Now that we have a contract, its time to look ahead to 2017 and see how the UFT and the City will finally resolve the more than decade long ATR crisis that wastes talent and money.
In 2017 New York City finds itself with an Enola outbreak and with close to a 50% mortality rate, its important that the City develop a vaccine as quickly as possible. How will they get the volunteers to help? However, help is on the way in the form of the 2017 teachers contract.
The provisions of the new 2017 teachers contract will allow the DOE to "force place" ATRs into the City's voluntary Ebola vaccine trials. Any ATR who refuses to participate in the voluntary trials will have been considered to have voluntarily to have resigned. Moreover, any ATR who refuses to be infected with the Ebola virus in the trials will be charged by the DOE with "problematic behavior"and terminated after receiving an expedited one day show trial by a DOE appointed hearing officer.
The expectation is that of the 2,000+ ATRs, half will be removed from the City payroll either by death, resignation, or termination. In the New York Teacher Paper UFT President Michael Mulgrew calls this new ATR procedures a victory in draining the ATR pool of 50% of its members.
The DOE wants the surviving ATRs to be fired since they are infected with the Ebola virus and cannot be exposed to the students. However, in a joint press conference with the new Mayor, Michael Mulgrew stated that the surviving ATRs will be put on a disability pension and receive 33% of their final average salary. Mr Mulgrew further stated that its a win-win for all parties as he hugs the Mayor, Eva Muscowitz. Not only does the 2017 contract end the ATR crisis but increases educator salaries by the inflation rate and lengthens the school year to 225 days and increases the school day to 9 hours.
Yes, the new 2017 teachers contract is a win for the UFT leadership and the City and we all know that's the only thing that really matters.
can we sneak ebola into their lunchins?
ReplyDeleteThe current ATR regulations expire in June 2016. I expect we will be force placed in the neediest schools, probably for a year at a time, irregardless of license area at that time. I do believe there is a 70% chance that Eva will be the next mayor ( perhaps Randi will become her running mate as she retires from the AFT and Mulgrew steps in). Deadly disease, the DOE, Eva, Randi, Mike, and the UFT all seem synonymous. How sad and sick is that?
ReplyDeleteChaz, very funny and yes, I can see that happening.
ReplyDeleteWith all this talk about "incompetent teachers in the system" who cannot be removed without castrating the rights of all teachers, why has the DOE not yet revealed the results of the Advance evaluations of city teachers for the last school year like the state did? Is it possible because the facts do not back up the claims that most teachers are incompetent like the media and others would have people believe? Show us the facts!!! Publish the results!!! Let's see how many teachers were rated ineffective and developing to prove that all this teaching bashing is necessary! Where are the facts to prove the need for all this talk?
ReplyDeleteHey...
ReplyDeleteBronx ATR...
"irregardless"... really? Is that a word? (Hope you are not English licensed)
To 7:39,
DeleteNo, I'm not. Although I've played one for the past 2 weeks! ( And I sold a short story to a magazine a year ago!) Thanks for your concern.
To 7:39,
DeleteThere is currently much controversy over its use. Very interesting history. I consider it a nationalistic example of a very new word, that's gaining acceptance. I'm proud to use it when I write.
11:41, right on. SHOW THE RESULTS BITCHES!!!!!
ReplyDeleteEva Moskowitz may run for mayor of New York City but she will never BE the mayor of New York City.
ReplyDeleteBut if Eva becomes mayor and runs the city the same way she runs her charter schools... the foreign speaking people would have to leave NYC...the special needs people would have to leave NYC...there would be no contracts for labor unions...and no unions for that matter... And no one would really excel at anything (after all, not one of her charter kids got into a specialized high school...)
ReplyDeleteIn every blog I read someone criticizes the writers spelling or grammar. This is an attempt to minimize an intellectual viewpoint. ( That the critic uses this as weapon is very telling.)
