For Sensible Placement of Counselors and Social Workers in Excess

Guidance Counselors and Social Workers in excess are being rotated once a month. In many schools administrators can find or create no short-term counseling assignments – and leave counselors who want to work sitting idle. This may not be from administrative malice; it might just be the result of a stupid system.

New Action, with counselors, considered forms of relief that we might pursue. Extending the period of rotation to a full semester or full year seemed like the simplest, easiest to achieve step towards providing relief.

We drafted a resolution, proposed it to the leadership. They edited it. (They added language to indicate that they have already been pursuing this with the Department of Education. They certainly have – but to this point it has not been public and has not been part of the conversation in the organization as a whole).

And this Monday, June 6, 2016, it was on the UFT Executive Board agenda. Matt Ravick, a counselor in excess, spoke at the open mike about his experiences. And later LeRoy Barr motivated the resolution and Jonathan Halabi of New Action spoke in support. It passed unanimously.

What of other groups being treated unfairly by the Department of Education? This resolution does not help them directly. But 1) anytime we show solidarity with our colleagues, we are all uplifted, and 2) if this happens it will be a crack in the system of rotation, making it easier to make progress for other groups of members.

There is no contradiction between seeking immediate relief for a couple of titles while standing against the system that flooded the ATR pool in the first place. What changes need to happen?  An end to short-term rotation for all titles. Placement of ATRs into vacancies in their district with their agreement.  A return to unit costing (current funding system forces principals to consider experience as a negative factor in staffing). An end to school closings. A freeze on hiring in a license until all ATRs in that license are assigned. And a return to seniority transfers and an end to the “open market” hiring system.

On Monday we took a very small step in the right direction, but one that our Guidance Counselor in excess and Social Worker in excess colleagues will appreciate.

FOR SENSIBLE PLACEMENT OF COUNSELORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS IN EXCESS

WHEREAS, there are UFT Guidance Counselors and Social Workers in the ATR pool; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Education rotates those Guidance Counselors and Social Workers each month; and

WHEREAS, schools have counseling and social work needs, but these require professionals who are assigned for a longer period of time; and

WHEREAS, the United Federation of Teachers values the dignity of all our members; therefore

WHEREAS, the United Federation of Teachers have consistently argued to the Department of Education that the current rotation system is not appropriate for Guidance Counselors and Social Workers due to the nature of their work  and have advocated for assignments to schools for longer periods of time such that they can be a tremendous benefit to the schools and students of New York City; be it

RESOLVED that the United Federation of Teachers will work with the Department of Education to change the rotation system so that Guidance Counselors and Social Workers in the ATR pool will be assigned to schools for a sufficient period so that they can continue to serve the children of NYC.