Marietta English, head of the Baltimore City Teacher's Union, in a letter to the New York Times, reminds the paper of record and its readers that repairing a school system requires the input and dedication of teachers in the classroom.
Here's an excerpt:
"
A Mission to Transform a City's Beaten Schools" (news article, Dec. 2) accurately portrays a school system that has made tremendous strides for its students and community. Test scores were already rising upon Dr. Andres Alonso's arrival in Baltimore in 2007, but he should be commended for his vision and accomplishments in transforming Baltimore's schools.
But smart, successful reform in Baltimore or anywhere else doesn't happen without the input and participation of the system's teachers and their union. Dr. Alonso partnered with the community and the Baltimore Teachers Union to achieve sweeping, even groundbreaking changes."
Read the entire response.