ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 30, 1997 TAG: 9703310115
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO =LK MGR
SERIES: Disorder in the Schools - A Special Report
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER THE ROANOKE TIMES
Educators say they are quitting because they don't get enough support from administrators and parents in disciplinary disputes.
For years, low pay was the main reason that teachers left the profession.
Now, teachers are quitting because students are misbehaving.
At least that is the main reason cited in a 1996 Gallup poll for Phi Delta Kappa, a national education fraternity.
In similar polls of teachers' attitudes toward schools in 1984 and 1989, teachers gave low salaries as the top reason for quitting, but pay fell to second last year.
"I really don't think a teacher goes in it for the money," one Roanoke teacher said. "If a teacher quits, it's because the discipline has gotten so bad. It's hard to handle."
Gary Waldo, executive director of the Roanoke Education Association, said he gets more calls from teachers about discipline problems than any other issue. Some teachers don't feel they get enough backing from school administrators and parents.
"Teachers have to feel they have the right to apply discipline and be supported," he said. "We're not talking hitting or spanking kids. We're talking about everyone knowing that the rules will be enforced."
Waldo said some principals seem more inclined to accept the word of students and parents than teachers in disputes over discipline. "Teachers sometimes feel they are put on trial.''
A veteran Roanoke teacher who took early retirement this year, partly because of disputes with administrators over discipline, said some teachers have become apathetic and frustrated.
"Teachers are often blamed for discipline problems," said the former teacher, who did not want to be identified. "They're told that if they motivated the students properly, they wouldn't have discipline problems."
Some teachers also are hesitant to discipline students because some parents are quick to accuse teachers of unfair treatment, she said.
"You have some parents who claim teachers are 'out to get' their child," she said. "They don't support teachers in disciplining their child."
Gary Stultz, a Roanoke elementary teacher, said the environment in schools is more volatile than it was 15 to 20 years ago. Some children now live in single-parent homes where they have not been disciplined and taught to control their behavior, he said. Others are on medication, and still others have psychological problems, he said.
"Some kids are different now," he said. "The problems are different."
Richard Kelly, president of the Roanoke County Education Association, said some county teachers are also concerned about the increasing number of unruly students.
Esther Cirasunda, president of the Roanoke Education Association, said a survey showed that discipline is one of the biggest concerns of city teachers.
Despite complaints by some teachers, Roanoke Superintendent Wayne Harris said principals are willing to suspend students and take tough disciplinary action if it is warranted.
"Today, I had a call from a parent who was livid that her child had been suspended," Harris said. "I don't think principals are reluctant to take strong action. I think it is unfounded and erroneous to say that."
Except for the REA leaders, Harris said he has not received complaints from teachers.
"I don't want to stick my head in the sand on this, but by and large, there has been no outpouring to me except for the REA leadership," he said.
Teachers say the worst-behaved students often get the most attention and disrupt the learning environment for other students. Also, one or two unruly students can take a lot of a teacher's time and keep other students from learning.
"Children who are habitually disruptive - who talk out loud or out of turn or have trouble sitting still - also generally lack the patience and discipline to learn reading, math, science and other things," one teacher said. "They don't do their work, and they cause problems for others."
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Chart by RT: Why teachers leave their jobs.by CNB