Comments on: A Manufactured Crisis And An Attempt At A Naked Political Power Play http://www.edwize.org/a-manufactured-crisis-and-an-attempt-at-a-naked-political-power-play Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:46:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: “Legal Graft:” Sacrificing Kids for the Larger Goal, Weakening/Destroying the Teacher Union « Ed In The Apple http://www.edwize.org/a-manufactured-crisis-and-an-attempt-at-a-naked-political-power-play/comment-page-1#comment-65701 “Legal Graft:” Sacrificing Kids for the Larger Goal, Weakening/Destroying the Teacher Union « Ed In The Apple Wed, 14 May 2008 11:55:25 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1208#comment-65701 [...] with comment:    Eduwonkette looks at the give and take and sniffs something afoul at Tweed.   Leo Casey at Edwize hammers the TNTP data and muses about their cozy relationship with Tweed.   Tim Daly at TNTP [...] [...] with comment:    Eduwonkette looks at the give and take and sniffs something afoul at Tweed.   Leo Casey at Edwize hammers the TNTP data and muses about their cozy relationship with Tweed.   Tim Daly at TNTP [...]

]]> By: Stubborn Facts, Pliable Statistics and The Manufactured Crisis of Excessed Educators | Edwize http://www.edwize.org/a-manufactured-crisis-and-an-attempt-at-a-naked-political-power-play/comment-page-1#comment-65636 Stubborn Facts, Pliable Statistics and The Manufactured Crisis of Excessed Educators | Edwize Mon, 05 May 2008 12:14:32 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1208#comment-65636 [...] we have published here the account of the practical proposals we have made to the DoE, again and again, to diminish the [...] [...] we have published here the account of the practical proposals we have made to the DoE, again and again, to diminish the [...]

]]> By: jd2718 http://www.edwize.org/a-manufactured-crisis-and-an-attempt-at-a-naked-political-power-play/comment-page-1#comment-65633 jd2718 Sun, 04 May 2008 17:51:20 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1208#comment-65633 JW's point bears repetition - it is Bloomberg propaganda that says that teachers don't want to teach. Our experience is quite to the contrary. Social Studies teacher, we have members who want to work who are not being allowed to. It would be best to focus on them. With full implementation of FSF, we could end up with many, many more senior teachers trying to find work and unable. The DoE is harping on the ATRs because they are making a case that the protection should be weakened. The DoE has time on its side. We need to counter them, now. That would be a better place to direct your energy. Jonathan JW’s point bears repetition – it is Bloomberg propaganda that says that teachers don’t want to teach. Our experience is quite to the contrary.

Social Studies teacher, we have members who want to work who are not being allowed to. It would be best to focus on them.

With full implementation of FSF, we could end up with many, many more senior teachers trying to find work and unable.

The DoE is harping on the ATRs because they are making a case that the protection should be weakened. The DoE has time on its side. We need to counter them, now. That would be a better place to direct your energy.

Jonathan

]]> By: JW http://www.edwize.org/a-manufactured-crisis-and-an-attempt-at-a-naked-political-power-play/comment-page-1#comment-65626 JW Sun, 04 May 2008 00:59:29 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1208#comment-65626 You don't get it. RW has never been able to tell them what they can do with themselves. Ergo, givebacks. You don’t get it. RW has never been able to tell them what they can do with themselves. Ergo, givebacks.

]]> By: SOC ST TEACHER http://www.edwize.org/a-manufactured-crisis-and-an-attempt-at-a-naked-political-power-play/comment-page-1#comment-65625 SOC ST TEACHER Sun, 04 May 2008 00:02:30 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1208#comment-65625 I find much of this conversation amazing. The DoE is going nuts about ATRs precisely because of one of the gains in the 2005 contract -- the job security protections. It is precisely that important gain that makes it possible for Randi and the UFT to tell Bloomberg, Klein and the DoE what they can do with themselves. I find much of this conversation amazing. The DoE is going nuts about ATRs precisely because of one of the gains in the 2005 contract — the job security protections. It is precisely that important gain that makes it possible for Randi and the UFT to tell Bloomberg, Klein and the DoE what they can do with themselves.

