Friday, September 19, 2014

ATR PANIC STRIKES ON SUBWAY

I am on my way to my mandated interview the other day but the subway stops between stations. I left nice and early because I don't want to miss a mandatory interview.

If an ATR misses two mandated interviews, the new contract says we have resigned our employment. We get no tenure hearing, nothing.

I am sitting on the train and thinking if I get stuck underground and the school won't document that I was there for the interview, I could be halfway to the unemployment line.

The train started to move and I made it in plenty of time to a positive interview but who knows if I will always be so lucky.

The moral of the story is expert navigation and planning for the unexpected are part of ATR life.

Don't miss those interviews fellow ATRs!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'd rather bag groceries than be an ATR. There's more dignity in that.

Bronx ATR said...

To 9:03,
True, but not as much money. I went into teaching many years ago because I loved so many facets of education. Money was never part of the equation. Now that all those facets have been taken away, money is the only thing left to us. I've met so many young new teachers who are leaving this year to become cops, transit and sanitation workers. One guy I met said he'd take a job shoveling shit over teaching. There's dignity in all other jobs. Teaching is the only career where you can be systematically abused by everyone. If you stand up to a student, administrator, parent you're out and/or arrested. Call the union for help? You have a better chance of hitting Lotto.

Anonymous said...

A subway delay, or any reasonable excuse will allow an ATR another opportunity to interview. The idea that one will be summarily fired as a result of missing two interviews for legit reasons is not realistic. It is the repeated refusal to interview that will get one in trouble.

James Eterno said...


11:51- In theory you are right. In reality, this is the DOE; my scenario is not that far fetched if we are dealing with someone who is not so rational.

I just received an invitation for an interview during the school day from a secretary but I got nothing from the DOE that says I have a mandatory interview. It is from a school I would have no interest in working at.

Do I have to go if there is nothing official? If I miss it, is it one of my two before resigning? Yes, this uncertainty is a bit unsettling.

Jeff Kaufman said...

I totally agree with you, James. Anon 11:51 is way off base. As in most things DOE the choice to order an involuntary resignation is given to the DOE. Whomever is in charge would be perfectly within in our contract to not accept a whole set of potential reasons why an ATR did not make it to an interview. I would not want to be in a position to place my faith in that person.

Anonymous said...

Its outrageous what the DOE has done, with the UFT 's blessing, to create a second class of teacher called ATR. I am so glad I have only a few short years remaining in this disgraceful DOE.

Anonymous said...

109% right ! They will let you get killed and just watch.