RE: I'm back and want you thoughts on a dilemma...

July 5, 2004

I'm not sure if this reply will be much help. I know how I would feel

in your position. You yourself will know if you are doing a good job

teaching. I am surprised the verdict seems to be you were unfit to

teach but your " fitness " does not seem to be mentioned apart from

your voice.

If you want to fight then I would ask to see the results of student

evaluations of your lectures. It seems you were not given adequate

indication of the reason for the meeting. I would certainly want to get a

support person to help. It sounds like you have been ganged up on in a

totally unbalanced meeting. I don't know about your employment law

but this would not be considered fair procedure in our system.

I suggest fight them for your own sake - and then decide if you want to

stay or leave on your own terms.

from Kiwiland

I'm back and want you thoughts on a dilemma...

OK guys I've got a problem... Last Friday the college president where I

work had me come in to " talk about some things " . When I arrived for the

meeting I was ushered into a conference room and in addition to the pres my

dept chair, the dean, and a person from human resources came in. I was

told my job analysis evaluation had come back and I had been found unfit

for the job. I was told I was to go on sick leave beginning in the fall

semester and, when my leave runs out, to take medical retirement. I was

told I should leave " while you still have some of your dignity intact " . I

was told that students had written that I talked in a monotone and that

they would skip class because my voice irritated them. I wasn't told how

many complaints there had been and interestingly enough I had a student ask

if I would be lecturing for one class and when I said yes she said that she

was pleased because my lectures were always so interesting. Mind you, the

speed is considered ok and I am still 100% intelligible but my tonal limits

were considered to be enough to get rid of me. The evaluator spent 20

minutes with me and an hour and a half with the chair. I know the chair

has lied about faculty being up in arms about my continued teaching and I'm

sure she made it sound as if I was totally ineffective. The evaluation

claims I am in denial about my ability to do the job but as I said she

talked to me for 20 min and did not see me teach and did not interview

anyone in the dept who has seen me teach. I have worked with this chair

for 20 years and she has never seen me teach. I called several folks I

trust and asked them to be brutally honest in their assessment of whether I

can be effective or not. All five said I am still able to communicate

adequately with one saying she was worried that I was " doing too much " and

another saying she was concerned for my safety if I fell. Two of these

folks have seen me teach within the past 3 months.

I am so put out that I have a 6 page EEOC complaint typed out. I think I

might be in good stead since I have not been counselled and will argue that

having a monotonal voice that is clear and loud does not keep me from being

able to lecture and to my knowledge able bodied faculty have not been

terminated for talking in a monotone. Anyway I am in a quandry as to

whether or not to fight this as I only planned to stay one more school

year. On the other hand I am loathe to let this high handed approach slide

by or to let a slip shod inaccurate evaluation stand. What do you think

you'd do in the same situation and why? P.S. for those of you who have

heard me speak my speech is just about the same as it was in San

Diego. That is not just my opinion but is also that of the MDA doc who

sees me. Lavon

July 5, 2004

Well, first of Lavon, it sure is good to hear from you again. Many of us

" oldies " have wondered where you were...and missing you.

Don P. made some good recommendations as far as the college installing a PA

system or the possibility of using PowerPoint slides. There is no way that I

could offer anything that you don't already know -- you know all the ADA

" stuff " . As I recall, you have been using your power chair full-time for a

couple of years now? (Maybe not if a couple of your fellow teachers expressed

concern that you might fall.) I remember when we were talking at Bettie Jo and

Don 's house (I think it was then) that you said you had gotten a

reserved parking spot so this is certainly not something that the college has

been unaware of. Last time we talked your speech was strong enough in my

opinion. It does seem " strange " that your department chair would attack your

continued lecturing without personally attending one of your classes. I

personally, can't handle confrontation and go out of my way to avoid it but I'd

be

inclined to try and try leave on my own terms. But remember that the stress of

all of this won't help your PLS...but you know that too.

July 5, 2004

Lavon,

Your message really caught my attention because I am (potentially) in a very

similar situation. I have taught in a small, private college for more than 24

years. I was diagnosed with PLS 5 years ago. My department and administration

have (so far) been very supportive. At first it affected only my legs. I slowly

progressed from using a cane, to a walker, to a scooter for getting back and

forth to classes. Meanwhile, I began using a stool and teaching while seated

behind the podium. This really cramped my style, because I liked to pace the

room and fill up the blackboard two or three times during a lecture. Now I had

to sit still and write on an overhead projector. By the time I adjusted to this

arrangement, my PLS progressed to begin affecting my arms, hands, and voice.

About a year ago the school installed a PA system in my classroom. I use a

cordless lapel mike, which broadcasts to an amplifier set up in the corner of

the room. The system is not very sleek or stylish, but it works pretty well. It

allows me to project my voice to the whole room (capacity of about 55) with much

less strain. (Perhaps such a system would help in your situation.) Meanwhile, my

hands have become so slow that I can't write fast enough on the overhead screens

to keep up with the lecture. So I have begun preparing overhead cell outlines on

the computer ahead of time. As far as I know, there have been no complaints

about my teaching ability, and my student evaluations are still high. In fact, I

won SGA Teacher of the Year last year. I know that my speech has slowed

noticeably, and I find it difficult to cover the same material in the same time

as before. I try to compensate for that by putting some key points on the

overhead and using a visual rather than having to repeat them orally.

I'm sure the time will come when I can no longer be effective in the classroom.

I just hope I will have the wisdom to see it, or that a trusted colleague will

be kind enough to whisper it in my ear. Your description of your situation

sounds as if you would be well within your rights to challenge your forced sick

leave/medical retirement. Since you're only wanting another year yourself, I'll

bet you could negotiate a compromise. I'm not a lawyer, but I'm imagining that

under ADA the school is obligated to make accommodations for your disability.

This could include a stool to sit on while lecturing, a PA system to help your

voice be more effective, an overhead projector or computer projector for using

PowerPoint, etc. Since such accommodations have not been provided, it may be

that the school is legally vulnerable. I'll bet if you start talking about a

challenge on these terms, it won't take the school long to offer you another

year. There may also be other ways you could compensate for the monotone.

Instead of relying so heavily on lecture, you could incorporate other

methodologies such as dialogue, audio-visuals, etc. (I confess, I am not one who

should be lecturing about not lecturing! I know I am overly dependent on

lecture. But I know others who effectively use different methods.) I would

encourage you not to just roll over and accept forced retirement. If you want

another year, fight for it! Good luck!

Don

________________________________

From: Lavon Lockwood

Sent: Mon 7/5/2004 3:09 AM

To: PLS-FRIENDS

Subject: I'm back and want you thoughts on a dilemma...