July 14, 2006
To Whom It May Concern,
I know many people would like me to go away; but many more are concerned about education in general and especially about people unable to speak out about issues. The children of Norfolk, at the least, deserve to know what happened to me. And due to the fact that your superintendent is withholding the last payment ($5000.00) owed to me through the agreement I signed; which I honored (until now I guess) I might add; I feel like if I didn't shed the light on this situation, I would be morally wrong.
FYI: The superintendent and principal called up the head librarian at the public library, giving her grief because she allowed me to hold my play practices at the library. The librarian did not pull the program. Shortly thereafter, the public library was told they would no longer be staffing the school library.
Another FYI: Many of you have seen the cable show World View with Eric Matez and Crew. The superintendent tried to get my program pulled, when she was unable to, she initially tried to evict the cable station from the school. The selectman stepped in and cooler heads prevailed. (If I have any of the above information wrong, please let me know.)
I am a very open person. I am as honest as they come. (Well, I like to think so anyway.) The story of my travails with Norfolk, have arisen because of me. Most teachers would not exert their independence in the first place and if they did and got called on it and were told to get in line, most would grieve it if possible or get in line to not risk their job.
In my situation, I was told to do the following things back in November:
1) Not use the social studies text I was using because it was no longer in the curriculum since MA recently only included Massachusetts studies in their Frameworks. I explained to my principal that I was teaching MA studies and that I was simply still using the old textbook because it was my method to assist me in helping to teach students how to study and take tests without parent support. The text book lends itself to this process by having a relatively controlled vocabulary with tests that are set up similarly to MA MCAS tests, thereby killing 2 birds with 1 stone; creating independent studiers AND preparing them for standardized tests. The principal ignored my purpose simply saying I couldn't possibly teach all I had to in social studies and use the other textbook.
2) I was not embracing the new Reading Workshop method that all of the staff was supposed to be doing. Whenever new methods are introduced, I do not drop everything to incorporate them. Instead I learn them well in bits and pieces and if they warrant inclusion into my methods, I incorporate them as I become proficient in them.
3) Similar to 2, I was using the math program (Everyday Math) in a method which was not intended by the authors. I let the students work independently on the program, allowing them to move at their own pace. This method fits into the overall center-based method I use and lends itself into my guide-on-the-side mentality.
4) In the centers I use I incorporate a 'free' center which I encourage the students to do something educational, whether it is read silently, write letters, observe the animals I have in the class, or use any of the computer games that I have available on my own computers which I have in my class since school computers are out of the teachers' hands in how they must be used. I was told that the game of Life or an Egyptian science program I was using are not appropriate since they aren't grade 3 curriculum.
5) Last but not least I was told that the parents that I use in my classroom each and every day to assist with centers are not trained teachers so they cannot be reading/listening to the children and be expected to be actually teaching.
This was on Monday Nov. 14, 2005. Tuesday I took off wondering how on Earth I am going to be able to teach as I do and not be insubordinate. Wednesday was American Education Week visiting day at our school. My class was at the library and since I wasn't there the day before to send a note home about either going to the library or waiting until they come back to the room before you come in, I had 8 parents at my door 20 minutes before the kids were due to be picked up. Since the expectations of my principal would cause me not to be able to use centers (and a whole lot more) the way I had, I was going to have to let the parents know sooner or later anyway; I filled them in on what the principal said. Most of the 8 parents came in to help with centers and I had had 5 of their older children prior to this year; older children I might add who were doing great in school. They asked if they should contact the administration to let them know they liked the methodology of my teaching and to please reconsider allowing me to do what I do.
That is when the story gets interesting and was really what I was "fired" for.
One of the 8 parents in the room sent a letter to the principal, cc-ing the superintendent and 2 school committee members whom she knew. Her letter basically stated that she had heard what was stated to me and that she wanted to lend her and her husband's support for my teaching methods, saying that her child was having an outstanding year and they wished it to continue as it was.
I received a letter within the week stating that, "any further interaction with parents or staff that can be characterized as lobbying support for your position will be considered insubordinate and disciplinary action will be taken."