ReplyDeleteWith all the horrible stuff going on, why not leave and do something else? I, too was a rubber roomer for several years until I decided I wasn't going to let the DOE control my life anymore. I now have a much better job, with much more respect and a much bigger paycheck! Many teachers fall victim to the trap that "there's nothing else I could ever do," but I've proven that to be totally false. No, I'm not a young kid, either. It's time to stop allowing yourself to be treated like a victim. There is a huge world out there beyond the DOE. Get the hell out of this rotten system and take back control of your destiny!
ReplyDeleteWhat other opportunities are out there?
DeleteWhat else is out there? You need to assess your skills and see what else you can do. There is a HUGE market out there for people with the skills teachers have. You just have to market yourself the right way. Remember, teaching under these deplorable conditions is a thousand times harder than any corporate job, so I would encourage everybody to do some deep soul-searching and find your way to something better. Remember that most corporate big shots with huge ($200 k plus) salaries have only BA degrees, so coming in with a Master's already puts you at an advantage. Think of all the different things you do as a teacher - instructor, manager, mediator, etc - THESE ARE ALL MARKETABLE SKILLS IN THE BUSINESS WORLD! I now have a much easier day and I don't have to deal with vulgar, disrespectful kids or their abusive parents or administrators. If you really value yourself as a human being, you'll come to realize that you're worth a lot more than being a lowly ATR, or even a teacher at all. I was amazed to find that in the business world, people actually value me for who I am and for the skills I bring to the table. I'm not just some anonymous cog in the DOE wheel any longer. You owe it to yourself to have a happier life - you only live once so make the most of it. Saying F*** the DOE was the best decision I ever made, and I encourage everybody else to do the same!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post. Enjoyed your courage to leave the horrible doe and find a profession that treats you like a professional. You might motivate alot of people with your story. As for me 19yrs in the system last 2 as an atr. Looking to do something else with my life. I have alot to offer and have had enough with the disrespect from all sides. But don't want to give the doe the satisfaction of leaving. Thats what they want and my stubborness stops me from just leaving.I want to stick around and collect me salary and all the retro i have earned,but to do that we are now forced to stay until 2020. God help us all!!!!
ReplyDeleteGlad I was able to inspire you. For a while I felt the same way - I had to be stubborn and stick it to the DOE. Then I realized that the DOE doesn't really care whether you stay or go, and that you don't have anything to prove to a bunch of faceless bureaucrats. The higher-ups at the DOE are not the least bit concerned with you or your life, and whatever stand you think you're making exists only in your own mind. Nobody over at Tweed is thinking "Hmmm...this teacher refuses to quit. They're really sticking it to us!" In fact, they're just going about their business and none of us even cross their minds. The only important thing is how YOU feel about yourself on a daily basis. After years of therapy, I learned not to sacrifice my own happiness for the sake of proving something to somebody who doesn't care anyway. In the business world, people leave jobs all the time for better opportunities. Stop worrying about your crappy retro pay - do you really want to spend another 5 years being miserable just to collect a measly couple of bucks? After 5 years in private business, your salary will be so much higher than a teacher's salary that any retro pay you're after will seem laughable. You're not forced to stay until 2020 at all. The only one keeping you in the DOE is you! Remember, in the real world, nobody could care less if you were in the rubber room or if you had a 3020a hearing. Those events mean absolutely nothing whatsoever in private enterprise. If there's one thing to take away from this, it's that by allowing the DOE to victimize you, you're handing them control over your future. Stop acting like a helpless infant and recognize the value of your own worth, both as a professional, and as a human being!
ReplyDeletethanks again i was with you until the helpless infant part. but great post otherwise. i may be acting helpless but i'm not an infant. lol
ReplyDeleteFair enough. Spread the word far and wide that there are indeed other options out there! Teachers are the only people I've ever met who sincerely believe that they are stuck in one job for life with no chance of a better future. It's like you're choosing to live in a mental prison of your own making. Think about what you're good at and go for it. You may very well come out much farther ahead than you ever expected!
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