Cambridge Teachers Launch "Ask A Teacher" Publicity Campaign

Cambridge teachers kicked off their statewide "Ask A Teacher" campaign yesterday afternoon, a drive that hopes to combat recent criticism directed at Massachusetts teachers.

State Rep. Alice K. Wolf (D-Cambridge) spoke at a press conference held at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School, as did several teachers from the Cambridge school system.

"I'm here today to stand with the teachers," Wolf said.

Roger O'Sullivan, president of the Cambridge Teachers Association, said the "Ask A Teacher" campaign attempted to bring the question of school reform into the domain of informed teachers. It was launched partly in response to Gov. A. Paul Cellucci's recently introduced legislation to test veteran teachers and to fire those who cannot pass.

"What we're asking for is to move the debate from the statehouse to the schoolhouse," O'Sullivan said.

The three teachers present spoke in support of legislation proposed by the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA).

They argued for a mentor teaching system in which veteran teachers would support incoming teachers, and also lobbied for alternative programs for disruptive students and smaller class sizes.

Paul Toner, a seventh grade teacher at the Harrington School in East Cambridge, spoke against what he sees as Cellucci's recent unproductive criticism of state teachers.

"Instead of beating up on veteran teachers, Governor Cellucci should be taking advantage of veteran teachers' experience," he said.

O'Sullivan also said that he is unhappy with Cellucci's stance.

"Governor Cellucci's call to test all current teachers is only a simplistic solution to ensure teacher quality," he said. "We the teachers are committed to offering good proven alternatives."

Wolf, whose voting record shows a 100 percent alignment of MTA legislation, agreed that Cellucci's method was problematic.

"Teachers should be evaluated--they should be first class--but I'm not sure that paper and pencil tests are the right vehicle," said Wolf.

Wolf said that as a state representative, she has consistently tried to listen to teacher's views.

"I very much feel that teachers have to be intimately involved with curriculum, with standards and with students, and I think that this is what the 'Ask a Teacher' campaign is about," she said.