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I read with empathy Ginny Gora's letter in the June 14, 2005 issue of The ASHA Leader. Her frustration is clear.
It may be somewhat unpleasant, but the speech-language pathologist has to be proactive in dealing with unacceptable working conditions in schools. Here are some proactive considerations:
- Put in writing, with supporting evidence, the specific concerns as to Gora's workload and caseload.
- The SLPs in the district should be unified in the delineation of concerns to the administration.
- The SLPs can seek the support of other special needs staff.
- A formal grievance can be filed with the local teachers union.
- The SLPs can bring their state representative into the situation.
These are only a few strategies that can be considered. It can be worthwhile to look at the Roles and Responsibilities Model and the Workload Model in planning a response to the problems.
Robert Shapiro
Andover, MA
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