The "Rubber Rooms" Are Filling Up With Older Teachers And Randi's Lawyer Claims There Is No Age Discrimination

Since my previous article on the age discrimination at the Queens Teacher' Reassignment Center (TRC). Things have been getting worse not better at the Queens TRC as more and more older teachers, most of them over the age of 50, have been sent to the "rubber room". Apparently, this is occurring citywide as all the "rubber rooms" are reporting an influx of older teachers at their sites. While Tweed gives the Principals the "green light" to remove older teachers Randi Weingarten's lawyer says there is no age discrimination issues. Adam Ross stated at a meeting in March that the union had looked into the age discrimination accusation and found no basis in the claim to file a lawsuit. Ron Isaac, to his credit, tried to bring up the age statistics that was given to him by the Queens TRC liaison, only to have the statistics dismissed by Adam Ross. Further, Leroy Barr, Randi's Chief of Staff, who was also at the March meeting and was aware of the ageism issue, said nothing.

How can our union allow the age discrimination to continue? Unfortunately, when the higher-ups pretend that there is no age discrimination and ignore the statistics that say otherwise, it is easy. With a union that fails to take seriously abuses by the DOE and allows Tweed to break any agreement that they see fit. One can only wonder when the UFT will draw a line in the sand and stand up for their members.