Yes, that is outrageous

As there's now 109 comments on the Telegram website as I write this, my weigh-in seems a bit redundant. UPDATE MONDAY: now down to 87?!?
Today's front page article on the hiring of Donna Byrnes as a special ed teacher at the cost of $75, 962 for 2008 is just as outrageous as it sounds.
In addition to parents of children with special needs, special ed teachers, and anyone who think that one ought to earn a job, I think every teacher ought to find the following horrifying:

Mrs. Byrnes was hired at the salary equivalent of an eighth-step teaching veteran with a master’s degree plus 30 additional credits because she was given about eight years of credit for her 15 years as an office manager, which is considered related educational experience.

She earned eight years teaching experience by doing office work? How, just how, pray tell, is doing office work at the administration building with the superintendent anything at all like spending time in a classroom with students? The two are completely unrelated!

I know that there is an attitude abroad that anyone can walk into a classroom and teach. It's wrong, as any substitute teacher would be the first to tell you. But it's pretty clear that there are those in our very own administration that think that anyone can teach (and teach special ed, which is even tougher!). That's horrifying. It's just absolutely horrifying.

This is also evidence of the oft-levelled charge that you have to know the right people to get a job at the WPS. This is the sort of corruption that the hiring of the new superintendent was leveled at. Here's hoping she's bringing a big broom up from Virginia. She's going to need it.

If you haven't already done so, complain to someone WHO CAN DO SOMETHING! You'll find emails at the right!