Horne: We’ll tell you when it’s time to panic

by David Safier
You know that sitcom line? "Take it easy, Sally, this is no time to panic . . . OK, now it's time to panic." Ed Supe Tom Horne must think he's ready for prime time.

Arizona's schools chief is telling districts not to go overboard in cutting their budgets, saying it's not the time to make panic moves that destroy the confidence of teachers and the quality of their work.

[snip]

State schools chief Tom Horne said he's already heard from jumpy teachers worried about job security. He said they're telling him they're thinking about leaving the profession.

"It's a very upsetting thing to get a notice that your job is not being renewed," he said. "It should not be done lightly."

In case you're not good at reading subtext, let me spell out what Horne is saying.

When teachers panic, parents feel it. And some of those parents might turn into angry voters who want to throw the bums out next election, even if the cuts aren't as drastic as they feared. All this is bad news — and bad press — for Republican legislators. But if we can keep the panic at a minimum until, say, June, when school's out, the teachers will have gone their separate ways for the summer, the parents won't be thinking much about school, and whatever K-12 cuts come down the pike can slip through without much notice.

I've been in similar April-pink-slip situations when I taught in Oregon. Districts pass out worst-case-scenario pink slips, because if they let the contract's firing deadline slip, they can't fire the teachers even if they have no money to pay them.

So, Tom, until you and the legislature can guarantee the money, the districts have to do what they have to do, and you and your friends have to take the political beating you deserve. It's healthy for parents to see all this happening while school is in session, and for the media to cover it. Preemptive panic combined with outrage and political action can sometimes prevent some of the problems you're panicking about.