Archive Page 107

New Action challenges mayoral control

Published February 3, 2013 New Action , UFT , United Federation of Teachers 1 Comment
Tags: ,

On Tuesday, January 22, New Action Co-chair Jonathan Halabi presented a resolution at the UFT Executive Board meeting calling on our union to get behind a bill to take absolute control over the PEP away from the Mayor Bloomberg. The bill introduced by Velmanette Montgomery and David Weprin would have severely reduced the number of appointees to half of the current level, effectively taking away the mayor’s power to close schools in the city. Halabi pointed out that the PEP has been a rubber stamp for the Mayor, and that this bill would potentially provide instant relief. In the meantime, our committee on school governance should continue to meet and work towards it recommendations.

While New Action/UFT has opposed mayoral control from the start and has recently initiated a petition drive against mayoral control, we considered this bill an important first step to that end. Three speakers on the UFT Executive Board rose to speak against supporting this important piece of legislation. They argued that the UFT has a committee on school governance and this proposal would second guess the committee’s work, that it wouldn’t give all the stakeholders a chance to weigh in, etc.

New Action speakers argued that we should not wait for the results of a committee report when we have a concrete bill that would make for a more democratic process if passed now.

The caucus-line vote was overwhelmingly against supporting the Montgomery/Weprin bill with only five New Action members present voting in support, as all of the Unity caucus members voted no. It is all the more surprising that at a publicized press conference called by Montgomery and Weprin the announcement said UFT representatives would be present.

New Action secured 2,200 signatures to end mayoral control on petitions this past spring. New Action is committed to work for an end to all vestiges of mayoral control—control which would never have come about without UFT support.

New Action on Teacher Evaluation – our record is clear

Published January 26, 2013 New Action 1 Comment
Tags:

(from the New Action leaflet distributed at the January 2013 UFT Delegate Assembly).
For a printable version click: Leaflet 2013 January

 

“A Train Wreck Waiting to Happen!”

New Action’s record on a New Teacher Evaluation System and Teacher Tenure is clear:

January 2010  – New Action/UFT absolutely opposes linking student test scores to teacher evaluation and tenure decisions. … AFT President Weingarten said she believes that standardized test scores and other measures of student performance should be an integral part of the evaluation process. Michael Mulgrew said “Her proposals would require a climate of collaboration and trust that simply does not exist here (in NYC).” We supported that statement.

March 2010 – Where We Stand calls for support and protection of untenured teachers. We also call for no change in tenure laws.

Her [Weingarten’s] proposals [for a teacher evaluation system] would require a climate of collaboration and trust that simply does not exist here. – Michael Mulgrew, January 2010

May 2010 – New Tenure Plan/ You could be Removed (after 2 years) Before the Letters in Your File (after 3 years) opposes the teacher evaluation system just proposed by the Board of Regents, with support from the NYSUT and UFT leaderships. “Two years in a row of “ineffective” ratings could lead to a 60 day termination process- no matter how senior the teacher, no matter how experienced, no matter whether they have tenure.”

January 2011 –“We OPPOSE tying tenure decisions to standardized tests. The negotiations on Race to the top in New York State led to many dangerous concessions.”

Are administrators with little or no teaching experience qualified to evaluate us?”

May 2011 – “New Action rightfully opposed the agreement leading to the Race to the Top legislation. Lifting the cap on charters. Putting in a new teacher evaluation system! And for what? 700 million that won’t prevent budget cuts or stop layoffs.

September 2011 – “No matter what evaluation system is developed tenured teachers can be dismissed after 2 “ineffective” ratings. In a system that is fair and collaborative perhaps a new approach to rating teachers could work.  DOES ANYONE believe that we are working in an atmosphere of collegiality?

October 2011 – Danielson and Teacher Evaluation “In the hands of administrators who do not collaborate, this framework becomes a weapon pointed at us… We continue to be extremely concerned. Who is evaluating us and what are their credentials; what is their experience? Will outsiders evaluate? Are administrators with little or no teaching experience qualified to evaluate us?”

We know the DOE violates every agreement. In an evaluation agreement they will violate it as well. Tenured teachers cannot afford to wait and see.

March 2012 – New Evaluation System – Eliminate Tenured Teachers? “Our opinion has not changed. This new evaluation system will lead to an avalanche of ineffective ratings. We know the DOE violates every agreement. In an evaluation agreement they will violate it as well. Tenured teachers cannot afford to wait and see.

If there is no agreement, we must mobilize our membership – the onslaught from the DoE and the media against us will be fierce.

September 2012 – “The DOE shows nothing but bad faith on our current appeals process. 100% of the decisions being overturned is not a process-it is a farce, a cruel hoax. New Action remains deeply concerned about the potential for Bloomberg’s proposals for teacher evaluation system to be a thinly disguised assault on due process rights.”

Winter “Day of Action”

Published December 20, 2012 New Action , solidarity , UFT Closed
Tags:

(from the New Action leaflet distributed at the December 2012 UFT Delegate Assembly).
For a printable version click: Leaflet 2012 December

New Action proposes citywide mobilizations this winter to address a host of issues in the schools, not least the fact that we have been without a contract since October 2009. Standing with our colleagues at our schools helps build espirit de corp. And at the schools everyone is there – we can involve those members who normally don’t travel.

New Action successfully pushed for a Day of Action this past spring. We now call on the leadership to bring our troops together again. Our issues are varied: fight for basic rights, to stop school closings, against curriculum writing, for a decent contract without givebacks and with retroactivity. But the underlying theme is constant – we need to push back, just to be treated fairly, just to produce a decent environment for teachers to teach and students to learn.

Learn more about

our UFT Caucus

Content Policy

Content of signed articles and comments represents the opinions of their authors. The views expressed in signed articles are not necessarily the views of New Action/UFT.
Follow New Action – UFT on WordPress.com
March 2026
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  

Blog Stats

  • 405,559 hits