The month of May has been an inspiration to any young person aspiring to become a teacher.

The month began with Teacher Appreciation Week, where aside from the events celebrating the profession, teachers could take advantage of deals from companies offering, food, clothing, and technology.  In Hartford Public Schools, teachers could read the inspirational message posted by Superintendent Torres-Rodriguez on the school’s website, which stated that teachers “are the heart of our district.”

May was the month for honoring individual Connecticut school district Teachers of the Year.  Melanie Zamorski, an English teacher at Sports and Medical Sciences Academy, will be bringing home the trophy as Hartford’s Teacher of the Year for 2023.

The Connecticut legislature told teachers this month that “we’ve got your back,” while also saying that while they support legislative answers to the many teacher issues, they said that Governor Lamont needs a swift kick in the ass from teachers to get him in line with the legislative way of thinking.

The guv’na did offer $3 million this month to expand on teacher apprenticeship and “grow your own” teacher programs throughout the state to assist in funding a way through the teacher shortage virus sweeping the nation.

Superintendent Torres-Rodriguez told the crowd at the May MARG NRZ meeting that teachers should apply to Hartford Public Schools because they (unlike neighboring districts?) “are committed to supporting our educators.”

The marketing folks at HPS got their friends at NBC Connecticut to do a fluff Q&A session with Superintendent Torres-Rodriguez on the district’s “creative approach” to recruiting teachers, positioning a more than two-year old program (“Paso a Paso”) as something “new” and “creative.”  Schools around the country have been importing foreign teachers since the 1960s, a fact the NBC “Face the Facts” geniuses did not mention. 

The NBC mouthpiece, Mike Hydeck, had to ask the Superintendent twice for the number of new teacher hires after two years of Paso a Paso – the final answer from Torres-Rodriguez was “about 20.”  I think it’s closer to fifteen.  The NBC Connecticut program, with it’s stated purpose of “asking newsmakers the tough questions,” while allowing the Superintendent to talk of the “extended community of support and professional support” found at HPS, failed to link or even ask about the nearly 250 teachers who have left HPS since September.  A probable “off limits” topic prearranged by HPS.

So, yeah, for those that know, the Superintendent’s appearance on the program sort of dampened the inspirational teacher message for the month.  And then, after diagnosing the governor’s press release concerning Connecticut’s $3 million investment in new teacher programs, the omnipresent question hanging over HPS like a cloud very few people see, floated in and blocked the sunny sky.  Where’s the beef?

The governor’s check will expand the state’s Educators Rising program.  Educators Rising is a program which provides support and activities that help strengthen school district Grow Your Own programs for young people aspiring to become teachers.  Educators Rising operates in all 50 states and with previous funding help from Governor Lamont in October of 2020, Hartford joined the club.

During a March 31, 2021 Teaching & Learning Committee meeting (no video available), the district said that they would “champion” the Educators Rising program at Bulkeley High School by “cultivating a new generation of highly skilled educators by guiding young people on a path from high school through college and into their teaching careers.”

A year later, during a March Workshop meeting, the Superintendent’s presentation stated that the “essential question” is, “how do we change the teaching job in order to attract, support and develop, and retain a diverse and effective teacher workforce” (this one seemingly innocuous question speaks volumes about the Superintendent’s inability to understand the teacher shortage at HPS).

After two years of the Educators Rising program on Uncle Ned’s dime, after board meetings discussing the “urgency” of creating a teacher pipeline, of being committed to and “championing” Grow Your Own programs, the Superintendent gave another Workshop presentation in October of 2022 where the “state of talent” was discussed.  This meeting focused on pipelines and “Grow Our Own” programs at HPS.  Not included in the discussion was the now two-year old program, Educators Rising.

Then, on March 23, 2023, Educators Rising of Connecticut held its 3rd Annual Conference and Competition at Central Connecticut State University.  In attendance was Charlene Russell-Tucker, Connecticut’s Commissioner of Education, Dr. Zulma Toro, President of CCSU, U.S. Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, and a plethora of professional and student speakers, all speaking to the importance of inspiring youth to aspire to become teachers.

Despite their commitment, their championing of the issue, their cultivation, and their guidance, there was not one representative of Hartford Public Schools at the event.  There was not one HPS student taking part in the conference or the competitions.  The district’s commitment and support for teachers has not only failed to inspire existing teachers to aspire to work as HPS teachers but has also failed to inspire young people to aspire to become teachers. 

During the March 2021 Teaching & Learning Committee meeting, the Superintendent said that the district “will frequently reflect on our recruiting practices…”  However, there is deafening silence as to reports on how many students have been and are currently engaged in a “Grow Our Own” program.  How many Hartford students have gone on to college and are majoring in education?  How many Hartford students have gone through the programs, gone through college, and have come home to roost?  How may have been publicly honored by HPS?  How many?  Who are they?  Where are they?  Was there ever an Educators Rising Hartford?  Was this another well intentioned program begun with the moronic timing of the splitting up of Bulkeley High School?

While the Superintendent aspires to be a leader of inspiration someday, Hartford students cannot stomach the wait, they need an inspirational leader now.