By JOSEPH KELLARD
A month before Brian Murphy, a social studies teacher at the middle school for the past three years, would have become eligible for tenure, the school district told him in January that his services were no longer needed. On April 9, Superintendent Dr. Herb Brown sent Murphy's lawyer a letter revealing 12 reasons why his client was not recommended for tenure.
The top reasons listed were, first, that Murphy provided "inadequate curriculum planning"; second, that he showed an "inability to successfully bring about the learning goals of lessons"; and third, that his teaching techniques were "directionless in terms of goals that students can understand."
Dawn Kennedy, whose son Timothy Kennedy attends Murphy's class, led the teacher's supporters in voicing their opposition to the 12 reasons, calling them "inconceivable" and "ludicrous" at the board meeting on Monday, April 14. Legally restricted from publicly commenting on a tenure situation, the board members and school administration sat quietly and listened to Kennedy and several others.
"I feel Mr. Murphy, who is a very talented teacher who teaches with excellence and challenges every child on all levels to critically think, is being railroaded out of a job," Kennedy said. "To see so many parents and children stand before you should be enough of a statement for you to know that the decision being made is wrong." With this comment, Murphy's supporters, including his wife, Denise, rose together from their seats and stood in support of their beloved teacher.
Michael Lease, whose son is also a student in Murphy's class, said the middle school teacher is "a little unconventional," but that's because "he's had different experiences from some of the other teachers. He's in his 40s and doesn't come out of academia like some. But that's not always a bad thing." Lease said Murphy taught his son that "issues that go on every day are very important," and thereby taught him to read the newspaper from the front page, not just the sports page at the back.
Lease said he had heard that there was another individual in the district who was being denied tenure, but that his case was being reconsidered. "At the least, with the amount of people who have come before you, and the voices that you've heard here -- at the last meeting and in letters to the editor, and petitions the children have -- let's give Mr. Murphy a chance. It's his life, but it's the kids' lives. And I think you owe it to both of them."
About 30 of Murphy's past and present students offered their thoughts, which ranged from one-sentence quotes by famous educators to lengthy speeches, all of which attempted to capture for them the essence of Murphy. The common themes of their comments were that he sparked their interest in social studies, that their grades in this subject have gone up during and after his class, and that they learned much from him beyond what he taught in the curriculum.
"I didn't think social studies was reenactment [of past wars], I thought it was just textbook," said Vinny Barbieri. "He showed me that there's a different way toward teaching."
"My grades sprung up when I went into his class," said Chris Kane. "He's an exceptional teacher ... He's the teacher who really sits down and takes the time and grades people, teaches and many other things."
Said Amy Persaud, "As some of my fellow [classmates] agree, our grades have improved in social studies since last year. One of my friends used to get 60s and 70s, and now she is getting 80s and 90s ... It's because Mr. Murphy's teaching methods are excellent."
When Jesse Brasco took the microphone on behalf of his former teacher, he began by saying he hates social studies. "[But] I learned a lot from beyond the curriculum, and I got a 96 on the final, so if Mr. Murphy is not teaching the curriculum standards ... then I don't understand how I could get a 96 on a test that wasn't even his, when he taught me all the material."
Other students focused on the broader impact Murphy has had on them. "[It's sad] that everybody has one teacher in life who touches you and has a great impact on your education," said Nicholas Zuponi. "It's been less then a year that I've know [Mr. Murphy], but I know he's that teacher for me."
At the end of her speech, Amy Persaud said, "From Mr. Murphy we've learned that we should never give up, no matter what the cause. He's made us believe that we can do what we believe in. A man like this should never be taken away from us."
Following the students, Denise Murphy, Brian's wife, an educator herself for 18 years, told the board and administrators, "Education exists for the kids. It's not for politics, power, money. It exists for kids. I may be prejudice, but these kids who spoke are sincere children that we exist to serve. Period."
In a letter responding to each of the 12 reason for his firing, Murphy wrote that he was responsible for 25 percent of the middle-school pre-AP social studies curriculum binder, and 33 percent of the pre-AP Web site.
"I created the Causes of World War II and the Industrial Revolution and Immigration challenges," he wrote in response to the charge that his curriculum planning is inadequate. "This project was the basis for OMS being awarded the Social Studies Program of Excellent Award by the National Council of Social Studies."
At the board meeting, the middle school social studies department gave a presentation of its award-winning pre-AP program, but Murphy's name was not mentioned in connection with it.
Responding to the charges that he is unable to bring about the goals of lessons and that his teaching techniques are directionless, Murphy wrote, "Your children have learned much in my classroom, and there is no objective evidence to the contrary."
Superintendent Brown was asked to comment on the students' show of support for Murphy at the meeting. "I was proud of the kids -- I think they were terrific," he said. "When I was 12 or 13 years old I couldn't have done what they did that night. But what I wrote in the Herald this week is my comment on the process."
Brown will officially present his 12 reasons for denying Murphy tenure to the board at its regular meeting on Monday, May 5 at the middle school.
Twelve reasons for Murphy's dismissal
1. Inadequate curriculum planning.
2. Inability to successfully bring about the learning goals of lessons.
3. Teaching techniques directionless in terms of goals that students can understand.
4. Inability to develop lessons with structure and purpose.
5. Inability to execute lessons that contain elements of effective instruction and to deliver lessons that foster a deeper understanding of social studies content.
6. Inability to differentiate instructional strategies in order to serve the diverse needs of students.
7. Failure to provide students with the time necessary to complete the task set before them, even though given previous direction to do so.
8. Ineffective written and verbal questioning techniques, which confine instruction to lower-level comprehension/recall questions and do not place emphasis on critical thinking.
9. Inability to consistently select and incorporate appropriate pedagogical strategies in [his] lesson plans.
10. Inability or unwillingness to change patterns of instructional delivery to coincide with suggestions made by supervisors.
11. Failure to assign meaningful and appropriate homework.
12. Inability to give clear directions to students.
