Teacher quits after students learn she was porn star Rikki Andersin
Decisions, decisions. Should you star in that porno film, or not?
Turns out, you can't escape your past - especially if you are a teacher and your past involves X-rated films.
High school science teacher and mother of four, Tera Myers, resigned her job teaching science at a Missouri school on Monday after a student discovered that she had starred in pornographic films under the name Rikki Andersin two decades ago.
This is the second go 'round for Myers who lost a similar job as a science teacher and volleyball coach at Reidland High School in Paducah, Kentucky under the name Tericka Dye, in 2006. Teachers in Paducah stood by Myers (then Dye) when she was suspended with pay for the 2005-2006 school year and her contract was not renewed because the superintendent feared her presence would cause a distraction in the classroom.
After that incident, Myers said making the films was the worst decision of her life, Heartland News reports.
"I'm a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who's made a lot of bad decisions in life," she said. "Anybody who's been in my classroom could tell you how much I love teaching and how much I love these students, and that should be what matters more than anything in my past."
Dr. Don Senti, interim superintendent of the Parkway School District in suburban St. Louis, confirms Tera [Myers] asked to be placed on administrative leave for the remainder of the school year. A statement from the Parkway School District says [Myers'] request came after a student asked her about her past, referring to the one or more pornographic movies [Myers] admitted to making while living in California in the mid-1990s.
The Parkway district has agreed to accept [Myers'] request to be placed on leave "out of respect for her privacy and that of her family." It also states [Myers] passed standard background and reference checks prior to being employed in August 2007.
Myers' attorney announced in early 2007 that Myers (under the name Dye) had withdrawn an appeal of a ruling on a lawsuit she filed against the McCracken County School System and was leaving Kentucky. What she did was not illegal, so it didn't show up on a background check.
Myers will be paid through the end of the school year, but not be returning in the fall.
Across the country, teachers are being harassed by students playing pranks. Sometimes, these jokes result in the teachers losing their jobs. But, could the mischief your kids get into end up costing you thousands of dollars?
Ruined by Her Past?
Tericka, a high school teacher, lived in fear that her scandalous past would catch up with her. When news of her indiscretions spread through town, her dreams were shattered. Michael, a fellow teacher, says he wouldn't want his kids in a classroom with her.
"I have been a good teacher, but one day, everything just blew up in my face," says Tericka. "Doing pornographic material has ruined my teaching career and my life." She appeared in her first porno film 11 years ago at age 22. "I was homeless. I was a mother of two. I was broke and wound up meeting some strippers who introduced me to stripping. I was making a lot of irrational decisions, porn only being the worst," she admits.
Although she became a teacher and tried to put her past behind her, the pornographic videos eventually surfaced. "A student had it in possession and was showing it to other students," she says. "I was called into my principal’s office, and he said he had to call the school board. Within a matter of minutes, they had suspended me and asked me to leave the grounds. Everything I had worked for was gone." Tericka was suspended with pay, and the school did not renew her contract.
Tericka says that her skills as a teacher have been overlooked. "It doesn’t seem to matter to the schools that I have had perfect reviews as a teacher. They only seem to care that I’m an ex-porn star," she says.
Tericka says she misses being in the classroom and teaching the kids. "I just don’t understand how you can take a teacher who has put so much into it, and suspend them for something that is 11 years in the past," she says. "I did live with the fear that somehow, someday, it would catch up with me. I just didn’t know that it would ruin me."
It all started when Council on Postsecondary Education President Bob King argued in the Herald-Leader that CPE's High School Feedback Report allows the state "to look more deeply into actual performance measured by an external, unbiased resource — the ACT exam."
King suggested that the ACT, by itself, was superior to predictions of college-readiness derived from combinations of data. Is CPE discounting graduation rates and average GPA in favor of a single test?
That drew a response from KSN&C's Skip Kifer, demonstrating the weak relationship ACT musters, and suggesting that CPE should propose placement procedures based on a robust notion of "readiness" that includes more than just the ACT and that did not violate test score use standards. It appeared to Kifer that CPE arbitrarily uses that single test score to determine whether a student is ready for regular course work in Kentucky's public universities.
Too clarify, King stated that CPE does not rely exclusively on the ACT to make college admission or placement judgments, nor does the Council on Postsecondary Education encourage such determinations.
Perhaps King should have reviewed CPE's printed material before saying that.
In last Saturday's H-L, Kifer wrote,
I am puzzled by Bob King's response to my critique of the Council on Postsecondary Education's policy of declaring a student college ready on the basis of a single test score.
