Despite the warnings on this blog and the candidates who wrote me back to say they've decided not to work at JPA, I'm sure Steve found enough people to fill slots for the upcoming school year. I've heard he's finding unqualified teachers among the expat crowd in Siem Reap. Any verification of this? Write me!
I'm linking past posts about the 2014-15 teacher turnover rates, and Q&A for prospective teachers in case Steve is still trying to fill positions. Also, note that Search Associates has taken JPA off their list. Go check.
It's so disappointing that Dan and Karen Pritzker, who are obviously trying to be philanthropists, would not do something about Steve McCambridge. Maybe their hands are tied with Jeanette Dibella (for whatever reason), but Steve?
To 2014-15 teachers:
I've made a short list of what you can do to still help our students at JPA.
-Create your own blog, or submit to mine. You can do so anonymously, because I'm fairly sure Jeanette and Steve refused to give a recommendation for the old principal who was terminated for no reason.
-Every person write Dan Pritzker a letter. His email is daniel@woodlaurel.com. I'm sure he'll simply write back the billionaire's response: "Thanks for your answer and good luck." Or nothing at all. But let's be flies in his ears.
-See if you can't reach out to social media journalists. I wish I recorded stuff. Teachers are terrible about getting proof, like video or audio. JPA does not send incriminating emails, so no paper trail. If you have any proof, send it out into the social media journalism network.
To new teachers:
-Record everything. All staff meetings, all personal meetings, all surprise visits from Steve in your classroom. Who cares if it's not admissible in court. It's admissible on the internet.
Also, one more note about the former principal, the one before Steve. I've heard that Steve or Naomi has been leaking it that he left because of personal problems as well as other prevarications about his performance at JPA. Don't believe a word they say. At least under the former principal, the model was clear. Teachers and administration will never fully understand each other. But at least the former principal had his heart in the right place. He wanted to see the students graduate not only high school but college. He wanted teachers to be treated as professionals. He also respected the Khmer teachers. They all loved him. Ask them --discreetly--if you really want to know.
With that, I sign off. I have classes to plan and homework to grade. No matter how traumatized you've been, remember: We've dedicated our lives to teaching children. We've decided that money isn't as important as helping others. We've learned that education is one of the great paths to social justice. And that means we are on the right side.
