also given little priority to retaining its experienced educators, at least according to the president of the local teacher’s union, Rena Honea, who previously told The Dallas Express that rank-and-file morale is down in the district.
“They’re demoralized because their expertise and experience are unrecognized and not respected,” Honea wrote in an emailed statement to The Dallas Express.
On the subject of workplace safety, Farris voiced her concerns at the January meeting, claiming the district was not doing enough to maintain a safe learning environment.
“We have teachers who are routinely facing classroom disruption, aggression, and violence without appropriate supportive solutions, which has led to teachers and students experiencing serious injury,” Farris said.
As previously reported in The Dallas Express, a teaching assistant was allegedly killed by a DISD student with special needs, who was apparently put back into the same class multiple times after engaging in violence against staff. The deceased teaching assistant’s sons sued the district for gross negligence.
The Dallas Express reached out to DISD, asking communications staff to question Superintendent Elizalde and the district’s Board of Trustees about whether the district could do more to show their hardworking teachers that they are appreciated — in addition to the free cookies, milkshakes, and coffee.
No response was received by press time.
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