The Planning Room

My name is Michael Andoscia. I was a teacher for over thirty years. My career was cut short when, here in Florida, I came to work one morning and discovered that all the books were removed from my classroom. I promptly resigned in protest. This action received some local notoriety that has kept me busy.

Now things are quieting down, and I can start the first steps into the new chapter of my life. The question is, how do I keep teaching without working for a school district? My answer is three-fold.

Writing Project: Teaching Heresies

I have the writer’s bug. I have been writing stories and essays since I was in elementary school. I was able to publish a couple of novels in my teaching career, but the time and energy involved became daunting as my beard became whiter. My writing became limited to essays on my Mad Sociologist Blog.

Now I can pick up all the major projects that I’ve always wanted to do but lacked the time and energy. One of those projects is something that I’m calling Teaching Heresies. The goal is to identify those things about teaching, learning, education, that people assume are true, but teachers know are not.

I would love to have input from teachers. What are some challenges that you wish non-teachers understood? What are some things you wish you could do in the classroom, but you can’t? Why can’t you? What is standing in your way? A big one that I would love input on is if you could design a school…completely reinventing what “school” means, what would that school look like? How would teaching take place in that school?

If you would like to participate in that, please start your message with “Teaching Heresies”.

Advocacy

Considering how I went out, my biggest desire is to be an advocate for teachers. I am no longer constrained by my professional bounds as a classroom teacher. I can say the stuff that active teachers may be hesitant to bring up.

Please share your experiences with me under the heading “Can you believe…” This element will remain anonymous. What are some things that you undergo that make your job unnecessarily difficult? What might be some solutions?

Curriculum Ideas

One of my main goals is to provide lessons for topics that are being restricted, or that teachers are currently afraid to teach. I am a social studies teacher. I’d like to think I have deep knowledge of the discipline as a whole. In my career, I’ve taught just about everything at the secondary level, so there’s no subject I’m not willing to tackle.

I plan to start with a sociology curriculum because…well…Florida. But I’m open to ideas. What are some things that I can create that you might be able to use in class or at least direct students to if you are unable to teach the material yourself for fear of reprimand.

Also, if you have any “Dangerous Knowledge” you would like me to share on this website, that would be great!

This element will become the new focus for Mr. Andoscia’s Classroom. Submit any ideas or requests you might have under the heading “Dangerous Knowledge”

Beyond these three elements to my new life, if you are a teacher…public, private, charter, tertiary, graduate, post-graduate, and you just want to reach out, please feel free.

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Communications

May 19, 2024

As a retired teacher I want to send you accolades for truly teaching.
I was a teacher in Great Neck, New York for many years. I was lucky. The community always supported quality education and offered livable wages.
We had a very strong union that supported us. I never hear about union support of teachers in Florida. I know unions can be corrupt too. But they should be out in front on this issue. Where are they?
Best wishes and continue the good fight.

Response

Thank you for reaching out to me.

Unions in Florida are involved and fighting hard for teachers. Unfortunately, they have some significant weaknesses.

First is the anti-union culture in most Florida counties. My local is a great example. This year, after significant organizing and intensive membership drives, my local Teachers Association of Lee County eked out 60% membership density.

Many members joined for the benefits and to preserve collective bargaining, but are not willing to engage in collective action, let alone defy state law to go on strike. Myself and many of my union brothers and sisters have been trying to organize teachers to “work your contract” for years to little avail.

Finally, our unions are under intensive state attack. The reason for the intensive membership drive is because of the laws enacted by the DeSantis regime. A couple of years ago the GOP passed legislation requiring teachers’ unions to maintain 50% membership density or lose collective bargaining rights. It’s a clear attack. Police, Fire and Corrections unions don’t have to do this. When every local managed to cross the 50% threshold, the GOP increased the requirement to 60%. They also made it illegal for school districts to deduct dues, requiring unions to set up third party dues collection. The state also added bureaucratic red tape. Everyone who joins a teachers union, for instance, must sign an affidavit after reading an anti-union pamphlet that they are voluntarily joining the union.

So a lot of union energy is expended on nonsense drummed up by the state.

In my case, the district investigation is now a state investigation. The state level union, FEA, is providing the lawyer and support. Despite my “early retirement” I’m still a dues paying member.