King, director of the council, says: "Please allow me to clarify that Kentucky's colleges and universities do not rely exclusively on the ACT to make college admission or placement judgments, nor does the Council on Postsecondary Education encourage such determinations."
Yet when I look on the council's Web site, it says:
"The Kentucky statewide public postsecondary placement policy in English and mathematics applies to any student entering a Kentucky public college or university. The policy is based on your ACT or SAT score and determines what type of English and math classes you will need to take when you enter college."
This is what I found in my search. Notice the date posted. That's the day Kifer's piece ran. Maybe I missed something, but I didn't catch any changes in the language from when I looked at the same material in February.
The statewide placement policy is applicable to any incoming student entering a Kentucky public postsecondary institution. ACT and SAT standards form the basis of the policy because Kentucky uses the ACT (or equivalent measures) for college admissions and placement decisions.
Kentucky Statewide Placement Policy in English • A student earning an ACT English sub-score of 18 or higher qualifies for placement in a credit-bearing writing course at any Kentucky public postsecondary institution.
Kentucky Statewide Placement Policy in Mathematics Three levels of readiness are identified for placement in a credit-bearing mathematics course at any Kentucky public postsecondary institution: • Level 1: A student earning an ACT mathematics sub-score of 19 or higher qualifies for placement in a credit-bearing mathematics course, but this course may not be a requirement for many college majors or lead to subsequent coursework in mathematics. Mathematics for liberal arts is an example of such a course. • Level 2: A student earning an ACT mathematics sub-score of 22 or higher qualifies for placement in college algebra. College algebra (or placement in more advanced courses) is required for majors such as biology, business, economics, information systems, and technology. College algebra can lead to any major. • Level 3: A student earning an ACT mathematics sub-score of 27 or higher qualifies for placement in calculus. Calculus is required for majors such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, engineering, biology, business, and technology.
Kentucky’s statewide public postsecondary placement policy is a guarantee of placement in credit-bearing coursework to incoming students demonstrating specified levels of competence.
House and Senate leaders still have no agreement on the state budget after concluding talks on Tuesday.
After negotiations appeared at an impasse early Tuesday evening, House leaders said they are willing to continue negotiating with the Senate during the legislature’s veto recess, which is scheduled to last through March 21. House leaders also said they intend to be in Frankfort on March 22, the last scheduled day of the legislative session.
Senate leaders have proposed adjourning the legislative session tonight and returning in a special legislative session, a move they say will save taxpayers money...
Alternatively, if David Williams had not sat on House Bill 305 and kept it from view until the 11th hour, perhaps a wasteful special session would have been necessary.
The Senate’s version of House Bill 305 includes across-the-board cuts to make up the shortfall in Medicaid. Those cuts would be 0.525 percent in the first year of the budget and 2.26 percent in the second year of the budget. Education would be spared in the first year but would be cut in the second year, which begins July 1.
During a second round of negotiations on Tuesday, which began at noon, the House offered a proposal that would put some one-time money in an account. If savings in the Medicaid program fall short, the state could draw down those funds. If the savings did appear, the money would go to the state’s Rainy Day account, which has been drained over the past several years...
KASS, KSBA leaders say years of work came together because of focus on shared responsibility
If Gov. Steve Beshear agrees, Kentucky superintendents will soon have a dramatically different role in the final selection of principals in the state’s public schools.
Friday afternoon, the state Senate gave final passage to Senate Bill 12, accepting compromise language adopted in the House and sending the legislation to the governor for his signature.
Enactment of the bill is the culmination of legislative advocacy campaigns that go all the way back to the adoption of the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990. Since then, superintendents have tried to reclaim the responsibility for principal selection that was transferred to site-based decision making councils under the reform act...
