Comments on: Transfers and Seniority: The Evidence [Updated]

By: Schoolgal

Schoolgal — Mon, 14 May 2007 21:16:38 +0000

The real problem was agreeing to give up excessing rights in the first place.
No senior teacher should ever be in this position.

In fact CitySue once 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.”

She later reversed herself and praised the open market.

By: art-teacher

art-teacher — Mon, 14 May 2007 15:23:20 +0000

Thanks Schoolgal for the article reference…
As for the bearing of costs, I think that the union is prepared to file both a formal grievance and an age discrimination lawsuit on behalf of teachers that feel they have been hurt to the salary impact of Open Market.

By: Schoolgal

Schoolgal — Sat, 12 May 2007 02:25:09 +0000

Klein Halts Plan to Make Schools Take Unassigned Teachers…
(David M. Herszenhorn, New York Times, September 2, 2006)

Klein also made disparaging remarks against excessed APs not long after that.

If you visit CitySue’s new post,Cause Celebre (May you will see my comment whereby CitySue once agreed with my point of view regarding the treatment of excessed teachers, then later changed her mind and applauded the Open Market.

Edwize never has any “serious discussion” on the September 2006 remark by Klein. Someone else commented here that Senior teachers are under assault. I am still awaiting the union’s response.
During our most recent SLT meeting, my admin told the parents that principals have to bear the costs of hiring more experienced teachers and doing so will impact the budget. (She did not bring up the agreement because it is temporary and neither did our CC).

Let’s hope our union will never support mayoral control again.

By: This week in blogging, here « JD2718

This week in blogging, here « JD2718 — Fri, 11 May 2007 22:08:08 +0000

[...] On Edwize there have been two serious discussions about the modifications to the Bloomberg Department of Ed reorganization, first about the agreement and then about teachers transfers. [...]

By: art-teacher

art-teacher — Fri, 11 May 2007 13:09:09 +0000

Schoolgal,
It’s all worked out..so far..In a school that is very supportive of the arts.
BUT..is it possible for you to link me to that article in the NY Times?
Did the NY Teacher reprint or report on that email?

By: Schoolgal

Schoolgal — Fri, 11 May 2007 03:31:27 +0000

Art-Teacher:

Sorry to hear about your difficulty.
Unfortunately Klein did label excessed teachers as “undesirables” in an email to principals, and it was reported in the NY Times in September.

By: art-teacher

art-teacher — Thu, 10 May 2007 16:21:56 +0000

Sue,
I don’t think Klein would ever put it in writing not to hire excessed teachers. Let’s fault him all we want the man is not ……! But having gone through the Open Market system last year as an excessed teacher,I did feel a stigma attached to my resume. With at least 12 openings in District 2, the District I was tenured to, I couldn’t get the help of my Art Coordinator to get even an interview at any of these schools. So you tell me if there wasn’t some sort of mandate for above.

By: CitySue

CitySue — Tue, 08 May 2007 20:54:05 +0000

Schoolgal:
I’m curious where you saw Klein telling principals not to hire excessed teachers. My info is just the opposite. In fact I saw him reminding principals in a Principoals Weekly newsletter that these folks were out there. Remember, they have job security. He doesn’t want them unable to find a job, as he has to pay them anyway and then fill vacancies with new people he has to pay too. He is always embarrassed when asked by reporters about the ATRs b/c they are costing him a fortune. I understand the DOE even sent some of the excessed people w/o jobs out on interviews. He also complained bitterly to the union that some excessed peodple never even bothered applying for any vacancies. He feels the union took him by getting the job secuirty, knowing some people would take advantage of it and prefer not to work at all while still collecting a full salary. Of course I don’t know if that is true of anybody, but that is what he believed. Why would he tell principals not to hire them, when he has to pay the tab?
More recently I heard that he was going to make each school bear the cost of any excessed teacher who did not find another position, in order to discourage principals from excessing teachers who the would be paid by central. However I don’t know if this is happening. Do you?

By: MichaelB

MichaelB — Tue, 08 May 2007 20:21:41 +0000

I know a highly qualified and experienced music teacher who has been in excess since September. He sends out inquiries for open positions and doesn’t receive responses.

By: art-teacher

art-teacher — Tue, 08 May 2007 12:09:11 +0000

I had first hand experience with the Open-Market system last year and must comment.
The concept behind a true Open Market system is great. It should be transparent and a level playing field for all interested teachers searching for a job but as far as my experience is concerned it wasn’t.
I have 14 years experience as an Art Teacher and was in excess last year while I applied to more than 50 positions posted on the Open Market system. Most of the posted position were already filled by the time they were posted. Principals hired friends of friends, student teachers etc. I was lucky enough to be granted 4 interviews and was asked to demo lesson in 3 schools (one during summer school). I did finally get hired by a middle school in Brooklyn in August, due in part to my persistence, after what I felt was a very frustrating experience.
Now for this year, has anyone else noticed that there are almost NO posting on the system. I have seen more jobs advertised in the New York Times than on the Open Market system. Today there are only 4 pages of teacher jobs and its May 8th. By this time last year I had applied to more than 30. you have to wonder about that one….