I read the opinion piece of parent Nicole Thomas and realized it was simply an ATR bashing piece that consisted of lies, half truths, and was right out of the StudentFirst playbook. Her article is simply false accusations. Let's discuss what Ms. Thomas claimed she knows about ATRs and then the truth.
First, she claimed that ATRs are "unwanted" teachers. While the "unwanted " is true, her reasons are false. She claimed that the ATRs are "unwanted" because their bad teachers and she cited false statistics that showed that over 50% of the ATRs were rated unsatisfactory or had discipline issues. Where did she get this false information? Maybe it came from the StudentFirst organization since I know the DOE refuses to provide this information and the percentage is closer to 25%, according to a UFT source.
The truth of the matter ATRs are "unwanted" because of their high salaries, seniority, and institutional memory.The majority of ATRs are quality teachers and fully certified. Principals won't hire them because they think of their budget and power and not what's best for the students.
Second, Ms. Thomas claims that most ATRs don't apply for classroom positions and if they were any good they would not be in the ATR pool for long.
The truth is that teachers in the ATR pool do apply for multiple positions but because of their salary, years of experience, and seniority, principals refuse to interview or hire them. Moreover, Civil Service law will not allow for an ATR time limit and that was the condition the DOE agreed to when the ATR pool was created when the hiring rules were changed in 2006. Maybe Ms. Thomas should read the DOE's "fair student funding" policy and see how the organization incentivizes schools to hire the "cheapest and not the best" teachers for their school.
Third, Ms.\Thomas seems to think that getting an ATR teacher would be terrible for her 5th grade child since one teacher at the school (not an ATR) was arrested and convicted, as if all ATRs are not only bad teachers but potentially are criminals.
The truth is that 75% of the ATRs have a "clean record", with no discipline issues. Furthermore, many of the ATRs with so-called discipline issues were found to be minor or even frivolous by an independent State Arbitrator. Again her statement is what StudentFirst would say, without data or real facts to back it up.
Finally, I truly hope that Ms. Thomas's child does not get an ATR for the vacancies at her school and gets a "newbie" teacher instead so her daughter can be the guinea pig for an inexperienced teacher who must struggle through a steep learning curve in classroom management issues, acquiring curriculum knowledge, while trying to learn the Art and Science of effective teaching. Maybe Nicole Thomas will realize she's just a pawn for the education deformers like StudentsFirst that put their ideology first and her child last.
It seems like a last effort for the media to stop what is about to happen to us. This time the media pressure is not working and the DOE are placing ATRS. Of course it would have been better if we had mutual agreement and no scarlet letters!
ReplyDeleteWhere are you UFT?
The thing that always burns me up is how these editorial writers say that ATR's can't or won't find a "teaching job" in the DOE. The fact is that ATR's HAVE A JOB! They are working for the DOE. They were not fired. They do not need to "look" for a job in the DOE because the fact is that they are already working for the DOE. It is not the fault of the ATR that the DOE refuses to place them in a classroom. If a fire station closed down in NYC wold a firefighter have to "find" another firehouse to work in the city? Of course not. Would they be roaming forever floating from fire house to fire house? Of course not. They would be put into another firehouse of their choosing based on seniority which is exactly how things were in the DOE until 2005.
ReplyDeleteI bet Nicole Thomas also does this teacher bashing in front of her child. I also bet Nicole Thomas feels like a failure so she has to result in attacks on people who have put the work in and educated themselves. The biggest problem with the education system is there are way to many people just like Nicole Thomas.
ReplyDeleteNicole Thomas' accusations are the most pathetic of the recent lot. There is of course no factual data to substantiate her claims, but worse no charming visuals of dancing lemons, perverts, drunks, pedophiles, miscreants, sloths or subs. The charter groups don't ever want to pay experienced teachers, therefore they paint us with the same brush in a last ditch effort to keep us out of the classrooms they hope to soon inherit.
ReplyDeleteMaybe her daughter will be really lucky
ReplyDeleteand get a TFA who is on her way to her real career.
But why not show up and protest Niclole Thomas's protest? We get 100 ATRs and they will look pathetic.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand got a very weird strange phone call from an AP asking me if I have any experience raising chickens and gardening? Wasn't sure if this was a prank or not but apparently some schools now garden and raise chickens. Might be easier than be force placed which I believe is a form of human trafficking. I understand to some people this might not human sex trafficking but it is still human trafficking.
Here is a video that shows Nicole Thomas. Honestly, Nicole most likely is making 90 dollars a month as a SLT parent and feels she needs to write these kind of articles.
