Friday, January 01, 2016

My Predictions For The Year Ahead.



























The year ahead will see some significant changes in the New York City Public Schools.  Some good and some bad and of course some being wishful thinking on my part. So here are my 2016 predictions.

Chancellor Carmen Farina:  Look for the disappointing Chancellor to pack it in and permanently retire to Florida and be with her grandchildren as Mayor Bill de Blasio finally realizes that the Chancellor is more the problem than the solution in turning around the New York City Public Schools.  Her failure to "clean house" at the DOE, retaining poorly performing principals, the continuation of the "fair student funding", and her failure to eliminate many of the Bloomberg/Klein polices that resulted in ever larger class sizes, frozen school budgets, and a bloated Central Bureaucracy at the DOE has resulted in little or no real academic achievement.

Unity caucus loses the high school seats:  For the first time in nearly a decade the dissident caucus of MORE/New Action wins the Executive Board seats from the high schools bringing a real voice to policy proposed by the leadership of the UFT.   Unfortunately, the Unity caucus will still have a large majority and will still pass whatever they want with more transparency and scrutiny that is lacking presently.

Union and Friedrichs:  If the Supreme Court rules against the unions and make dues checkoff a voluntary item.  Look for a majority of teachers to refuse to authorize the union to take their money.  The TWU, when they lost the dues checkoff privilege in their strike, only 33% paid their dues voluntarily.  Because of how well the UFT protects their retirees, I believe most of them will authorize their union to collect their dues.  However, for active members the percentages will be drastically lower.  As for me I will pay my dues.  However, I will split it between the union, depending how response they become to my needs,  and organizations like "Class Size Matters" and other pro teacher organization that are worthy of my support.

Teacher Shortage:  The New York City Public Schools have become a revolving door for new teachers who are hired by schools subject to the restraints of fair student funding and flee the hostile classroom or school when a better opportunity presents itself.  Moreover, the more stringent State tests and teacher evaluation system is making it increasingly difficult to recruit certified teachers while ever increasing numbers of veteran teachers are retiring, especially in the high poverty schools.  Finally, the poor quality of principals discourage new teachers, who get little or no support and are discontinued or quit in ever larger numbers.  With the teacher shortage spreading nationwide, look for the beginnings of the teacher shortage to rear it's ugly head this year. and next.

Unaccountable union leadership:  One would think that our union leaders would want to show the skeptical membership that they represent them.. However, the arrogance of UFT President, Michael Mulgrew, and his entitlement that he can do as he pleases and screw the membership to please his political allies, will continue. An example is his agreeing, in advance, to continue the ATR provisions until 2018 that has made the ATRs a second class citizen. 



29 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:13 AM

    Farina ain't going nowhere.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous11:17 AM

    I definitely agree on the teacher shortage coming to nyc. My school, never had an problems finding subs. Many young teachers right out of college were eager to sub.
    No more. We are having a huge problem finding good subs. Most subs we get now are older, retired types - i.e. people not looking for a regular teaching job.

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  3. Anonymous11:26 AM

    So, not only our Union dues become optional, but also the percentage we can contribute? This will be even worse for the UFT than I imagined. I know many teachers who will contribute a dollar or less- just to say that they pay dues. The current ATR monthly rotation deal ends in June of this year, are you saying Mulgrew has already agreed to something? If so, what? Thank you and happy new year.

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  4. Anon 11:26

    That's right! They have already agreed to extend the existing ATR provisions to the end of the contract, starting in 2016-17 school year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:56 PM

      When did that occur?
      I didn't recall reading that?
      What were the deat ails?

      Delete
  5. Anonymous12:00 PM

    Ah a whole mew year, flush with endless possibilities. I for one vow to improve myself in 2016m Here then are my top ten ATR resolutions :
    10. Remember to bring an empty 24 oz Snapple bottle
    9. Stop telling people "Im dusting off my resume and getting a job in the 'burbs'"
    8. AM New York IS a real newspaper,heck the SSA's think so,Im reading it, cover to gloriously living color cover
    7 Stop trying to tell the newbies MTV started out playing real music
    6. Get a bigger wallet
    5. Stop trying to evade security cameras by wearing a hat and hoodie
    4.No more signing out for 'lunch ' when I know im going to the car for a nap
    3. Simcas Torah is not a holiday for me! (or the other one with the thing on the fire escapes)
    2. Stop calling Danielson "Charlettes Web'
    1 World War Z is not educational!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous12:02 PM

    How does NAC MORE win anything with your friend, what's his name, running a separate opposition slate? The leader will take enough votes away fom NAC and MORE to give the usual complete win to Unity.

