Motivating science teachers?

Houston Chronicle:

A middle school principal threatened to kill a group of science teachers if their students did not improve their standardized test scores, according to a complaint filed with the New Braunfels Police Department.

Anita White, who taught at New Braunfels Middle School for 18 years before being transferred this month to the district's Learning Center, said Principal John Burks made the threat in a Jan. 21 meeting with eighth-grade science teachers.

She said Burks was angry that scores on benchmark tests were not better, and the scores on the upcoming Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills tests must show improvement.

"He said if the TAKS scores were not as expected he would kill the teachers," White said. "He said 'I will kill you all and kill myself.' He finished the meeting that way and we were in shock. Obviously, we talked about it among ourselves. He just threatened our lives. After he threatened to kill us, he said, 'You don't know how ruthless I can be.'

"We walked out of the meeting just totally dumbfounded because it was not a joke," White said.

New Braunfels police spokesman Mike Penshorn said the incident was filed as a verbal assault, but is being investigated as a terroristic threat.

...

I think this principal needs to attend remedial leadership and motivation courses if he get to keep his job. People are usually much more motivated by working together toward a common objective that is rewarding for all. Negative motivation rarely works and was one of the reasons for the failure of slavery as an economic model.