GothamSchools — daily independent reporting on NYC public schools

breaking (updated)

June 29, 2012

Arbitrator rules for unions: Turnaround firing, rehiring reversed

by Philissa Cramer and Rachel Cromidas, at 3:29 pm

Principals union president Ernest Logan and UFT president Michael Mulgrew announce their lawsuit over turnaround in May.

An arbitrator has ruled that the city’s plans to reform 24 struggling schools by shaking up their staffs violated its collective bargaining agreements with the teachers and principals unions.

The arbitrator’s decision adds a new and abrupt twist to months of uncertainty at the schools. It also guarantees that the city cannot claim more than $40 million in federal funds that the overhaul process, known as “turnaround,” was aimed at securing.

The turnaround rules require the schools to replace half of their teachers, and the city was trying to use a clause in its contract with the teachers union, known as 18-D, to make that happen. In recent weeks, “18-D committees” told hundreds and possibly thousands of teachers and staff members at the schools they could not return next year.

Under the arbitrator’s ruling, all of those staff members are now free to take their jobs back.

The decision is a shocking blow to the Bloomberg administration, which turned to turnaround in January in a bid to win the federal funds without negotiating a new evaluation system with the United Federation of Teachers.

Unhappy that teacher evaluation talks had fallen through weeks before, Bloomberg made the plans a surprise centerpiece of his “State of the City” speech and said the city would purge the schools of “ineffective teachers” with or without tougher evaluations.

To make that happen, the city had to engineer what amounted to overnight school closures. But the UFT and the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators argued that even though the city followed its school closure process, the changes were “sham closures” designed for political ends.

The two sides made their cases this month during a fast-tracked, high-stakes arbitration process during which Bloomberg himself testified – a rare occurrence in city-union disputes, UFT President Michael Mulgrew said. Today, an arbitrator, Scott Buchheit, agreed with the unions.

“This decision is focused on the narrow issue of whether or not the mayor’s ‘new’ schools are really new,” said a union statement issued moments after the decision came down. “The larger issue, however, is that the centerpiece of the DOE’s school improvement strategy — closing struggling schools — does not work.”

Bloomberg and Chancellor Dennis Walcott quickly announced plans to fight the ruling.

“Today’s decision is an injustice to our children that — if allowed to stand — will hurt thousands of students and compromise their futures,” they said in a statement. “We will appeal the decision because we will not give up on the students at these 24 schools.”

The city cannot appeal to the arbitrator but instead must go to the New York State Supreme Court. But the court sets a high standard for overturning the results of arbitration proceedings.

“This was always about an arm-wrestle between the Department of Education and City Hall on one side and the UFT on the other,” said Eric Nadelstern, a former top department official who retired last year and said he thinks the schools should be closed. “The only thing worse than the original plan was the decision at this juncture for reversing the original plan. This throws everything into chaos.”

That arm-wrestling match has been going on since last year. In July 2011, the city and the United Federation of Teachers announced an agreement to adopt new teacher evaluations in some schools that had landed on a state list of low-achieving schools. This made them eligible for the federal School Improvement Grants, which the city used to begin less aggressive overhauls processes known as ”transformation” and “restart.” Schools that had begun the transformation process in 2010 appeared to be improving.

But when it came time to finalize that agreement in December, the city and UFT announced they were at an impasse, and the state cut off the funds in January. That was when Bloomberg announced the turnaround gambit. Even after the issue that had held up the teacher evaluation agreement was ostensibly resolved under pressure from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the city pressed forward with turnaround.

Since January, the Department of Education has expended tremendous time and resources on the process — holding public hearings, writing extensive plans about what would change, replacing and training principals, and interviewing thousands of staffers who weere applying to keep their jobs. The department even announced new names for the schools.

The arbitrator’s ruling rolls all of that back.

“My initial thoughts are, take down any of the signs they printed — we are once again Long Island City High School,” said Ken Achiron, a veteran teacher and the union chapter leader there.

Teachers from the schools said they were thrilled by the decision but thought that some teachers would be hesitant to reclaim their positions.

“We’ve been through the whole horrific process already,” said one teacher from Lehman High School who was asked to return to the school and did not want to be identified. “I don’t think these same people are going to want to come back. I think there’s already been damage done. People were basically told we don’t want you, and now everyone’s confused. And does this mean we don’t have to be called Throgg’s Neck anymore?”

Some teachers say they have already made up their minds.