]]> By: JW http://www.edwize.org/a-manufactured-crisis-and-an-attempt-at-a-naked-political-power-play/comment-page-1#comment-65623 JW Sat, 03 May 2008 21:33:40 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1208#comment-65623 Love to Teach, where are you coming from? First of all: "paying teachers not to work" is BloomKlein's PR. Teachers excessed or not come into work to do their job. If schools are not giving them classes to cover, that's what Tweed designed, and that's what it's tolerating while BloomKlein spins the story negatively in the press. You as a union member don't have to buy into their spin or repeat their words. Negotiating this last contract, the BoE rejected a system that had been in place for many years.These people WOULD have been put into new positions immediately in the old days. Throwing out the time-honored solution to excessing was a political decision by this chancellor to undermine the union and turn the public against union laborers. You then say: "I wonder what would happen if these ATR’s were offered positions. I bet they leave or retire, especially if they are senior staff." Are you out of your mind? Senior teachers are people who lived under many earlier contracts. When they got excessed in the past, they worked where they were sent to work, unless something mutually acceptable could be worked out with Human Resources. They didn't quit then, and there's no reason they should quit now. Lastly, what's a "senior" teacher these days? It used to mean someone working 25, 30, 35 years. 20 is really mid-career, you have a long way to go until retirement, particularly if you start teaching in your twenties But 20 years and 30 credits above a Masters is big money -- I think $95K next October -- and no employer should be looking to push out satisfactorily performing mid-career people to save cash. Tweed is not only pushing out "senior" teachers. They're killing off the middle ranks, too. Love to Teach, where are you coming from?

First of all: “paying teachers not to work” is BloomKlein’s PR. Teachers excessed or not come into work to do their job. If schools are not giving them classes to cover, that’s what Tweed designed, and that’s what it’s tolerating while BloomKlein spins the story negatively in the press. You as a union member don’t have to buy into their spin or repeat their words. Negotiating this last contract, the BoE rejected a system that had been in place for many years.These people WOULD have been put into new positions immediately in the old days. Throwing out the time-honored solution to excessing was a political decision by this chancellor to undermine the union and turn the public against union laborers.

You then say: “I wonder what would happen if these ATR’s were offered positions. I bet they leave or retire, especially if they are senior staff.”

Are you out of your mind? Senior teachers are people who lived under many earlier contracts. When they got excessed in the past, they worked where they were sent to work, unless something mutually acceptable could be worked out with Human Resources. They didn’t quit then, and there’s no reason they should quit now.

Lastly, what’s a “senior” teacher these days? It used to mean someone working 25, 30, 35 years. 20 is really mid-career, you have a long way to go until retirement, particularly if you start teaching in your twenties
But 20 years and 30 credits above a Masters is big money — I think $95K next October — and no employer should be looking to push out satisfactorily performing mid-career people to save cash.

Tweed is not only pushing out “senior” teachers. They’re killing off the middle ranks, too.

]]> By: Schoolgal http://www.edwize.org/a-manufactured-crisis-and-an-attempt-at-a-naked-political-power-play/comment-page-1#comment-65615 Schoolgal Sat, 03 May 2008 02:37:48 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1208#comment-65615 Wow. An SBO to still come in during the summer. How great is that? Wow. An SBO to still come in during the summer. How great is that?

