Discontinued Probationers
(from the New Action leaflet distributed at the June 2015 UFT Delegate Assembly). For a printable version click: June June 2015 Leaflet Front This year New Action/UFT members have been meeting with discontinued probationers, UFT officials, and representatives of Chancellor Farina to discuss unfai
Unfairly Discontinued Probationers
Probation is a training period. Principals, APs and mentors work with beginning teachers. But during the probationary period, teachers can be discontinued at any time. Under Bloomberg weak, abusive, or incompetent principals used probationers as scapegoats. They did not try to help these teachers. A
Report from UFT Executive Board October 6, 2014
This was the third Exec Board of the year. Francesco Portelos was the only speaker for the open mike. His main point was that there are many members who need assistance who are coming to him, but the union should be providing better service so that members go to them instead. I didn’t follo
Report from UFT Executive Board September 22 2014
This was the second Exec Board of the year. The agenda was compressed, to accommodate a 6:30 visit by Carmen Fariña. There was no open mike. After minutes were approved they moved to the Staff Director’s report, as Mulgrew had not arrived. LeRoy Barr responded to questions from two weeks ear
Discontinued?
(from the New Action leaflet distributed at the June 2014 Delegate Assembly). For a printable version click: June 2014 Leaflet Front and back During the last decade under the Bloomberg / Klein administration principals have been given much greater power and autonomy. As we know too well, many pri
The Real Reason So Many New Teachers Quit
(from the New Action leaflet distributed at the December 2012 UFT Delegate Assembly). For a printable version click: Leaflet 2012 December Our leaders have told us repeatedly that a lousy evaluation system causes teachers to leave the system. A recent study by Peter Youngs and Ben Pogodzinski of Wa
Diversity and Teach for America
by Jonathan Halabi (documents from Seattle battle with TfA are at the bottom, below the fold) Last Monday I tried to amend an Exec Board resolution about increasing diversity in the workplace. I was concerned about how the resolution handled Teach for America. I’ll explain: For the last 10 y