This from Signe Wilkinson at Slate: This from Signe Wilkinson: This from Drew Shenemann: This from Signe Wilkinson: This from Dick Locher: This from Clay Jones: This from Drew Shenemann: This from Mike Thompson:
Gates challenges assumptions on teacher pay, seniority: Microsoft founder Bill Gates challenged traditional assumptions about teacher pay, seniority and effectiveness in a speech Thursday at the 2011 TED (Technology, Education, Design) Conference. Gates questioned the $50 billion he said is spent each year on seniority-based pay increases for teachers, arguing that teacher longevity has not been shown to improve student achievement. He promoted the concept of extra pay for top teachers who agree to take on additional students. (ABC News)
How anti-teacher sentiment is harming students: Schools Education expert Diane Ravitch says the country is at a point of "national insanity," as high-ranking officials tout the needs for education reform while going on the attack against teachers. She writes that recent events -- from proposals to create larger class sizes in Detroit or dismiss teachers in Rhode Island and Idaho -- are doing little to help students or improve schools. (Bridging Differences)
Teachers face unprecedented challenges to their profession: Many teachers across the country view warnings about layoffs -- along with ongoing attempts to reduce their rights, income and benefits -- as negative commentary on their value to society. The efforts, under way in numerous states, are being driven ostensibly by deep budget deficits and a broad school accountability movement. However, some say the initiatives will deter high-quality recruits from entering the profession and will drive effective teachers from the neediest schools. (New York Times)
Schools struggle to fit in more science lessons: Elementary schools in Boston and across the country are struggling to incorporate science lessons into the school day amid other subjects, such as reading and math that are tied to accountability measures. The amount of science instruction students receive varies by school and district, but many educators say students need more hands-on lessons beginning in elementary school to help prepare for careers in science fields -- a stated federal goal under the Obama administration. (The Boston Globe)
More schools explore themes in global learning: Global-learning themes are becoming more popular in U.S. schools, with some districts offering more foreign languages, adopting immersion programs or embedding international perspectives across all curriculum areas. In Seattle, where education officials in 2007 set a goal of transforming 10 of their 97 schools into international campuses, criteria for the schools include instilling "cultural competency" through an international curriculum and using technology to develop global relationships. (District Administration magazine)
N.J. task force makes recommendations on grading teachers: The administration of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie released a proposed rubric developed by a task force for evaluating teachers and awarding tenure and pay. The panel is suggesting that 50% of teacher ratings be based on student performance, 40% on measures of "effective practice" and 10% on other factors. However, critics of the proposed system, including teachers unions and some education experts, argue that student-testing data is unreliable and should not be used to make "high-stakes personnel decisions." (The Wall Street Journal)
Efforts to curb school bullying are considered in Texas: State lawmakers in Texas are considering more than 15 legislative proposals that aim to curb bullying in schools, but a diverse array of opponents to the bills say anti-bullying efforts would be more effective at the local level. Lawmakers also are struggling with issues such as how to define bullying behavior, whether specific groups of students should be singled out for protections and how to deal with cyberbullying. (TexasTribune)
Virtual school finds flexibility with open-source curriculum: An online school based in Salt Lake City is using a curriculum developed by teachers that relies solely on open-content sources for its coursework. The school's Web-based curriculum is both less expensive and more up-to-date than a traditional textbook-based curriculum, school officials say. They add that these factors make the school more flexible and will allow them to adapt easily to new common core academic standards. (T.H.E. Journal)
What is "personalized learning" and can it raise achievement?: A growing number of schools are implementing versions of "personalized learning," which allows students to progress at their own pace and master skills before advancing. Technological advances, the availability of digital content and the willingness of states to waive "seat time" requirements are among the factors allowing for the model's expansion. One Colorado district has made personalized learning the focus of its turnaround strategy, while New York City's School of One continues to expand its highly individualized and data-driven programs. (District Administration)
Should schools use a multicultural curriculum to reach students?: Connecticut's Board of Education is considering a policy that could require teachers to use books and other materials in class that reflect the culture of their students. The policy, which already has been adopted in some districts, is designed to promote a more culturally diverse curriculum in schools. The board is expected to vote in the coming months on guidelines for local districts to follow when transitioning to such a curriculum. (The Hartford Courant)
Union standoffs frame a debate over bettering schools: The standoff over collective bargaining and other issues between Republican lawmakers and labor unions in Wisconsin, Indiana and other states is also seen as a battle over how to best improve schools. President Barack Obama and other Democrats have favored collaboration in their approach, while Republicans in states such as Indiana are pursuing a more confrontational approach. This situation is leaving teachers unions defensive and less likely to sign on to school-improvement strategies, some experts say. (The Washington Post)
Senators propose plan to overhaul NCLB: Several moderate Democratic lawmakers in the Senate have proposed a plan to overhaul No Child Left Behind that calls for the law to focus on student growth over time, rather than comparing different groups of students to each other. The proposal also includes rewards for schools that improve student achievement and would offer states more flexibility in addressing struggling schools. Education Secretary Arne Duncan welcomed the plan, which is similar to the Obama administration's proposal, and said his goal is to approve changes to the law by August. (Education Week)