Now here is the thing, over the years, I have always taught how I thought best. Usually there was no non-compliance of any school curriculum issues. It merely came down to style differences. There was 1 instance 12 years ago (and the reason I bring it up is because my assistant principal for that year, though she was not directly involved, became my future principal, the one who 'fired' me) where there was a spelling program called One Way, which I took huge offense to. The initial reason for the dislike was that I had stayed home with my infant daughter for the previous year and had gotten bumped to grade 2 (from grade 3.) Grade 2 used this spelling program to teach reading. It was an hour and a half of time which required second graders to learn the 52 sounds of the English language, which on the surface doesn't sound so bad. The program starts with the students having to fold their paper into little rectangles and then be able to write the sounds in those rectangles. Even if we weren't using newsprint (which we were) most adults would have a difficult time folding the paper into the required small boxes that were required. After the first time, the 10-15 minutes that it took to fold the paper made me realize this was not good education. The fact that I hadn't as yet been trained in the program was not great either.
After trying for a week or so to make the program run more smoothly, I quickly realized while there were some merits to the acquisition of the 52 sounds, the program had little merit in a well rounded course of enlightening education. I stopped using it and when the matter came up amongst my fellow teachers, I of course, shared my problems with the program. They, of course, shared my views with the principal. I was told I needed to use the program. I told the principal, using a baseball analogy, that I was like a knuckleball pitcher and that program would require me to pitch fastballs; that you may as well fire me because I would be ineffective if I had to use it and in fact I won't, so go ahead and fire me if you must.
She said three times in the meeting that I needed to use it. I said fire me two more times, she said you will use the program three more times. After the last time, I figured she just wanted to hear me say I will, so I did. I said okay and she never came in my class to see if I was or wasn't using it (which I wasn't.)
Four or five years ago, (I was back in the 3-6 school) I had issues with a different principal because I put on a play (Harry Potter) which my class wrote and acted in. He said that doing a play was not in the Frameworks. I was so dumbfounded that I didn't search out where in the Frameworks it said so. I would have but the day after he gave me that directive, an ex-parent, now school committee member, happened by my room; when she asked how I was, I told her what had happened. She (and her daughter) had loved being apart of the play (her year, it was The Lord of the Rings. I told the stories and then the class wrote a script.) She went to the superintendent and I was allowed to do the play. The following year, before school had started, the principal informed me I couldn't do the play this year again, unless I could find it in the Frameworks. Well, it was not hard to find. In the Creative Arts section as well as the Literature section, it actually said the students should be acting. I informed the principal that not only does it say that the students should, but because my class does a play (the only class that did) you can say your school is following the Frameworks! So he let me do it.
There are 3 more instances of my 'rebelliousness.' The first 2 were my first and second years and it involved the teachers. The teachers had fought for a new contract the year before I came and a problem had been getting paid for time for other activities we were required to do besides teaching. I came under fire from the teachers in my first year because I would go out for recess with the students when I wasn't on duty and play soccer with them. They said I wasn't getting paid so I shouldn't do that. I said tough I'm doing it, it's my free time and I'll do what I want with it. (By the way, I went out every day my whole career with the students, having daily coed soccer games with up to 60 kids participating. I even went out, by request of the kids, when my special schedule permitted, with the older grades as well.)
The second problem with the teachers was when in my second year, ten of us got pink slipped and the union wouldn't let me talk about a wage freeze at our meeting, saying that we only talk about something like that in the summer after an override (in MA, taxes cannot be raised more than 2% without a town vote) has been tried. I said I would not be around then and when they wouldn't let me speak, I went around trying to see which teachers might be interested. Of course, only the ten of us were. The point was that I should have been allowed to voice my opinion, even if I was the only one who thought what I did.
I am sharing these instances, because it shows that I am a person who does what I think is right, even if it is not the popular thing to do. If I am wrong so be it.
The third rebel act I perpetrated I actually got written up about. It was in 1995 and I had to switch classrooms into a room with rusty lockers. I am pretty handy so I asked my principal at the time (a different guy than the play one) if I could paint the lockers. He said no because all of the rest of the lockers on the floor won't be painted. I said I would paint them. He said he wasn't going to pay for the paint. I said I would pay for the paint.
He still said no. I said I was going to do it anyway. He said if I did he would fire me for insubordination. I didn't paint them. They still are rusty and unpainted to this day.
Okay, back to the story at hand.
About 2 weeks later, another set of parents, trying to support me, but doing it under the guise of trying to figure out what will be happening now, since their child had been improving so much with the social studies books I was using, they asked for a meeting with the principal. I was asked to go to the meeting. The principal met with me before hand saying that she wanted the meeting to go well. I almost came in late so I would miss the meeting. I should have. When the meeting started, the parents spoke their piece. The principal just wrote down what they said, didn't look at them while they were speaking, and made no inclination to speak when they were finished. It was rude to say the least. I tried to speak on my principals behalf, taking the company line. Mostly when the principal did speak, it was to say that the textbook was not in the curriculum. After 20 minutes of this, I had definitely been confrontational and asked to be excused from the meeting (before I really said something I would regret.)
