El-Baroudi exits East
This veteran East teacher tells about his current job situation and more about what is next for his career
Story/B.Christensen Samy EL-Baroudi has been a well-respected teacher at East High School for the last 21 years. But recently his profession as a teacher at East High has come to a halt. This however was not Mr. El-Baroudi’s choice. Des Moines Public Schools’ budget cuts brought his teaching career at East to an abrupt end. El-Baroudi speaks about his current situation with Des Moines Public Schools, his opinions, and even his future as a teacher. From what El-Baroudi said, he has been “excessed” which means that his position is no longer needed at East High School due to budget cuts. This could be from not enough upper classmen wanting to take the classes that he teaches, or a variety of other reasons. “It doesn’t matter what it is, everyone needs a skill,” El-Baroudi said. He believes that his work experience and teaching skills help students do just that and be more prepared when going out into the real world as adults. “Working at McDonalds when you’re 16 is a fine job, when you’re 21, it’s not,” El-Baroudi said. According to an email sent by Des Moines Public Schools, it was never their intention to let go of anyone in the district by any means necessary. “There will be administrative, teacher operations reductions around the district. but again, due to careful planning (including the retirement incentive that was offered last fall), we plan to avoid having to “pink slip” anyone,” Thomas Ahart said in an emial sent to the staff. El-Baroudi’s His opinions on this situation however are passionate. He believes that he should not have
been the one to get excessed by the district and that it was a “very poor decision” by Des Moines Public Schools, given his job experience and skills as a teacher. El-Baroudi has a been a teacher for 21 years, which means he can show students all the things he learned during his time of being teacher and a critical part of the community. “Both College Marketing and College Personal Finance are going from four to two teachers,” El-Baroudi said. One of his concerns is that young students will not get the right classes that they will need for the real world. “When your only skill is to press a button so that a cheeseburger was ordered, you’re never going to make any real money,” El-Baroudi said. With all this being said, El-Baroudi said he is fortunate that he had the opportunity to work and have a job. For his plans as teacher, El-Baroudi plans to become a teacher full time at Scavo. While there, he plans to help students, who are struggling with their plans for going out of high school and wants to open their opportunities for a chance to have a great starting profession for when students graduate high school. He has also stated that he is unclear as to what is his situation with being next year’s tennis coach. But that he would love to if given the opportunity. El-Baroudi’s presence will be deeply missed by students at East High. “Mr. El-Baroudi was one of the best and funniest teachers, he actually made learning fun,” East High Junior Fredy Leiva said.
“Working at McDonalds when you’re 16 is a fine job, when you’re 21, it’s not,” ElBaroudi said.
Photo/B. Christensen
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