Am I the only one of a certain age who attended Saturday’s UFT spring conference? Or did anyone else who remembers 1968 also marvel at what was happening there?
What an amazing turn-around! While too often local events remind us of how little progress this city has made in race relations, once in a while something happens that tells a different story – and on Saturday we saw one of those somethings.
When leaders of the city’s major parent and civic organizations, especially those representing racial and ethnic minorities, embrace the (still white and Jewish, but now female) leader of the once-reviled teachers’ union, that is notable.
When those community leaders and civil rights activists praise the union president’s courage and dedication to their common cause and vow continuing solidarity in the fight for public schools that serve all children well, that is historic.
And if, after 40 years of veiled enmity and wary distrust, that event signals the beginning of a reborn alliance of parents and teachers in New York City on behalf of their children, that is cause for celebration.
I wonder if anyone else found it as significant as I did.
2 Comments:
1 Schoolgal
· May 9, 2007 at 7:05 pm
CitySue:
I do remember 1969, and I think the difference now is that all parents have been put off by this mayor.
Thank you for addressing my question on Klein.
I seem to recall a New York Times article in early September 2006 whereby Klein called excessed teachers “undesirable” and should not be hired. While I would hope some principals ignored him, I doubt the majority that had openings were not as brave.
Edwize did NOT pick up on the story, but I was surprised by your foresight
a year before this story appeared. Your commentary speaks to the issue at hand:
http://edwize.org/whats-the-real-agenda-here
You wrote:
“Specifically, Klein complains about the contractual right of teachers who
have been “excessed” to another position in their license area in the
district. He wants to eliminate that right and force these excessed
teachers, whose positions have disappeared through no fault of their own, to pound the streets and find their own jobs or be laid off.”
However you later praised the Open Market when you wrote:
“No discrimination in hiring allowed, not even for union activities — or age, race, etc.”
We now see that age (salary) is now an obstacle for teachers.
2 Coalition credit « JD2718
· May 9, 2007 at 10:11 pm
[...] (credit to City Sue for pointing out that no one was pointing this out!) [...]
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