Apple unveils second-generation iPad: The iPad 2 was officially unwrapped Wednesday at a San Francisco event, and the device sports a faster, dual-core processor, a front-facing camera and a slimmer body. The new iPad will be "dramatically faster" than its predecessor, said Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Pricing for the iPad 2 will stay at the same level as the first-generation device. (Today in Tech) (CBS News) (AppleInsider)
Hybrid schools aim to combine best of both educational worlds: A small but growing number of hybrid schools are being created, which combine adaptive online curricula with face-to-face classes, science labs and other more traditional lessons. The schools are based on the premise that Web-based programs allow students to work at their own pace, giving teachers freedom from "teaching to the middle" and allowing them to provide more meaningful instruction. However, critics are concerned about the quality of the online curricula, whether hybrid learning will work for all students and a lack of research on the model. (Harvard Education Letter)
Ideas for incorporating women's history into the curriculum: The writers of this New York Times blog post offer suggestions for bringing women's studies into the curriculum in honor of Women's History Month. Examining the passage of the 19th Amendment -- which gave women the right to vote -- and the history of women in politics, studying the role of women as authors or journalists and researching important female scientists are among their suggestions. (The Learning Network)
Few education schools are focusing on RTI strategies: The University of Utah's Urban Institute for Teacher Education is one of the few schools that incorporates response-to-intervention principles as a core component of its undergraduate education program. Elsewhere, the approach has been more commonly taught as part of special education, but many teacher colleges often have separated their general- and special-education programs. However, as RTI methods increasingly are being used in general-education settings, some schools are beginning to embrace its strategies as part of a broad framework for teaching all students. (Education Week)
Congress averts government shutdown but makes cuts to education: Congress has approved a bill that would avert a government shutdown for the next two weeks and would cut $4 billion in spending. The bill cuts funding beyond the two-week period for several education programs, including the Striving Readers Program, the Small Learning Communities Program and the Even Start program. The Senate approval came just one day after the bill's passage in the House. President Barack Obama is expected to sign the bill before Friday to prevent a shutdown and lawmakers will debate funding for the remaining seven months of the fiscal year over the next two weeks. (Politics K-12) (The Washington Post)
California charter to focus on 21st-century skills: A new, technology-focused charter academy in Petaluma, Calif., aims to offer students the skills they need to be successful in 21st-century careers. The school is planning an interdisciplinary curriculum, in which students create more blogs and podcasts than research papers. Educators say the curriculum will teach other 21st-century skills as well, including problem-solving, critical-thinking and collaborative learning. (Patch)
Teacher-led school implements differentiated instruction: A teacher-led school in Detroit is determining students' class schedules based on their abilities -- a process that allows for more frequent changes in how students are grouped. Palmer Park Preparatory Academy, which also has extended days, appears to be the only teacher-led school with a differentiated scheduling system. Teachers at the K-8 school collaborate to discuss whether students need more help with the basics or are ready for more advanced learning. (Education Week)
Seniority policies to dictate the impact of NYC teacher layoffs: New York City officials say that if they are forced to lay off 4,600 teachers, then a disproportionate number of schools that have experienced significant growth in recent years or are in high-poverty areas would be adversely affected because of the city's "last-in, first-out" seniority policies. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to lobby legislators today for the reversal of these policies in favor of rules that would tie the layoffs to teacher-performance ratings. The head of the city's teachers union said Bloomberg was trying to create fear, and that the layoffs are unnecessary because of higher-than-expected tax revenues. (The Wall Street Journal) (Daily News)
Minnesota is poised to approve alternative teacher licensure: Minnesota legislators are expected to pass a controversial bill that will allow aspiring teachers to receive licensure without a teaching degree. Supporters of the measure say it will increase diversity in schools and help narrow the race-based achievement gap, but critics say it will give unqualified candidates unprecedented access to the state's classrooms. "I don't think this is a piece of the puzzle that's going to get our schools to be better tomorrow than they are today," said Tom Dooher, president of the state's teachers union. (Star Tribune)
Wisconsin governor is expected to release budget proposal: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is scheduled today to release the details of his budget proposal, which he has suggested could include about $900 million in cuts to schools -- some districts already are notifying teachers that their contracts may not be renewed. Walker has been promoting a bill that would curb the collective-bargaining rights of public workers, which he says is necessary to give local governments flexibility to manage the state's nearly $140 million budget shortfall for this fiscal year alone. (NPR) Public employees' rights should be preserved, Obama says: President Barack Obama told the nation's governors that they shouldn't close budget shortfalls by doing away with public-sector employees' union rights. Obama made his remarks after several states have proposed abandoning collective-bargaining rights and cutting public workers' pay and benefits. "I don't think it does anybody any good when public employees are denigrated or vilified or their rights are infringed upon. We need to entice the best and the brightest to public service," Obama says. (The Oval)
I cannot remember a time when both Fayette and Jefferson County School Districts had superintendent openings at the same time. It portends a unique opportunity for Kentucky.
