Let ATR Teachers Teach
As the new school year starts, schools are more overcrowded than ever. State money budgeted for reducing class size is used for other purposes. More than half (54 percent) of New York City schools have seen their class sizes or student-teacher ratios increase in recent years. At the same time, there are almost 1,400 teachers sitting in Absent Teacher Reserve, who are ready and able to teach! These are highly qualified teachers, many with years of experience. They are being prevented from teaching because their schools have been reorganized out from under them, and in many cases principals find it “cheaper” to hire less experienced teachers.
The huge ATR pool is a direct result of the 2005 UFT contract which sold out seniority transfers. Previously, tenured teachers were guaranteed a position; today they’re sitting in the Teacher Reserve. So after the DOE created this mess, now City Hall and the media are blaming the ATRed teachers. The “New Teacher Project,” funded by the DOE, calls for ATR teachers to be put on unpaid leave after a year – in other words, that they be fired. The DOE says it is talking with the UFT leadership about this. Others are floating the idea of “buyouts,” in which teachers will be forced out with minimal severance pay. (Even if they are supposedly “voluntary,” many will be pushed out the school door.)
This issue affects all teachers. If tenured teachers can be forced out on a large scale, what job protection is left? And it’s bad for students and parents. When the DOE refuses to reduce class size while keeping qualified teachers out of the classroom, kids suffer. The United Federation of Teachers must speak up and insist that there be no firings, no concessions on the no-layoffs clause, and demand that all ATR teachers who want them be given permanent assignments to classes.
We the undersigned call on the UFT to organize a mass citywide rally calling on the NYC Department of Education to reduce class size and give assigned positions to all teachers in the Absent Teacher Reserve who want assignments before any new teachers are placed.
Name / Email / School
Fax petitions to Marjorie Stamberg at 212-614-8711.
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2 comments:
Bloomberg is a piece of sht.His schools should be his number one priority for the success of the city. The DOE is a poorly organized sht hole that should be reorganized and overseen and run by efficiencey experts. hsang in their ATR's try to get a good lawyer to represent you for a major class action lawsuit. Sue the city for everything they have. Thats why in the future n.y.c wont have the best teachers because of the lack of Job security. I cant imagine dedicating myself to teach in a passionate way and then be cut down by a bureacracy.
Bloomberg is a piece of sht.His schools should be his number one priority for the success of the city. The DOE is a poorly organized sht hole that should be reorganized and overseen and run by efficiencey experts.I hope the atr's or their Union contacts a good Law Firm to begin a major class action lawsuit. Sue the city for everything they have. Punish once in the courts so they never make the same mistakes again. That's why in the future n.y.c wont have the best teachers because they lack Job security. I can't imagine dedicating myself to teach passionately and then get cut down by a bureacracy or mayor that worries about sugary drinks . He the mayor is such and ass.
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