When The NY Teacher arrives in the mail, I should probably do what many sensible people do and deposit it directly into the paper recycling bin. Instead, I read it.
Before I opened the latest NY Teacher today, I was somewhat excited that the UFT was supporting a rally on the steps of City Hall with parent groups to earmark city funds specifically for lower class size. I figured lower class size would surely be one of the UFT's legislative priorities with the City Council. Then, I opened up my NY Teacher and read what the UFT City Council legislative priorities are for the upcoming July 1 city budget deadline and UFT reality set in: lower class size did not even make the list.
From the NY Teacher:
As the July 1 deadline to pass the city budget approaches, the UFT made a full-court press for city funding for teacher's Choice and four other UFT-led educational programs: the United Community Schools Initiative, the Positive Learning Collaborative, the BRAVE anti-bullying program and the Dial-A-Teacher homework helpline.
The UFT made the case at its May 8 legislative breakfast for Council members and again in testimony submitted to the Council's Education Committee at a budget hearing on May 20.
Remember what Norm Scott always says about the UFT: "Watch what they do and not what they say." In terms of lower class sizes, it doesn't even make the legislative priority agenda. Lower class sizes when the city has a $4 billion surplus does not even make the lip service cut.
Come on UFT: fight for lower class sizes for real.
This also ties into the accounting scheme Fair Student Funding. Instead of having central funding it limits what each school receives forcing principals to hire inexperienced teachers, discriminating against veteran teachers and combining classes to save funds. Additionally the city isn’t even funding their FSF BS fully - it’s funded under 90% shortchanging everyone, especially students. This is especially egregious because the city is awash in money and completely top heavy with unnecessary high salaried jobs filled via nepotism and cronyism.
ReplyDeleteEndig the Danielson "evaluations" should be prioroty number one. It i evident now that the only purpose of the Danielson rubric is to subvert public education and end teachers' careers in NYC. Which it does through instructional demands that undermine the teacher's ability to adequetly prepare students for standardized assessments. It forces teachers to "run a classroom" in a completely unrealistic manner, where they are required to allow students (often with academic deficiencies) to" teach each other" with the teacher acting as a "facilitator." If there is a reason childen of color are not learning in NYC, it is not "inequity," rather the use of Danielson for the past 6 years. It was foisted on the public school system by the education reform lobby. This group wants to create as many charter schools as possible. None of which will ever use the Danielson rubric to evaluate their teachers.
ReplyDeleteI agree on ending Danielson but that is more of a state issue than a City Council issue.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to the rally at noon today. Leonie asked me to video. I will look closely at which UFT officials are there for appearance sake.
ReplyDeleteUFT sent a rep to the rally. Gives them cover for their horrible record on class size issues. They should have a rally at 52 Broadway - one of the parent leaders told me that other politicians tell them why should they do anything about class size when the UFT itself doesn't push for it?
ReplyDeleteThat's the union you want us to support EdNotes
ReplyDelete