Let’s start with Louisville/JCPS. Could the situation have become more ludicrous - and more importantly, is it salvageable????
A bit of history. When Dr. Berman was hired 4 years ago, he was the “last man” standing candidate. The other two finalists dropped out and rather than reopen the search, for whatever reason, the JCPS Board chose to hire Berman.
Furthermore, Berman came from a small district in New England. He had no experience with the immense infrastructure that constitutes JCPS and was a novice at Kentucky hardball school politics. He was behind before he began. (So, how/ why did the headhunters put him on the list for Louisville??)
In a part of organizational analysis called, succession theory, Berman was an outside-outsider. Furthermore, his predecessor (Daeschner) had been in the position for 14 years. Succession theory and common sense indicate that Berman was not destined to stay long in the position: too many accumulated problems and too many people in place who could not be removed or motivated to change.
Couple the bussing morass with the announcement that JCPS had 12 high schools on the state’s lowest performing list (6 per yr. for 2 years =12), it should come as no surprise that Berman’s contract was not renewed. Based on the performance of the schools and the lack of overall progress in the district, the Board took appropriate action to not renew.
Urban superintendents have a short life-span under the best of circumstances. In this case, the circumstances were full of conflict. Berman had been selected by default and his Board flipped on him. It was a bad fit that only got worse. The only logical outcome was don’t renew and move on - It is happening all over the country.
Therefore, I do not understand why there has been such weeping and wailing from the Courier Journal about Berman’s departure. A 5-2 vote to not renew is compelling. Even if the Board had changed its vote in public, in private, Berman would have lacked the support and confidence of the Board. That, as we all know, is a killer for a superintendent.
Now, the Board has an opportunity to get it right. They must conduct a search that will yield them a strong group of candidates. Additionally, they should not rush to hire someone. In fact, an interim superintendent may be a good idea for the district at this time.
An interim, no doubt someone from within, could, with the full support of the Board, do much of the necessary program and personnel adjustments - i.e. clean house and continue instituting the changes necessary to get the poor performing high schools back on track.
This is a strategy that is often employed in the private sector-the transitional person does the dirty work and the new person arrives with the opportunity to install his/her personnel and programs. The messy stuff is over and done with.
Regardless, the JCPS Board must be committed to improved schools for ALL students. This continued whining that because students are poor or from disengaged families simply cannot be allowed to continue as the excuses for poor school performance. There are too many urban districts in this country that are demonstrating positive student achievement to allow JCPS to continue this category of caterwauling.
Finally, the Board must realize that it is the assessment of student performance which is the basis for the way we judge schools in Kentucky and in the US. The presentations at the recent League of Women Voters Forum that sought to deemphasize assessment were at best disingenuous if not delusional.
Kentucky was first on board to adopt the Common Core Standards and will, I assume, quickly adopt the assessments that will accompany those standards. The result will be higher standards and much more rigorous measurements/assessments. Competition will be more intense and the stakes for Kentucky students will be higher. JCPS must be ready.
This is a critical juncture in the history of JCPS. With 12 high schools on the state’s low performing list and concerns about student performance overall, the Board must select and SUPPORT a strong, instructionally-focused candidate who has a history of turning schools around and who will be committed to the tough work of transforming low performing, low expectation schools into schools of excellence based on successful student outcomes. Think: Michelle Rhee or Arne Duncan.
The Board must share with the candidates the problems the district faces. NOTHING can be sugar-coated; all the uglies out in the open. A new superintendent must understand the issues related to the failure to intervene in low performing schools until they were hemorrhaging, the frustration with bussing and the need to adopt a “no more excuses” approach to instruction. It will be a difficult position but there are men and women in schools and districts throughout the country who could lead a JCPS turnaround. The trick will be to identify them; these types of “in the trenches” leaders are not often in the stable of the hired headhunters. The Board may have to do some serious searching on their own. In fact, to do less and not hire the best, subjects the Louisville community to more failing schools. That is not an option.