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  7. Anonymous12:05 PM

    Where was that said? the ATR monthly rotation...Actually I prefer the more rotations, it doesnt force us to stay in a shithole for long. Prefer weekly, then monthly over yearly.

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  8. Behind closed doors like usual without input from the members affected, the ATRs. Of course the UFT will deny it but its a done deal.

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  9. Anonymous1:48 PM

    So his assertion that we don't need a chapter because the ATR situation is temporary is more bullshit? Of course. Many ATRs and teachers will pull that lobster tail out of is manicured hands if given the opportunity. He has no one to blame but himself. He's a disgrace as a UFT president. I'm going to one of those BS DA meetings and tell him so to his face.

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  10. retired teacher2:39 PM

    Back in the recesses of my chalk dust damaged brain I recall a time when the UFT lost check off. (Captain Kirk once lost Chekov, but that's another story.) I believe it was the mid eighties. Anyway, the chapter leaders were tasked with collecting checks and forwarding them to the coffers of the UFT.
    There were people who didn't pay. One person in particular came up with a whopper of a grievance. Unfortunately, her grievance somehow wound up at the bottom of a pile of paperwork at Bronx UFT and she had to wait a good bit of time before the union contacted.
    Teachers who need eyeglasses, dental work or medicines will lose those services if the UFT loses check off and teachers don't pay.

    Happy New Year

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nope, city pays for health care. Dues pay for lobster and steaks. The Bronx UFT puts all grievances at the bottom of the pile (and that's where they stay). Those shouldn't be the reasons one decides to pay dues. Do so for legitimate reasons.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous3:30 PM

    Now I actually think the atr. Situation goes back to yearly
    With incentives to hire

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous4:18 PM

    3:30,
    Why would you think that? Please explain.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The loss of dues checkoff in the early 80s was as a result of the 1975 Taylor Law Strike penalties.
    check these links for background:
    http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/515/871/1962369/

    http://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/20/nyregion/state-labor-panel-restores-uft-dues-checkoff-right.html

    ReplyDelete
  14. retired teacher11:52 AM

    Norm - absolutely correct. The Taylor law penalties were threefold. The first was loss of check off. The second was every striker became a Taylor Law probationary teacher for a year. The third penalty was a two for one penalty. If you struck for five days the city could withhold ten days pay.
    I believe that the law has been somewhat modified over the years but it still has stiff penalties.
    I am the first to admit that the UFT has lost the ball in recent years - bad decisions and inaction have hurt the rank and file. Would you really want no union? Can you imagine what would happen? In the days before the UFT there were no prep periods and no duty free lunch. Teachers ate with their students - a charming thought.
    Voting to get candidates not in the Unity Caucus is a start. However, being a former caucus member I can tell you that Mulgrew will get elected. Why? Because the elementary teachers usually decide the election because they are the biggest voting bloc and Unity gets out the elementary school vote.

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  15. Retired teacher:
    Don't only blame the elem school teachers. The middle schools voted Unity in every election except 1991.
    Functionals - about 40,000 non-teachers also vote overwhelmingly for Unity.
    Only the high schools have voted against Unity- and then only by slim margins.
    And then there are the retirees - 90% for Unity.
    So even if the elem school teachers - where I agree some headway must be made to begin to crack Unity - voted for the opposition, Unity would remain in control.
    Only 11 ex bd seats are elementary and if you add the 5 middle schools and 7 high school seats that only comes to 23 ex bd seats out of 100.
    That is why putting too much emphasis on UFT elections without other organizing efforts is a dead end - and a fatal flaw of opposition parties since the early 70s.
    It is these numbers and Unity control which has led people to look for alternatives and even if wrongheaded people do see Friedrichs as a way to force a break in Unity control.
    Instead of liberalizing the rules to make the union a more democratizing space - ie - more alternate views at the top and middle levels - Unity like any dictatorship doubles down by increasing the retiree vote.
    If we look into the spaces that might be created by a decision against the unions, we can not tell exactly what might occur.
    If the union offers some value in membership people might stay.
    Value means a voice - and my guess is that Unity would rather have the unhappy people leave which would tighten their control of whatever is left. They would rather be in charge of a weaker UFT than have to really contend for power in a stronger but democratized UFT.

