
DATE: Thursday, July 10, 1997               TAG: 9707100511

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY DIANE WASHINGTON AND ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITERS 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   96 lines

RALLY PROTESTS TRANSFERS OF TEACHERS AT BEACH

About 50 parents and students rallied Wednesday night in support of a group of teachers they feel are being unfairly transferred from Glenwood Elementary.

Ralliers said the half-dozen teachers who learned last week that they will not return to Glenwood in the fall are being moved because they spoke out.

``It's not fair,'' said Cheryl McNeill, a former Glenwood parent. ``It's like they are being punished for mirroring the community and concerns of the parents.''

Administrators in the division have denied that the Glenwood teachers and eight others at Pembroke Elementary are being moved out of retribution for speaking against their former principals.

They said that 271 of the city's 6,500 teachers have been notified so far that they are being involuntarily transferred for a variety of enrollment and program reasons.

But the rallying Glenwood parents said the transfers were harming their school.

``We just don't believe these transfers to be in the best interest of our children,'' said parent Tim Sharkey.

``We've had a lot of changes in the past year,'' he said. ``And change is good, but we need time to heal from the changes. And these teachers were our eyes. They tried to make sure the school and all the teachers were doing the right thing.''

Glenwood Elementary parents were not alone in their plea.

``Save our teachers,'' read the crayon-scripted sign made by 7-year-old Gabrielle Flores.

The Glenwood Elementary third-grader had nothing but fond memories of her previous teacher and said she will support the teachers because they support her.

Other former students of the educators said the fight will continue until the teachers get to unpack their bags and stay at Glenwood.

``They should listen to the kids,'' said 12-year-old Ian Sharkey, a graduate of Glenwood. ``We're going to do everything in our power to see these teachers stay at Glenwood. . . . Kids and parents combined.''

The district's two assistant principals for elementary education, Sheila Magula and Joan Mason, released a statement Wednesday explaining the transfers.

``We realize it may be difficult for some who have become comfortable in a certain school environment to understand their individual roles as it relates to the entire school division,'' the statement says, in part. ``However, that is the global perspective we have to take on such an issue.''

The administrators said that involuntary transfers are used to address enrollment changes and program needs, ``and to help new school administrations develop a staffing plan that will help the schools and their communities enjoy success.''

Critics of the decision said, however, that while the bulk of the transfers may be related to enrollment or programs, the 14 at Glenwood and Pembroke are not.

One Glenwood teacher who is not being transferred said the message staff members read in the moves was, ``We're going to spread you out and shut you up.''

And a Pembroke teacher who is not among those being transferred praised her colleagues who are.

``We're not talking about teachers who are new to the system and have a cocky attitude,'' she said. ``They're strong people and they're good educators.''

The transfers mean ``eight of our very best are gone,'' she said.

Some School Board members said they have requested more information on the Glenwood and Pembroke transfers and would not form an opinion on the matter until they'd heard the administration's rationale.

Board member H.L. ``Les'' Powell said he's received phone calls and letters on the matter and that he wanted to hear more about the reasons behind the decision before taking a position.

``I'm trying to get answers,'' he said. ``I`m trying to get to the bottom of some of it.''

Board Vice Chairwoman Delceno C. Miles said she understood the resistance to change and was sympathetic to the concerns, but that transferring teachers was not unusual.

``I prefer not to micromanage,'' she said. ``I want to have staff brief us on what's going on before I form an opinion.''

The flip side of the reaction, she said, is actually a positive for the district.

``It's a testament to the kind of job they're doing when you have parents who want to keep them,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Two masked Virginia Beach teachers who don't want

their identities known, fearing for their jobs, sit in a van across

the street from Glenwood Elementary while the rally at the school is

going on.

Kristen Tschupp, 8, front, who will be in the third grade at

Glenwood Elementary School in the fall, was among about 50 children

and parents who held a rally in front of the school Wednesday

evening. The gathering was designed to show support for five

teachers being involuntarily transferred from Glenwood.

BILL TIERNAN photos/

The Virginian-Pilot KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA BEACH SCHOOLS RALLY TRANSFERS