Archive for May, 2015

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Teacher Diversity in Our Schools

Published May 13, 2015 New Action , New York CIty Department of Education , UFT Closed
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Under Bloomberg/Klein the number of teachers of color in our system fell dramatically. The UFT’s Social and Economic Justice Committee (which New Action co-chairs) played a leading role making the issue of diversity of the NYC teaching staff a UFT priority, bringing it to our Delegate Assembly in 2011.

The work of this Committee has led to meetings with Fariña’s reps. A current proposal includes selecting high schools to serve as pipelines to recruit young people of color, and publicizing it in community centers, among counselors, at college and career fairs, fraternities and sororities, etc. Discussions have taken place regarding funding. A promising effort is the possibility to partner with the Brooklyn Borough President’s office.

The UFT and DOE are meeting monthly to get these proposals going by September. New Action has been and will continue to be right there to assure these happen.

Paid Maternity/Paternity Leave– A Demand Whose Time Has Come!

Published May 10, 2015 New York CIty Department of Education 2 Comments
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UFT members are often shocked to learn that all they receive upon having a child is six weeks of UNPAID maternity leave.  Teachers who devote their lives to fostering the growth and development of our city’s children find that they receive no real support from their employer when they have a child of their own.

Members can use days from their sick bank (CAR) for birth and child care purposes but is this adequate? It is nonsense that a progressive union and a progressive city administration did not address this in the last round of negotiations. We should not wait until 2018 before members get a chance to weigh in on this all-important issue. New Action/UFT calls for a six week, paid leave to be negotiated NOW between our union and the progressive de Blasio administration.

Special Education

Published May 8, 2015 New York CIty Department of Education Closed
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Special Ed for 12 years under Bloomberg was devastated. It was if he took a bulldozer to special education under the guise of reform. Children with special needs suffered the most.

Klein empowered principals and ignored children, emboldening incompetent principals. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, it is impermissible to recommend services based on the availability of the program or personnel, space, budget or administrative convenience. But that is what happened.

Under de Blasio and Fariña, it should be possible to reverse the damage done to thousands of children during the Bloomberg years of neglect. But there needs to be real, enforced controls on principals piling extra work on special education teachers and professionals without providing adequate time. And our students with special needs should be freed from Cuomo and Tisch’s cruel testing requirements.

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