I of course got another letter, this time from the superintendent, saying that, "I continue to have grave concerns about your inappropriate interaction with parents and students. Many of your communications can be characterized as undermining the administration, and most particularly your principal..." After this letter, I contacted my union representative who had a MTA (Massachusetts Teacher Ass.) representative come out to speak with me. I should have grieved what was occurring, but the rep. said that schools can tell teachers not only what to teach, but how to teach. I didn't understand at the time that I could grieve the issue even though they had every right to do as they were. I assumed at that point that I was in deep doo doo. I spent the next month trying to change my teaching style to address the curriculum as it was written in the math book, as well as abandoning the social studies books (which the principal collected from the entire grade anyway.)
I was okay with the mandate to teach by the book. I didn't like it and thought it was wrong, considering how effective my methods were, but I was okay with my principal's wishes. I mean she was my boss and said I had to do X ...if I wanted to stay hired, I better do X. I was not okay with the "Do not talk to parents," issue. And even though I hadn't formally spoken with anyone and certainly hadn't said anything besides explain the situation, I was called into the office once again on Jan. 19th and when asked if I had spoken to parents, I did not lie and said that I had. I was suspended without pay for 1/23/06 and 1/24/06. I was supposed to have a meeting at 9 a.m. on the 25th before I went back to my room.
When I arrived at school at 8:45 a.m. (the time the students arrive) there was no substitute in the classroom. I stayed in my class and called down to the office to find out what the deal was. They had forgotten, and instead I had the meeting after school on Friday. At this meeting they added that I could not read any more Harry Potter. I informed them that I always read after lunch for 20-30 minutes before specials and that my class looks forward to this time and that we would be doing a play of what would perhaps come in the forthcoming book. The principal said that Harry Potter was too dark and the superintendent said that it was too much of the same genre. I said (to no avail) that my students are exposed to all genres and that Harry Potter was beloved by most children. That evening I went out and bought 10 copies each of The Magician's Nephew and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, again not wanting to be insubordinate.
The whole Harry Potter issue though bore a hole in my head. I just felt like this was something which was clearly wrong and that all throughout this, I had been trying to do as they wish, and that this was just plain wrong. That weekend, I called all of the parents in my class for the first time, and was truly insubordinate, explaining what had been transpiring because many of them only had an inkling, and asked them if they thought my teaching methods were worth fighting for. I got a 100 % affirmative. I reached all but 3 student's parents. I made an appointment for Tuesday and basically walked in and said you need to let me teach as I do. The superintendent said you mean it is your way or the highway? I said yes. She said it sounds like you're quitting. I said no. She said well, I'm firing you then.
On Feb. 1st, I received a letter from the principal saying that I am not allowed on the school property and that if I do I could be arrested and charged with trespassing.
I was encouraged by parents, teachers, and most importantly, my wife, to grieve the dismissal so that at the least, I might get paid for this year or a portion of it. I settled instead of going through a long drawn out procedure for all but about $9000 of my salary, agreeing that I wouldn't say anything negative about the school. I honored that agreement. I gave interviews before I signed the agreement; one of them was for Edutopia magazine. The article came out 2 days before I was to receive my last payment from the school. The superintendent decided to withhold my last payment.
I shouldn't have sold out in the first place. Speaking about issues is the only way for things to change. And change, I think, is necessary for people to survive.
Since this has happened, I have had more time to work on what I believe is what we all need to do, and that is World Peace. Without world peace, everything seems to me at least, to be a moot point. My website is wewantworldpeacenow.com.... I have poems on it as well as a forum and soon there will be book pages of drawings/writings about peace free to download.
Yours, Eric
P.S. I feel like I have made a significant impact on many of you and your children. You all know me and know I have always tried to make the lives of the people around me happier. I am educationally blown up in the water. No one is calling me for a teaching position because they are put off by my previous salary and even more so by my independent stance. All I was trying to do was to stand up for my way of teaching. Is that so horrible? Well, the CARE group in town has tried to fight for me for all of the above reasons and they only have a handful of members. I am asking you to join that group, to pull your kids out of school, to call your school committee, to do what it takes to right this wrong..you know I would do that for you.
P.S.S. If you want me to stay trying or go away, please email me at e.matez@comcast.net
P.S.S.S. This is a $5000.00 letter, I hope someone reads it.