In Defense of the Continuing Contract

To Chairman LeMunyon and the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Committee,
 
My name is Kelle Stewart. I am a Title I Teacher and President of the Apple Tree Network for Public Schools. I graduated from the New York University School of Law in 2004. On September 11, 2001 I watched the Twin Towers fall less than 20 blocks south of where I stood.
 
I had always wanted to teach but was strongly discouraged from doing so by my mother, who now serves as an Elementary school principal. She wanted to shield me from the low pay, the long hours, the often substandard working conditions, the constant blame for any and everything that is imperfect about the students we serve and not least of all the expectation that we make miracles happen with little more than faith and a prayer. 
 
So I tried to focus my undergraduate work in Economics on public school finance issues, and worked as a tutor in underserved schools. But if living in New York after September 11 taught me anything, it was that tomorrow is not promised. I had been on a path to become a corporate attorney but God placed that burning desire to teach in my heart at an early age. The only way I could get back on that subway and get on with my life was to know that if my time came, I was doing what God told me to do, and not what anyone else was saying.
 
When the opportunity presented itself I completed the requirements to receive a Virginia Teaching License. Because of my legal and political background I remained involved in Education Policy at the local, state and federal levels and it quickly became very apparent that many of those making decisions affecting the very lives of public school teachers and students have never taught a day in their lives.
 
As a lawyer and advocate, I am continually shocked at the myriad civil rights violations and liability risks that teachers across the country willingly and silently endure on a daily basis. I have experienced these injustices first-hand. My very health, safety and well-being have all been compromised at one time or another, particularly when I was a new teacher, working under an inexperienced administrator. 

Teachers also have to trust and pray that their students will be honest and forthright with their parents about what happens in classrooms. This is not as much of an issue with the grade level I teach but I have certainly experienced students going home and making up fanciful stories and telling parents things that never happened. To be quite honest, this is a natural part of the developmental stage that they are in and part of the early childhood educator's job is teaching students to take responsibility for their own actions. However, I shudder to think of the students who will not or cannot fully embrace these ethical behaviors and continue to engage in deceptive practices at the secondary school level.
 
But still I decided to teach despite enormous opposition from family members and associates. I know that I have a duty to educate not only our young people but also the legislators making the decisions that affect our young people's lives. The divide between educators and lawmakers grows ever more expansive every day. And the job still remains exceptionally difficult.
 
The only thing that allows me to focus on my duties as an educator is my Continuing Contract status. I know that if I do my job well, it doesn't matter that I had to complain that my room had no heat all winter last year, or that there was black mold on the floor in the classroom I had 3 years ago. It doesn't matter if a parent lies and says that I never told them about their child's progress even though I have the written documentation that they haven't responded to my conference requests for the entire year. It doesn't matter if an assistant principal decides she doesn't like me and tries to dismiss me and other teachers because of the color of my skin.  
 
I urge you to very carefully consider your vote on HB576. Elimination of the continuing contract provision will have a severe chilling effect on the Commonwealth's ability to attract and retain high-quality teachers. The examples that I provided are based on real-life challenges I faced during my probationary period. It caused me enormous strain and my health suffered significantly because of the constant fear of losing my job simply for trying to DO MY JOB and keep my students safe. 
 
I and every other teacher in this country choose to make tremendous sacrifices of our time, our financial resources, and our health because of our love for children and our commitment to the future of this country. Do not let the media and others who care nothing about the realities of public schools allow you to be swayed in the commitment I know you all have as well.  
 
Thank you so much for your time and I truly appreciate your willingness to consider all the facets of this complicated issue.
 
Yours in service,
Kelle Stewart, J.D.
kellestewart@gmail.com