]]> By: MichaelB http://www.edwize.org/a-manufactured-crisis-and-an-attempt-at-a-naked-political-power-play/comment-page-1#comment-65613 MichaelB Sat, 03 May 2008 01:20:58 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1208#comment-65613 Despite my strong opposition to the contract before last, I'm willing to consider that it was a good faith effort on the part of the UFT leadership to work with the DOE to make constructive changes in the contract. I didn't agree with the overall idea of more work and fewer rights for more pay - I was already exhausted and stressed (and concerned about the gains being erased by future fiscal crises) and I'm not surprised that teacher turnover continues to be high. However, I think it was clear that the UFT didn't want to play an obstructionist role in contract negotiations. So, what have we gotten in return for our flexibility? continued attacks, continued distortions and slander (can the ATR's sue the Times for calling them "idle"?). Worst of all, we have a system where age discrimination is now institutionalized and teachers become less employable as they gain experience and skills. There's really no point any more in negotiating with this administration. Randi went out on a limb by agreeing to a contract that was almost rejected by the membership and they've repaid her in the worst way. As Jonathan said, "no more inches". Despite my strong opposition to the contract before last, I’m willing to consider that it was a good faith effort on the part of the UFT leadership to work with the DOE to make constructive changes in the contract. I didn’t agree with the overall idea of more work and fewer rights for more pay – I was already exhausted and stressed (and concerned about the gains being erased by future fiscal crises) and I’m not surprised that teacher turnover continues to be high. However, I think it was clear that the UFT didn’t want to play an obstructionist role in contract negotiations.
So, what have we gotten in return for our flexibility? continued attacks, continued distortions and slander (can the ATR’s sue the Times for calling them “idle”?). Worst of all, we have a system where age discrimination is now institutionalized and teachers become less employable as they gain experience and skills.
There’s really no point any more in negotiating with this administration. Randi went out on a limb by agreeing to a contract that was almost rejected by the membership and they’ve repaid her in the worst way. As Jonathan said, “no more inches”.

]]> By: Love to Teach http://www.edwize.org/a-manufactured-crisis-and-an-attempt-at-a-naked-political-power-play/comment-page-1#comment-65611 Love to Teach Fri, 02 May 2008 09:25:13 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1208#comment-65611 Jonathan !!! If you recall the terms of our last contract, we received a "large raise", together with an agreement to perhaps get the 55/25, which we did. These are very significant gains for many, especially the senior memebers who will be reaching $100,000 + in a few days. Sometimes, in order to get, you have to give. We also gave back a lot. Loss of control in certain areas, together with a loss of 5 days of summer. Recently, I found out that many schools, school based, have voted to come in earlier the last week, and therefore were providing for a 5 day Labor day weekend, a very creative way of using the giveback and still enjoying the end of summer. Hopefully, our next contract will have fewer give backs of substance. We will never get the same increase in money from the next mayor though. One thing about Bloomberg, he is a businessman first, and money is a significant variable to him. Jonathan !!!
If you recall the terms of our last contract, we received a “large raise”, together with an agreement to perhaps get the 55/25, which we did.
These are very significant gains for many, especially the senior memebers who will be reaching $100,000 + in a few days.
Sometimes, in order to get, you have to give.
We also gave back a lot. Loss of control in certain areas, together with a loss of 5 days of summer.
Recently, I found out that many schools, school based, have voted to come in earlier the last week, and therefore were providing for a 5 day Labor day weekend, a very creative way of using the giveback and still enjoying the end of summer.
Hopefully, our next contract will have fewer give backs of substance.
We will never get the same increase in money from the next mayor though.
One thing about Bloomberg, he is a businessman first, and money is a significant variable to him.

]]> By: jd2718 http://www.edwize.org/a-manufactured-crisis-and-an-attempt-at-a-naked-political-power-play/comment-page-1#comment-65610 jd2718 Thu, 01 May 2008 23:08:03 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1208#comment-65610 There's an ugly lesson here: we give today's DoE flexibility at our own peril. We can argue about whether we should have known 3 years ago - but there is no question today. No more inches, they will just take miles. Jonathan There’s an ugly lesson here: we give today’s DoE flexibility at our own peril.

We can argue about whether we should have known 3 years ago – but there is no question today. No more inches, they will just take miles.

Jonathan

]]>