Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Are we not professionals? continued

I have renewed my teaching license for the last time. The required Statement of Professionalism remains the same with clicking on "Agree and continue" required to complete the application.

I began this episode of my protest with an email to TSPC:
I am renewing my Substitute Teacher license on line and have arrived at the Statement of Professionalism.
If I "Accept and Continue" I will not be acting in accordance with the third principle: "Conduct myself with integrity."
This puts me in a position of being required to be dishonest to renew my license. Several principles are impossible to fulfill or are too nebulous to have meaning. It's outrageous that professionals are subjected to this mockery of professionalism.
The Statement of Professionalism should be eliminated in its entirety from the application.
If this email should be sent to another office, please advise.
Respectfully,
Barron
Substitute Teacher

Barron, Thank you for sharing your thoughts, I will be happy to pass them along to our Director. The choice is yours, If you do not want to sign the Statement of Professionalism as required, you do not have to, but you will also not be able to submit your application to renew.

Thank you very much for your timely reply. I appreciate your forwarding my message to the Director.
Perhaps we can eliminate this 10-year-old insult from an otherwise-respectful and reasonable process.

A little while later, I asked that this be forwarded to the Executive Director:
"Dear Dr. Rosilez,
Out of respect for your time, I’ll be brief.
I’m writing concerning the Statement of Professionalism, which I’m required to agree to in order to renew my license. It is an insult to professional educators.
Several specific requirements are pre-existing obligations, negating their legality.
Several imply that we would behave unprofessionally if we weren’t forced to agree to them.
Some are impossible to comply with. For example: “Respect my colleagues.” I confess I never respected the teacher who some students described as “creepy.” I have violated my commitment, though I certified “that the information submitted on or relating to this form is true and correct.” I’m forced to lie to be a licensed teacher.
By agreeing to this Statement of Professionalism, I violate at least two more requirements: “Conduct myself with integrity,” and “Be a role model for my students.” I can’t do these and agree as if I’m clicking on Terms and Conditions for a new app for my phone.
Although the statement could be reworded, its very existence is an unprofessional requirement that is beneath the dignity of Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, which I hold in high regard. It’s certainly beneath the dignity of the professional educators who are forced by it to commit to nebulous and/or impossible promises.
Thank you for your consideration of my concerns. Statement of Professionalism follows this letter.
Respectfully,
Barron, Substitute teacher with 40+ years dedicated to public education.

I didn't expect a reply, but it seems a proper step in the process.

After submitting to bureaucratic rule, I included a follow-up disclaimer: "I have renewed my substitute teaching license, including agreeing to the Statement of Professionalism. The attached is a disclaimer to my required promises. I respectfully request that it be included in my records at TSPC."

Disclaimer addendum for Barron’s application for his substitute teacher’s license renewal, 2023-2026
Submitted July 14, 2023
I have agreed to the Statement of Professionalism as required to renew my license. However, I feel legally and ethically obligated to add this disclaimer: The required statement includes, “Specifically, I will:
• Attest to all that I have good moral character.
Decline. Pridefulness is unprofessional.
• Put the welfare of children first and will do no physical or emotional harm to a child.
We have a pre-existing obligation not to commit these crimes.
• Conduct myself with integrity.
My disclaimer is an attempt to do this.
• Avoid all forms of discrimination against my students and all others.
And
• Commit to academic equity in learning for all of my students.
These two are reasonable aspirations
• Commit to educational excellence in all I do.
Decline. This does not apply to out of school activities.
• Respect my colleagues.
Decline. I will treat them respectfully, but respect is an emotion which can’t be forced.
• Commit to lifelong professional development to improve my skills and the opportunities for my students and the profession.
Decline. Not after retirement: career long, not lifelong.
• Resolve disputes with students with compassion, empathy and patience.
Accept. That’s the standard we aspire to.
• Be a role model for my students.
Again, this disclaimer is an attempt to do just that.
• Never violate the student-educator boundaries critical for student achievement and success.
Accept. Including this implies we might not if we didn’t promise with a click to “accept and continue.”
This concludes my disclaimer with declination or acceptance of specific promises for the required Statement of Professionalism.

This might end the saga, or I could receive a message that the committe has reviewed my complaint and decided that the Statement should indeed be eliminated. Or perhaps that my license should be eliminated.

This is likely the final word on my attempt to remove the Unprofessional Starement of Professonalism.
Barron, Thank you for submitting the addendum. I have copied it to your licensure file.