Nick Lung-Bugenski, a teacher from Long Island City High School who did not reapply for his job, said he would happily return to the school this fall. ”I didn’t need to beg for my job back, a job I’ve done well for years,” he said. “I will say that it is a bittersweet victory because this is coming after months of psychological attacks on the teachers in our building. Now we’re in a position to start picking up the pieces.”

“There were no winners in this,” said Georgia Lignou, a teacher at Bryant High School. “Yes I will go back and I am extremely happy about the decision, [but] because I have lost my faith in the system, it was completely unexpected. I hope we can repair the damage they have already done.”

That is the task that UFT and city officials will turn to on Monday when they meet to chart a course for the schools from here, Mulgrew said.

“Our top priority is that these schools have to be up and running for September,” he said. “We hope we have a partner in that in the Department of Education.”

Mulgrew said he had already called City Hall to suggest that the city move to return the schools to the transformation and restart process by negotiating a new teacher evaluation system with the UFT.

To qualify for this pot of federal grants, an agreement would only have to apply to the 24 schools that were part of the turnaround program. But other federal and state funds are at stake if the city continues not to adopt new teacher evaluations, and today’s ruling signals that creative options for evading the evaluation requirement are dwindling.

Last week, when State Education Commissioner John King approved the city’s plans to shake up the schools, he said the federal funds would be contingent on the city being able to use the 18-D procedure to remove and replace teachers. Without that option, the chance of schools meeting the federal rules are slim. Only if schools are small and have experienced significant turnover in the last two years, or if vast numbers of teachers choose not to return to their schools, could any school see a 50 percent change in its staff.

Earlier this week, the city education official in charge of the turnarounds, Marc Sternberg, told GothamSchools that he thought King’s decision to approve the school overhaul plans would signal to the arbitrator that the plans were true closures. “This seems dispositive of the arbitration,” he said at the time.

The arbitrator’s decision is below.

                                                                                     

Print Print
← Older Comments
Newer Comments →
  • East Sider

    The decision to move to an expedited arbitration was part of a court order, overturning the decision is farfetched, of course the city can go back to step one and begin the process to close the 24 schools … which would take a year … this is a round in a battle that will not end until 1/1/15 … I shouldn’t say end … new mayor, new issues.

  • A Brooklyn Turnaround Victim

    This is without a doubt the best day in a long time. At John Dewey, we never found out if we were were re-hired or not…and while I am heartbroken that some of our staff won’t return because our enrollment for September is very low (gee, what did they expect we were dragged through the mud all year – what parent would want to send their kid to us) it’s a good day for all UFT members….finally, someone out there saw what we knew all along….this was all a big temper tantrum by our Mayor…..

  • Emmbee39

    Well said

  • Squeegie Man

    It is interesting that you were not told who was in and who was out. Ideally the older folks were out and the younger folks were in. Now, they have to honor seniority so the older folks are in and the younger folks are out. Tremendously, brilliant plan by King Bloomy and well executed I might add. They have successfully destroyed these schools. Now, they can try and destroy happiness, ice cream, furry bunnies or clowns with balloons. You are listening to the wrong people Mr. Bloomberg. Are you really the same guy that created the Bloomberg terminal?

  • 15 Years Straight S’s

    What about the dumb principals who actually gave letters to teachers, telling them they weren’t coming back: and now THEY ARE?  Think it won’t be personal in September.  Lehman H.S. is going to be a dramatic venture each day.  I’ll beee BACKKKKKKK!!!!

  • Johnny Cochran

    If a principal acted poorly after this to someone who was told they were not coming back, that would be retribution. Retribution is far worse than actual discrimination. The union should be on top of this and warn principals that taking Bloomberg’s loss out on staff will end them up in Civil court. It would be a nice retirement package for any teacher inconvienced by poor Bloomberg policy.

  • Nycdoenuts

    (1/1/14: You almost gave me a heart attack there)

  • BK

    The union did not care about anyone’s jobs. Do not get it twisted. Even in their statements they do not talk about how teachers got beat down. The union is out for themselves and themselves only. Mulgrew and his cronies need to be voted out. This should never have happened in the first place. 

  • http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/ Norm

     Network leaders become network ATRs — each week they get to go to another school — the contest is which one can do the most destruction in only a week.

