Fighting for educators, building chapters, increasing democracy, with a progressive agenda
Yesterday night, New Action co-chair Michael Shulman was interviewed by Daniel Alicea on his WBAI show, Talk out of School. Listen here for Michael’s key perspectives on the history of the UFT and New Action, as well as for commentary on the state/trajectory of our union today. This is a must listen.
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.
(from the New Action leaflet distributed at the June 2014 Delegate Assembly).
For a printable version click: June 2014 Leaflet Front and back
Special Ed Under Bloomberg
“I want you to love your job again.” These were the words of Carmen Fariña to special education teachers, school psychologists, social workers, speech therapists and other related service providers.
Special Education for 12 years under Bloomberg has been devastated, to say the least. It was if Bloomberg took a bulldozer to special education under the guise of reform. And the children with special needs suffered the most.
Children’s’ needs were totally ignored in the interest of cutting the budget. Klein empowered incompetent principals who had no time for individual students’ special needs. 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.
Bloomberg’s policies on special education bordered on child abuse and neglect! Often parents and staff had to advocate for the appropriate programs and related services for their children through the Special Education Complaint Form. Impartial Hearings spiked 300%. Caseloads for school psychologists and school social workers increased considerably, causing a rise in work disputes! Increased paperwork and SESIS forced special education teachers and providers of related services to interact more with computer monitors than with children.
Under the new de Blasio Administration and new Chancellor Carmen Fariña, it should be possible to reverse the damage done to thousands of children during the Bloomberg years of neglect. We need directives from the new administration to reverse the Bloomberg era abuses. Then, with the proper funding for programs, services and materials, the most vulnerable in our system may finally receive the services that will best serve their needs, and teachers, school psychologists, social workers, speech therapists and other providers can again love their jobs.
New Action - UFT 