Schools
LETTER: Clash of the Titans; Administration vs. Teachers
Conor Perkins of Bel Air High School shares his thoughts on the school system.
The author, Conor Perkins, is a senior at . As part of his Contemporary Issues course, he had to find and write about a cause. He chose the "clashing viewpoints of administration and teachers in the Harford County School System" and shared a copy with Patch.
The piece is published in full, unedited.
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How much involvement is too much involvement? There is no doubt in my mind that administrators truly know what is best for the school and countless times are forced to make the toughest decisions in the name of the school. However, there is also no doubt in my mind that teachers do the impossible and will do whatever it takes to make the best decisions for their students.
Too often teachers will back down at decisions from the administration, but it is becoming more and more common for teachers to stand up and fight for what is best for their students. At this the “higher-ups” should take the time to consider what is being said and the great importance of a particular issue. The largest issue between administration and teachers is a matter of trust. The teachers must trust that the administration will perform their obligations as the administrators should trust their teachers to perform their instructional duties with professionalism and to the best of their abilities. If those in power were to sit back and watch the schools for one day, they would find a well-oiled machine running smoothly like clockwork. Teachers take great pride in their students and are fantastic role models. They serve the school and their students well. Administrators: trust them. They know what they are doing.
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An administrator’s most important asset is the support of teachers, students, and parents. There are so many opportunities to gain this support from simply reaching out and making sure teachers are happy to showing up to sports games, concerts, or school plays. The presence of an administrator is noticed by the students as is an absence. One simple appearance says “I care about the students. This is why I do what I do.” This makes all the difference.
An educator’s first priority is the welfare of the students they serve. Administrators are becoming farther and farther removed as they climb the “corporate ladder” that the education system has become. Without the connection to the actual students, the public school system fails to meet the needs of the students, the next generation of leaders and hope for the world.
