[ad_1]
The Hammond School City protested Wednesday when a Gary charter school began distributing teacher recruitment flyers at Hammond Central High School.
The district asked the deputies to leave campus, saying they violated school policy by distributing flyers without review by Superintendent Scott Miller.
The incident comes as Hammond is reeling from the financial crisis, with contract talks with the teachers union stalled and layoffs looming.
The teacher recruitment flyer announced a hiring event on March 22 at Thea Bowman Leadership Academy (3401 W. 5th Ave.).
It includes the Hammond Collegiate School logo and asks, “Are you a Hammond Collegiate teacher looking for your next opportunity, or unsure of what’s next?”
It also advises them to “Discover your greatness in TBLA!”
The flyer promises summer earning opportunities, competitive pay, student loan forgiveness, professional development, technology and year-round recognition and appreciation.
A statement from Miller said the distribution of the flyers was a “blatant violation” of school board policy, which requires principals to approve “materials or activities proposed by outside political or commercial sources…”
The policy further states: “The primary purpose of such approval shall not be to promote the name, products or special interests of the proposing group.”
Miller’s press release added that use of the district’s logo is a trademark infringement.
Officials with the Thea Bowman School Board could not be reached for comment.
Gary Charter School just received a three-year charter in January from Calumet College of St. Joseph, which was previously chartered by the former Trine University in December. Authorized by Education One withdrew.
Education One withdrew the program, citing academic shortcomings and organizational problems.
The school has just begun an $8 million expansion project that includes a two-story, eight-classroom addition.
The state Board of Education still needs to approve the transfer of the charter to Calumet College.
Last week, Hammond officials said the ongoing impasse in collective bargaining talks with the Hammond Federation of Teachers is complicating and delaying other cost-cutting measures needed to meet a state-ordered corrective action plan. adopted, the plan was intended to reduce the budget deficit, which had been made more dire by the union’s defeat. There was a referendum last year.
Educational turf wars between traditional public schools and charter schools and even other traditional school districts are not uncommon as schools try to boost enrollment tied to state funding.
Hammond, for example, gets about $7,900 per student from the state.
GlenEva Dunham, president of the Indiana Federation of Teachers and the Gary Teachers Union, isn’t surprised by Thea Bowman’s hiring.
“Hammond makes headlines every day about layoffs, and they can’t make a decision until the contract is finalized,” she said.
A few years ago, when the Gary Community School Corporation came under state control because of its precarious financial situation, Dunham said the Hammond School City promoted the benefits of the nearby school district on billboards in Gary. Other neighboring districts have done the same, she said.
Carol Carlson is a freelance writer for The Tribune.
[ad_2]
Source link