Comments on: After years of complaints, union sues city over class size dollars

By: Dorothy E Gastman

Dorothy E Gastman — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 03:57:58 +0000

I no longer live in NYC or NYS, THANK GOD! People have been screaming about class size since the time I started teaching, September 1981, until the the time I was forced to retire, April 2006, because the City didn’t feel like accommodating my work-required deafness. It’s cheaper to retire a legally Deaf teacher than to accommodate them. The Bottom line: THEY ALL LIE! How does a City that has the funds to build not one but two NEW sports stadiums cry poverty when it comes to education. I’d prefer illiteracy to educating a child in NYC or NYS.

By: Ms. Flecha

Ms. Flecha — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:44:45 +0000

I downloaded and searched through the Contract for Excellence law — where does it discuss class size? What is the legal maximum supposed to be?

By: UFT sues DOE… and I get my 29th student « My Life Untranslated

UFT sues DOE… and I get my 29th student « My Life Untranslated — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:34:25 +0000

[...] the funny-enough-to-cry news is the teachers union has just sued the DOE over funds that were supposed to be used to keep class size down! I’m glad they are suing, [...]

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:29:14 +0000

Your table still compares today to 2001-2002. Please correct it to show the comparison with 2002-2003.

Also, please note that the City (for the last few years) fudges high school class sizes by excluding many classes. They probably owe you an explanation.

Also note, the City may be faking numbers related to CTT classes, by counting each class as 2 classes, even though the students are seated in one room, etc. They probably owe you an explanation about that, as well.

By: sodeskune

sodeskune — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:42:25 +0000

It’s about time somebody held Joel and Mike accountable.

By: leonie haimson

leonie haimson — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:50:30 +0000

Under what alternative universe Is this statement true: “2001-02 school year, when Mayor Michael Bloomberg assumed control over the school system’?
Actually Bloomberg took office in Jan. 2002, and in June 2002 he was granted control over the school system. Joel Klein was appointed July 29, 2002 and the “Children Last” was instituted in the fall of 2003.

Whether you count the 2002-3 school year or the 2003-4 school year as the beginning of the Bloomberg/Klein regime, class sizes have risen substantially in in grades K-3 since that time.
And why go back that far anyway? The Contract for Excellence law, and the state mandate that NYC reduce class size in all grades was passed in April 2007. Class sizes have risen substantially in all grades since then.
Thje DOE’s attempt to obscure this critical fact by going all the way back to 2001-2 is pathetic.