  • David

    PS: As for the 40 Million in Federal funds, there’s not a penny that goes into education that Bloomberg ever lets into a classroom. That would have gone to his buddies anyway.  http://newsblaze.com/story/20120205142742pamb.nb/topstory.html

  • Spartan4Life

    This is definitely good news indeed. I went back to visit my high school today at John Adams. Right after our visit, that’s when one of the alumni found the article from the NY times that we see here. I am glad this is over for now. The mayor should be replaced not the teachers, not the principals. The data was skewed anyway. They should’ve used the ten year rule. Evaluate the progress for past ten years to see the accomplishments and also how many of the students graduated and became successful at their careers? 

    When I went to Adams ten years ago, we never had a robotics lab. Coming back here ten years later to see us win an award for robotics competition in a sign outside of the school, that made me happy because this was where I started my career in technology and now I’m working with my wife on developing an app for Apple iTunes. 

  • someone who cares

    I have to say I have pity for all those 18D committees who sat and interviewed people for 6 hours a day to have it be all done in vain.  What a waste of time for these people and I feel bad for some teachers in our school who chose to retire so they wouldn’t have to go through all of this.  They didn’t want to retire and now they didn’t have to.  Also, all the hell they put those of us through who reapplied and all the crying and heartache that could have been saved when those teachers got those denial letters or rather emails.  I just want to ask the mayor if he’d like some bacon to go with the egg on his face

  • Spartan316

    My wife graduated from South Shore in 2003 as Salutorian. 

  • Tek Lance

    And I just went back to visit my high school to say goodbye to my principal today. 1 hour later, this article came out. Phew. Close call.

  • Ksassy99

    This is a terrific victory for the staff, students, and parents. The CSA and the UFT deserve praise for taking on a mayor who disdains children. Since we are held accountable if we are not up to par, the public should demand that the mayor be held accountable for the greatest screwup in NYC history- destroying the educational system!
    Janet I am soooo happy for you!

  • Nunya

    Except that many of the Transformation principals were picked BECAUSE they were inept and easily controlled. The new principals have had two years and have only made a mess at places like LIC, Flushing, Newtown and others. The principal at LIC in particular, should be up on charges, not reinstated for the scheduling fiasco this past year. 

    Many of the original principals who were ousted two years ago figured they’d put placeholders there, tell them what to do, and then get their jobs back when the smoke blew over. Everyone inside knows that. So you’ve got many, many of these schools with weak principals, ineffective cabinet members, ineffective teachers that are posting 50% graduation rates. How is just reinstating everyone going to help kids to learn?Who loses really? The kids, as always. Maybe this wasn’t the way to go about things, but nothing else was being done. I’m all for the union, but an intractable one that protects bad teachers and keeps the status quo going is only going to extinct itself.The union needs to step up now and take the lead on reform. If not then the next fight will come, or the next one, or the next one and they’ll lose out altogether. Attack the spending on nepotism, cronyism and overpaid consultants. Do it publicly, loudly, and sustain the pitch all summer long. Take out full page ads in the NYTimes. That’s the problem with liberalism: It’s pointless to try to compromise and reason with a Machiavellian opponent. If someone’s punching you in the face don’t say, “Hey, please stop.” Kick ‘em where it counts. When, oh when, is the left going to take the kidd gloves off and quit playing defense?

  • Good job mike!

    As a teacher at a turnaround school, I have a few things to say.
    1. I think it’s funny how they are so worried about this SIG money when most of it is going to SPO’s like New Visions and ISA. This money never gets to the students.
    2. The demoralization of staff and students of this process will and has already led to the following – students were told they could transfer out without question. (many of the higher achieving kids were planning to leave) Large numbers of talented young Teachers were forced to look for new jobs. I know some of them wanted to stay but they were forced to look and other schools saw this as an opportunity to steal away the talented people.
    3. This is now working in reverse; we all know these schools had some dead weight in these schools. Now these teachers will be back in Schools where enrollment is down and excessing will be common. Mostly eliminating your younger teachers. The ratio of dead weight teachers will be at an all time high in these schools.
    4. Starting in september, tensions will be at an all time high while collaboration with administration will be non existant.

  • cj

    I don’t think over the years I’ve seen so many postings on one article that were so unanimous in their view of the situation.  Also n watching the NY1 call in show tonight, almost every caller was unanimous in condemning Bloomberg.  He simply doesn’t get it.  He thinks only his way is the right way for the students.  Nobody else cares about the kids the way he does.  His statement is as ludicrous as I’ve ever seen.  And now they’re going to appeal an arbitration they agreed to.  What sick people they are.