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  16. It's unfortunate that UFT Solidarity's extensive work and outreach is underestimated. There will be surprises come election day.

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  17. Francesco:

    It's not that I am underestimating the Solidarity caucus, I just don't have a feel for the support for your caucus at this time.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous7:34 PM

    12:56:

    I was told by a high union official that they're satisfied on how the ATR agreement is working and will extend it to the end of the contract.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I understand. With so many schools spread across the entire city. It's tough to call. It's there though. From many ATRs on rotation to our chapter leaders and delegates. There is no group out there like us. From fighting workplace bullying to paperwork reduction. From assisting with special education complaints to helping chapter leader's build a stronger chapter.

    Solidarity Toolbox www.uftsolidarity.org/toolbox I would love to see other caucuses have initiatives like this.



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  20. retired teacher9:06 AM

    I used to tell social studies teachers that if they wanted an example of a soviet style government all they needed to do was look at the structure of the UFT! The DA is nothing but a rubber stamp.

    By the way, BronxATR mentions that the city supplies health care; this is true. But what does the UFT Welfare fund handle? Let's see: dental,eyeglasses and prescriptions.

    What will hurt getting seats in the next election are the fragmented splinter groups.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous9:59 AM

    9:06,
    They handle it, the city supplies it. If the SC rules against the unions, the city still has to supply it. Heck the UFT Welfare fund may still have to supply to those who opted out!

    ReplyDelete
  22. To 9:06,
    So pay $1200 a year for a yearly eye exam, Groucho Marx glasses and yearly teeth cleaning? Fragmented splinter groups - those are all groups, statistically, who aren't Unity. I'll continue to pay my union dues for the continuation of our profession and the middle class.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous11:58 AM

    ATR'S are slowly going to be canned. That is the goal!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous4:03 PM

    Happy New Year to all ATRs, especially to Chaz, James Eterno, and the Bronx ATR for telling our situation like it is. I read their blogs and their comments on other blogs often.

    I'm a Brooklyn ATR currently assigned to a school outside my home district since late November on a rotational basis. I heard from a fellow ATR at my current school that rotating ATRs will remain at their current schools till the end of January (more than 4 weeks for me..I thought that was the limit). This person said it had to with payroll issues.

    I'm not surprised that the current ATR arrangements will be extended. There was no input from ATRS in regards to the 2011 MOA that started the rotational assignments and observations by field supervisors.

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  25. Anonymous4:47 PM

    I am literally the only teacher at my elementary school who knows anything about the various caucuses in the UFT. The majority of teachers that I work with are young and out of touch. Most of them voted yes to the last contract simply for the thousand dollar signing bonus. These teachers will not even be bothered to vote in the election as they do not care. I have tried to get them involved but to no avail. Apathy is what is killing us all.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous12:46 PM

    To 4:47

    Totally agree with you. This seems to be the norm in alot of schools. Or if they are in a ok school, they are just doing what they have to do and not make waves (hey it's not me, mentality). But what I do find rather interesting is that some chapter leaders do not let others know about the other caucuses, they just think its unity, and that's the real shame.

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  27. Chaz,

    I am confused by your remarks about New Action.
    We have three priority issues for this year:
    Abusive Administrators – Identify them, retrain them, work to remove them
    Teacher Evaluation – mitigate the effects, seek to repeal the State law tying ratings to test scores
    Probationers and ATRs – protect vulnerable members from arbitrary and vindictive administrators

    Jonathan

    ReplyDelete