ReplyDeletehttp://pix11.com/2015/01/23/brooklyn-parents-disturbed-after-teacher-accused-of-paying-teen-for-oral-sex/
This is all out of control. First, the nonsense about closing all the BIG schools to make mini-schools. We know this did not work. Many became ATRs because of this through no fault of their own yet you have these select group of parents, organizations, administrators and yes, even UFT members, that want to try to look at you like you are beneath them. This is a form of discrimination and there have been attacks on those with the created label of ATR. @4:44PM - You are right! Every other city agency moves their employees around if for some reason a position was eliminated. The DOE and UFT created this ATR nonsense instead of placing staff at another location like all other agencies. That's the way it was until principals became responsible for their own budget. Senior/veteran staff became targets and the excuse of choice was that you were bad. Wow, all of a sudden. There are a lot of people that are not qualified to lead public schools in any way because they are not and have never been educators. These people (we all know the culprits) talk and talk and talk and people listen because they have money. Feel sorry for this parent and others like her for getting sucked into this very sad way of thinking.
ReplyDeleteAs An ATR who won my 3020a Hearing, I found it impossible to get a permanent position, even though I was found exemplary with the classes of students I was assigned to as well as the Admin. We ATR's are playing in a "Rigged Game." Chazz is 100% Correct, Money and Power are the objectives for these Principals. So glad to be retiring in a few months.
ReplyDeleteShad, They raise chickens and a garden at the Stevenson Campus in the Bronx. (It's true.) They got rid of the teachers cafe though, so I think they slaughter them once every two months for a campus principal's luncheon. The nasty librarian there volunteers as the butcher - screaming, 'no more over due books for you!'
ReplyDeleteHave you read the crazy ignorant comments against ATRs on Chalkbeat? Chaz I wouldn't publicize their site - it's a piece of crap.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it time Mulgrew really respond to these attacks? These attacks are on all teachers. Mulgrew say something, you stupid bald headed motherfucker! Release the data that shows discrimination, we stayed by you when you were screwing your now wife on top of your teachers' desk, inside your school. What the fuck is wrong with you? My father worked with yours as a carpenter, show some balls.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations @9:35AM in regards to your upcoming retirement.
ReplyDelete@9:35 a.m. Tis so true. After surviving two 3020a hearings, having been escorted out of buildings, kicked out of 3 rubber rooms and even called a homo fag by a blogging commentator a week ago - I also find it very hard to find a position that I would enjoy. The last time I had a permanent position I did something I am still ashamed of.
ReplyDeleteHe was a young AP maybe 25 to 27 years old with 2 years of teaching, a know-it-all. He called me a has-been and asked me why don't I retire. I tried explaining to him physics and he claimed he taught it already. He kept coming at me. Wouldn't give me a break. Tried explaining to him "this bat has got sharper radar than the Nautilus. Don't fuck with me." He would not let up.
Got tipped off they were all coming for the final observation. They had supt. Walsh, Cintron, Mimi, the principal and the 2 APs all set to observe me.
I am in the class teaching a lesson that the AP and I went over. He even drew and commented on the lesson plan itself like he was an expert. As soon as I am about to begin my lesson they all entered the room. Young AP had a smile from ear to ear. It was his time to shine.
As I was about to begin I felt a chest pain. Walked over to him and handed him our lesson plan. Told him I need to step out and call 911 however if he can please finish teaching our lesson for me.
He turned pale white which worried me that he was about to faint. I told him he can do it, winked at Walsh and walked right out of the room. I even called 911 and left on a stretcher.
I heard later nobody ever looked at that AP the same way again. The students gave him a hard time and he turned into a joke.
If he is out there or anyone knows who I am referring to - please apologize for me. I never went back to that school again. I tried calling and emailing but he never responded.
Listen young one - I am very sorry for what I did. Hope you can forget this old cat. Was never personal.
Instead of just preaching to the choir, people should be writing to the newspapers and websites that print this dribble. While I appreciate learning about the issues in the blogs, we should be placing our rebuttals at the source. We have to be our own advocates since the UFT won't advocate for us. Just my humble opinion. Let's as ATRS write our own articles and responses to this denigrating of ATRS.
ReplyDeleteI think Nicole Thomas just needs to get herself "SOME"
ReplyDeleteWho cares?! Who the f--k is Nicole Thomas anyway? Chaz, please pull the Chalkbeat feed off your blog - it's like passing out Klan material at a NAACP meeting.
ReplyDelete@ Shady C.
ReplyDeleteIs the AP's first name "Darren"?
If so, he's on LinkedIn.
@Shady C. Excellent Story! I know that many of these Young Administrators are there because they know someone who has pull, and they are horrible teachers, either or.... I wish you good fortune! from 1 old Cat to another!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe reality is that principals don't want ATRs because, as Chaz points out, its the experience, salary, and seniority ranking. They don't care about classroom management or certification just total control of a staff that is not tenured.
ReplyDeleteShady C, Was it Fred Walsh?
ReplyDelete