Poll: Local teachers don’t like Deborah Gist

Deborah Gist isn’t very popular with the educators she is supposed to be the leading, a new poll by Fleming and Associates indicates.

Almost 90 percent of teachers asked for the poll felt that moral in Rhode Island public schools is not good. More than 80 percent of the local teachers polled said they feel less respected than they did prior to Gist’s tenure. 85 percent of respondents don’t want her contract renewed.

“For too long Commissioner Gist has spoken of her support among classroom teachers,” said Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals President Frank Flynn in a press release sent out today. “We decided to put that notion to an independent test. This survey found that she is not supported by classroom teachers. In fact, there is overwhelming evidence that her leadership is almost universally rejected.”

Here’s some of the results of the survey, as reported in the press release:

• • 82% of RI’s classroom teachers feel less respected today than they did when Commissioner Gist started a few years ago.
• Commissioner Gist’s highly touted Race To The Top initiative has been nothing short of a disaster for RI education.
• Classroom teachers, in overwhelming numbers, felt it was somewhat ineffective (22%) or a waste of money (60%).
• Teacher morale is abysmal under Commissioner Gist. Classroom teachers, at the rate of 68%, thought morale was poor, and 22% just fair. A remarkable 88% of teachers feel morale is unacceptable in RI schools today.
• When asked about Commissioner Gist’s communication with teachers, the teachers responded that it was 63% poor and 27% fair. Only 8% thought her communication with teachers was excellent or good.
• 72% of teachers believe the NECAP test should not be a requirement for graduation from high school.
• When asked if Commissioner Gist’s contract should be renewed in June, teachers responded 85% no and only 7% yes.

The new poll was released today to coincide with Gist’s State of Education speech tonight.