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MARGIN NOTES

On school aides’ last day, Klein addresses union

kids-letters-re-school-aides-001On the last day of work for over 500 school aides, Chancellor Joel Klein delivered a speech at the aides’ union headquarters that made no mention of the layoffs.

Speaking at District Council 37’s Quality of Work Life Employee Recognition Ceremony this morning, Klein said that “this is a tough time,” and the work school aides do is more necessary than ever before. Then he reminded the aides that “it’s not how much you get, but how much you give.”

“I’m here today to call on all of you to make sure you and all of your colleagues continue the work you’re doing. Our children will depend upon it,” he said.

Though the union sued the city after it targeted 530 aides for layoffs, the D.C. 37 decided against paying the court-ordered $800,000 bond that would have held off or simply postponed the layoffs. The union is still pursuing the case in court.

Students at P.S. 181 in Queens wrote letters to their school aide, Danna Nelson, saying they would miss her. They also penned a few notes to Mayor Bloomberg, expressing frustration with his decision to dismiss the aides.

5 Comments

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  1. yes

    wow! the balls on bloomberg and klein are unreal.

    P.S. someone needs to teach jada jenkins how to spell.

  2. I noticed that...

    It’s not so much the audacity of Klein giving such an ingenuine, heartless speech; it’s the absurdity of the leadership at DC 37 for allowing Klein to be at the Quality of Work Life Employee Recognition Ceremony. Klein destroyed the lives of over 500 school aides.

    With this type of PR, I wonder if the mayor will invite Alphonso D’Amato, the former teacher-basher, and Michelle Rhee, New Teacher Project creator and D.C.’s chancellor, to the next NYC Teacher of The Year award Ceremony. How disappointing of the leadership at DC 37? How can the members respect the union’s decision to have Klein there? I’m not a DC 37 member, but it is time for the members to change the leadership.

  3. A Bloomberg/Klein Conscientious Objector

    To “Yes,” it’s called ‘inventive spelling’ and a part of the mandated curriculum!

  4. Michael M.

    Re spelling:
    I think it’s great the kids are speaking up, and speaking out. Proper speling can come layter. Go Jada!

  5. [...] already laid off excessed 600 school aides as of Friday. “School aide” might not sound like an indispensable position, but it really can be. At [...]

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