It is time for me to post my New Year's wish list for 2010. While I truly hope that many of them come true, I will not be holding my breath waiting for my wishes to happen.
New Contract: I hope that we will see a new contract that gives us the "City pattern" which is for two years at 4% per year, minus the 0.58% owed to the City for getting back the two days before Labor Day. More importantly, this contract shall not allow for any "givebacks". Under Randi Weingarten's helm we have already gave up too much and any "giveback" is one "giveback" too many. I also recommend that we keep PERB out of the negotiations since going to PERB can provide cover to include "givebacks" in any future contract. Therefore, to ensure a contract with no "givebacks", don't go to PERB!
ATRs: The union must demand that all excessed teachers in the subject area be placed before a Principal can hire "newbie teachers". This simple and fair procedure will eliminate the ATR problem and allow the DOE to hire "newbie teachers" when a real shortage exists. No waivers or exemptions can or should be allowed as was done this year.
Teacher Control: We need to regain control of the classroom and stop using the "one-size-fits-all" methods like the "Workshop Model" that do not work well with many of our urban population and just results in skyrocketing teacher incompetence charges. Moreover, the disciplinary codes against teachers have resulted in more and more teachers being charged with misconduct when there was no misconduct. No wonder we have overcrowded "rubber rooms".
We really need to let teachers control their classrooms to ensure a safe and learning environment. Teaching scared using a program that does not work and with a threefold increase in paperwork over the years is not conducive for real classroom learning. Finally, even the students know that they can get a teacher in trouble by simply making up a story and having his or her friend agree.
Teacher Respect: It is time for our union leaders to organize the 80,000 strong teachers into a potent force by demanding teacher respect from the DOE and their anti-teachers leaders at Tweed. This can be done by the union actively going after the more abusive Principals, known as PINI Principals. Instead of writing about them in the New York Teacher, bring the mainstream media into it. Further, the union can file a PERB complaint against the DOE for allowing a hostile work environment and/or file a lawsuit when serious abuses by the Principal are uncovered. It is difficult for teachers to be respected when the students see how the Administrators abuse them.
Leadership Shakeup: So far Michael Mulgrew has not changed Randi Weingarten's top staff since taking over the UFT presidency. We still have the same failed and out of touch, double pension Randi loyalist in positions of power within the union. It is time that Michael Mulgrew make some real leadership changes and put more involved people into positions that deal directly with the membership.
There are more but let's start with these five issues first and see how it goes and to everybody have a Happy New Year!
Not sure what you mean about "leadership shakeup." Why do you feel that the current union representatives are not in touch with the membership? Aren't you painting with too broad a brush?
ReplyDeleteThe only people who are doing well or prosper are UFT leadership, the brush is just broad enough to exclude due paying teachers who encounter so much hardship and hurdles.
ReplyDeleteAnon 2:52
ReplyDeleteIf you red my blog you will find that our leadership has abandoned their 'rubber room" teachers, don't push time lines in the contract and allow the DOE to do as they please.
Furthermore, the union allowed the DOE go create the ATR problem and did not protest the "fair student funding fiasco that screwed senior teachers.
Finally, there are some leadership types in the UFT leadership group who care more about Durfar and Mexican teachers than the teachers they are supposed to represent. These uncaring ex-educators should be replaced with members more in touch with the teachers in the trenches.
Chaz,
ReplyDeleteIt's not that the Union allowed the DoE to do anything. They are willing participants in everything that the DoE does.
We cannot claim that they were forced, coerced or bullied. The Union leadership has the Mafia curse.
They plunder our dues and live lifestyles that are out of touch to those that they harvest the dues from.
They don't give a toss about the members. All they are concerned with are their double pensions, expense accounts and the thousand dollar suits that they buy.
Of course all the junkets and parties that they attend.
They pretend to be interested in us while they just parasitize us.
They will give us a worse contract than the last abortion, and they will claim that this is the best that can be done.
The age old mantra they spout is:
" As long as you have your pay and benefits, you have nothing to complain about".
Well that ain't cutting it.
Better off no contract than anything similar to the last atrocity that the fools who call themselves teachers supposedly voted on.
One more thing, the idiots who count the rigged vote are the same pricks who are supposed to officiate over the kangaroo court 3020a show trials.
Yes folks, non other than the AAA arbitration association, which by the way, none of the arbitrators are members of, in clear violation of State Law and the contract.
Darfur is the least of our concerns as is all the trash that the union discusses while stuffing their stupid fat faces at the gluttonous disgrace called the DA.
Bring your own fucking food, you goddamn pigs.
Angry Nog