A New Action paper briefly reviews the conditions we currently face:
Educators are under attack. … decrease in the effectiveness of the UFT to counter the power of the DOE. … a young, new workforce … a lack of connection to unionism. …
… corporate model… top-down structure … no … collaboration … massive testing … merit and bonuses, and strongly anti-union. … breakup of large schools … Newer teachers are easier … to victimize … autonomy given to the principals and the laissez faire attitude of superintendents. … news stories depicting teachers as incompetent (ATR’s) or dangerous (“Rubber room”). … national spotlight is focused … on teacher evaluation and creating more charter schools…
The past several years have been a disaster for our members. Working conditions are perhaps the worst in the history of the UFT.
…excessive paperwork… data … scripted lesson … individual student goals … teaching for the test. … abusive or incompetent administrators … absolute authority … constant creation of new small schools … assault on experience and seniority … willful opposition to … our legal contract.
Click this link for the complete text.
That’s about the size of it. Where do we go from here?