Administrators on "time out"

Times Union news reporter on education, Scott Waldman, was running a little late to his presentation in my blogging class on Tuesday.

He was late because he need to get the details out about his breaking story: Albany's Achievement Academy Charter School had taped 2 of its teachers without their knowledge.

First I thought: Wow! And, I was among one of the first two know about it.

Then I realized, that the story was only particularly interesting to me and a handful of my classmates because we plan on being teachers someday and could relate on a professional level. Furthermore, I have a child in elementary school: so, issues like this interest me.

But, think about it.....

How would you feel if you were secretly video taped at your job? Any job? Wouldn't you feel violated? Angry?

God, knows I would. I would be mortified if I looked over my desk and saw a little red blinking light coming from the stacked boxes of Student Activities Board seasonal decorations in my office.

OMG did that camera just catch me pulling up my pantyhose?

Would I quite my job because of it? Maybe.

Maybe, I would just get revenge. I might to do something vile to the camera and tape, but then again, if I did this, I wouldn't have any proof that my rights had been violated. Then those pervasive employers of mine (in a fictitious world, my real employers would never record me, the students are much more interesting to watch) could just deny that the cameras ever existed.

Okay, this senerio has gone a little too far into a world of make-believe. But, seriously, what the Achievement Academy did to their teachers & STUDENTS is wrong. It's easy to forget that these student's are victims too. My mommy side would be furious that 1) they did this to my child and his teacher without consent, 2) they stirred up an enormous issue for the school and made learning and attending school a problem for all of their students.

How many reporters and administrative employees for the school and the district will be visible present on school grounds while this story is investigated?

How are students supposed to remain focused in the classroom when there's so much controversy around them?

Can the school compensate for their actions? And, what is being done for those students who have to wait for a new teacher to take over 5-6 weeks into the school year?

As college students, employees, and citizens of a community, our actions are models to young children. Children are effected by our decisions everyday.

What kind of messages are we, as professionals, giving our children?