Sunday, November 13, 2016

Why Teachers Are Being Forced To Retire Due To The Contract.



























Until the passing of the June 2014 contract, teachers at retirement age charged under 3020-a could go through the entire hearing process without worrying about losing their benefits.  If the teacher was terminated or forced to resign or retire (about 55% from the latest data), they still retained all their benefits.  However, that all changed in the 2014 contract.  While teachers of retirement age still retained their retiree health benefits and pension, they are in for a significant financial hit.

If a teacher goes through their 3020-a hearings and is terminated, the union negotiated contract allows the DOE to refuse to pay the teacher their lump sum retro payments from 2009-10.  How much money can the DOE save by terminating the teacher?  Approximately $50,000.  Therefore, the DOE pushes for termination, hoping the teacher takes a deal to irrevocably retire, rather than risk losing the $50,000.

The DOE, empowered by the June 2014 contract, has pushed school administrators to contact the Office of Legal Services and start 3020-a termination charges against teachers for minor offenses or against teachers who had "developing" ratings.  The DOE figures that the 3020-a charges will push teachers at retirement age to retire rather than risk losing the $50,000 owed them.  I already know of three senior teachers who told me that they cannot risk being terminated even when I told them that the charges against them would probably not result in termination.

Its obvious to me that he June 2014 contract has encouraged the DOE to go after senior teachers, knowing full well that the mere threat of termination and losing $50,000 will force them to irrevocably resign rather than fight the charges against them. 

8 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:22 PM

    i would love to see the ATR's in a classroom. Please place them Carmen. Please! Imagine teaching 5 classes with 3 separate preps of 30 something kids, filling in Skedula, following the Standard aligned rubrics, argumentative debates throughout the week, subject to Danielson, and much, much more, instead of napping in the library. Please place them. I would pay money to see the look on their faces. Two ATR's in my school currently, both of whom are begging not to go back in the classroom. Actually they both said it would be grounds for retirement since they've been floating from library to lounge for several years. I can't believe people are making 6 figure salaries and complaining. Any other state you'd be fired!

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  2. Anonymous4:28 PM

    You must fight the age discrimination in court!

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  3. Anonymous6:16 PM

    Thank G-d for Donald Trump! Thanks to his soon to be selected SCOTUS pick Friedrichs vs. California Teacher Ass. Will go back to the court and an end to mandatory dues! Why pay for such a crappy union!?!?

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  4. Anonymous8:32 PM

    I cover 5 classes a day, every fucking day. Turds like you call in sick constantly. Volunteer to be an ATR if you think it's so easy. I'll gladly take your job. If ATRs would retire if placed, why do you think they aren't? If the city could fire us it would have, long ago. You're just another asshole.

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  5. Anonymous10:25 AM

    There was a similar situation over thirty years ago involving what happened to NYC teacher pensions if a teacher was dismissed:

    www.nytimes.com/1984/03/06/nyregion/denial-of-teachers-pension-on-dismissal-struck-down.html

    http://nycrubberroomreporter.blogspot.com/2014/04/helen-winston-case-1985-and-issue-of.html

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  6. Anonymous12:58 PM

    Chaz really need to see what the future of public education will be like 10 years from now. I believe we will fare much better under Trump then with obama and hillary combined. Lets face it obama started the whole teacher bashing school closing crap and hired his basketball buddy arnie duncan to do the dirty work. Obama was no bargain to us people as he truly was the man behind the curtain. HIllary clinton would have been no better. The wikileaks site shows how her campaign manager podesta was in talks with privatizers and lest anyone think we would have better with hillary in office. No i believe trump who has said let the locals decide how they want to educate their kids, will be better for public schools in nyc. A complete analysis by chaz is worth the wait and I am sure coming down the pipeline.

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  7. Anonymous5:01 PM

    The six ATRs in my school, like all ATRs, are looking to get permanently placed.

    Don't listen to 4:22 - he usually says teaching is just too easy and now he is making it look very difficult. Suspect it is the 'mom's basement troll' who bragged he had the entire summer off and then forgot his tale and bragged how much he gets paid teaching summer school

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  8. I would much rather be appointed to a school and working as a real teacher again instead of a glorified substitute.

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