Authorities Investigating Whether Hankey Sub was Drunk

Orange County Sheriff's investigators are looking into whether a sub at Carl Hankey was drunk, the OC Register reports.

The teacher apparently launched a dance contest in his class that had students dancing on furniture, and the principal smelled alcohol on her breath. By the time deputies were called, the sub was gone.

Here's the entire report.

Comments

[What area do I represent? Parent and tutor in the classroom.]

Since Teachers are not allowed to pick their substitute teachers, even for long term assignments, students get a random person whom usually has no business being in a classroom. The critieras for being a sub need to change. My kids have had teachers for spanish and the teacher does not speak a foreign language. AP classes have unqualified subs that cannot help them acheive their goals. Ask any student and they could tell you their experiences with the sub pools.

[Inflation]

Well, subs get paid 90 bucks a day, same as they were paid 15 years ago. That's what you get....

[seriously?]

Inflation- that's not true. There are still good subs out there who do a good job, can teach curriculum, and not "babysit" the kids or have the teacher worrying if they are trustworthy. Of course, I think it's ridiculous that they haven't seen a pay raise, but that's not the point. Teachers should be able to choose their subs- it keep instruction going, and can avoid issues like this.

[Public School Supporter]

I have worked as a substitute teacher for several years. Never have I substituted in CUSD, but that is not the point. The $90 a day pay in CUSD is no excuse for the kind of behavior reported here. When I substitute for the regular classroom teacher, the lesson plans are followed, work is corrected, detailed notes are left for the teacher, including which students excelled and which students need more help. The room is left clean and orderly.

Also, regarding the AP classes, I agree that I am not qualified to "teach" the AP course work. However, I am darned good at classroom management and working with the students to make the most of class time. You will never be able to find enough AP Calculus teachers to substitute. However, the students are serious about their learning and a good sub can make classroom learning possible even though the regular teacher is absent.

[Saving My Sick Leave And Avoiding The Headaches]

Subs apply and are hired by the district and are put on a phone list. A computer goes down the phone list and is supposed to call laid-off CUEA members first. That is why teachers are not able to choose their subs.

Subs may be on the list for years and only evaluated on occasional days they work, and then they are evaluated by a teacher who wasn't there and only knows what he/she hears from students or neighboring teachers and/or what was stolen, broken or cheated on. (Keep in mind that often subs who are popular and wanted back by students are not the ones with great classroom management skills.)

Sub pay will not likely attract people qualified to teach AP classes, foreign language, history, science, math -- or teach anything well. It is a valid observation to note that you get what you pay for and the discussion of pay cuts always follows the articles bashing one or more teachers. This story is also remarkable in that the principal observed the sub (even if it was in passing and based on balance and body odor.)

[seriously?]

Yes, supposedly the computer goes down the phone list and SUPPOSEDLY chooses the laid off teachers first. I can tell you that this year, we have had VERY few laid off teachers sub in our grade level, and good subs (laid off teachers or not) aren't getting the jobs. I have several friends who are on the list, and laid off teachers, and they aren't getting the calls. The district TELLS us that this is the system, but I doubt it. I wouldn't even have a problem if we got to choose from a list of laid off teachers. Consistency is what's important.

[Fried Green Tomater]

WINNING

[Another RIFd teacher]

I am one of those laid-off teachers being screwed by Capo. Instead of going by the rehire list, schools are going by the preferred list (saving the district lots of money) and we are not getting the calls. As a result, many of us are in trouble with unemployment. Since we chose to sub at times last year, Capo is lying and telling EDD that we are no longer tenured teachers and are subs, making us inelligible for unemployment. As a result, I am expected to pay back over 7,000 dollars to EDD as a result of more of Capo's lies. I'm not the only one, I know of at least 25 other tenured teachers who are going through the appeal process and are required to pay back their unemployment. Shame on you CAPO and Darren McDuffie. He said "they're looking into it" and Brentlinger said they will hold a meeting in October of '10, never happened. Jonathan, can you help us?