Pay Dispute Continues as Classes Near

Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee's pay proposal is the key to her school overhaul. (By Susan Walsh -- Associated Press)

Supporters of the plan are pushing union President George Parker to bring the plan to a vote of the membership. Parker said he has serious reservations about the probation requirement and wants it changed before a contract is finalized.

"I'm secure with my teaching practices and my pedagogy," said Susan Breipohl, 30, who teaches pre-kindergarten and kindergarten at Peabody Early Childhood Center's School Within a School. "I know that even if the growth of my students was questioned, I feel I would have enough data and anecdotal data to back it up."

More seasoned teachers, who have seen years of dysfunction and political turmoil in the school system, are deeply leery of placing their employment in the hands of a principal or other administrator who might have a personal score to settle.

Rhee says there will be an appeals process, but Parker wants contract language promising that the appeals will be expeditious -- and heard by "a neutral party."

Sarah Callaway, 59, a District teacher for 13 years who works with English language learners at Horace Mann Elementary School, said she understands and agrees with Rhee's objectives.

"All of us know there needs to be a certain amount of weeding out. She has the right idea, to be aggressive and get new blood," Callaway said.

But the big-money-for-tenure option "forbodes too much control" for administrators, she said.

Younger teachers have expressed bewilderment about their older colleagues.

"Why is it that the veterans seem to be the most against rewarding teachers for improved test scores?" asked "Toby" in a post on D.C. Teacher Chic. "Shouldn't those new to the field feel the most threatened by such a proposal?"

One sentiment that seems to bridge the generational divide: The teachers union has done a dismal job in responding to concerns and questions about the plan.

"You don't respond to emails, your voice mail is full, the website is not updated and you release no statements to let teachers know where we are in this negotiations process," Breipohl wrote to Parker yesterday.

Some said Rhee, a prolific text-messager, has been far more responsive.

"Pardon my ignorance, but why is the Chancellor able to e-mail me back with a multiple sentence response, but George Parker cannot send a one-word reply?" asked "Dee," author of Dee Does the District, who identifies herself as a first-year special education teacher.

Parker said he is trying to keep up with what he described as an enormous volume of calls and messages.

"The numbers have just made it impossible to respond in a timely manner and carry on the day-to-day operations of the union," he said.