  • guest

    It so sad either way,Bloomberg destroyed  these schools,including the ones pulled off the list in March.I am glad for the staff that gets to stay,sad for the schools and kids in general because they are now out there with no funding,huge drop in enrollment which means lots of excessing and a staff that has been treated so poorly.How can the schools recover?

  • Yugn

    No, I am not joking. From what I hear, the new principal has about 40 grievances against her her, does not treat staff nicely, does not even give clear instructions to her own APs ….she seems to be grooming , or he is grooming himself, one AP, who is known to be incompetent , to replace her. So, does Dewey or any of the other 24 need more upheaval? Frieda’s numbers, given by the staff at all the rallies, show that , under his leadership, the school was making strides. Some of the staff did not like him. Now most of the staff hates her. And the AP being groomed is not the brightest bulb in the pack. Does not bode well then.

  • Worriedamerican

    Bloomberg is power hungry and Does not respect the democratic process. Dangerous….but look around our country, from the Prez on down and see you freedom tampered with….yet, people keep voting for these people because they fall for their false messages and promises. Wake up!

  • yououghtaknow

         I hope the Mayor & Co. are happy that they turned 24 commencements ceremonies into virtual memorial services for the graduating student who deserved so much better.    Many of the high school students worked hard to fight their school closings and were led to believe that they were the losers on June 27.  No one was holding out much hope for the yesterday’s victory, so we will enjoy today (knowing this is not quite the end of the story).
        My point right now is that I hope those outside this situation can grasp and empathize with the emotional toll this has taken on students and teachers at the 24 turnaround schools and join with us to stop the bullying that has been allowed to run rampant in recent months. Many are under treatment for stress-related mental and physical illness that this trauma has brought about.   Let’s hope there are not any fatal consequences resulting from Bloomberg’s most recent folly.

  • Anonymous

    Bloomberg should be charged with child abuse. All receiving treatment, medication, therapy should send any bills, copays, etc to Bloomberg’s office. He is reprehensible. He epitomizes the saying: absolute power corrupts absolutely.

    Any attempts to force a failing school as revealed in Dave’s news blaze blog below should be investigated and exposed by this news outlet and the NY Times.

    Mayor Blooomberg…..your ego has control of your mind. Your mother would be ashamed of you.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002397245457 Mary Conway-Spiegel

    Gotham, thank you for your coverage.  Reading everyone’s comments below underscores the single most important aspect of this situation:  Complete Chaos.
    yououghtaknow nailed it…yes, we “can grasp and empathize with the emotional toll this has taken on students and teachers…” Every hour it took to move these individual 24 ships was an hour that could have been devoted to, say, teaching?

  • Emma

     All 18D Committees stopped interviewing as soon as they heard about this terrific win by the UFT. You need not report unless you hear that the court grants Bloomberg a stay of the arbitration. If that occurs, the 18D Committees will regroup, pending outcome of the stay, and set new appointments for the remaining candidates. If no further/action/decision/stay is issued, report to your school in September.

  • Guest

    Do we all retain our current positions as Deans and such?  What about our beloved APs?

  • cj

    ..but in reality, now the chaos really begins. Assuming there is no appeal, and it is hard to believe an appeal could succeed after it was the court that pushed for arbitration, what happens in September when the excesses teachers return to their schools and meet with the very same “Principals” (quotation marks because few of them are really qualified to be Principals but that’s another story) who didn’t want them. Can you imagine the number of U lessons that will suddenly be occurring? And the piece of slime Mayor, don’t you think that suddenly these 24 schools will be on the closing list come December? It is up to the two unions to put an end to this garbage once and for all. Grieve every “U’ observation. Warn the DOE of the consequences of trying to take revenge on the teachers and administrators that’s sure to occur in September. There is still lots to be concerned about, especially given the vindictive nature of the piece of slime sitting in the mayor’s office, illegally of course since the people voted for a two term limit

  • Parent

    Amazingly, as he ruins the futures of thousands of children, and demoralizes their teachers, he claims that he will “appeal the decision because (he) will not give up on thousands of school children.” 

    He has no qualms about presenting himself as the savior of the children he is sacrificing to feed his ego and his coffers. I truly believe his is a complete and total psychopath. However this ends, it will take this city decades to recover from this poisonous monarchy.

  • TeachmyclassMrMayor

     BTV, I submit that not finding out until the decision is a good thing. Try being in a school where the decisions were announced, and now when 75% of the staff was getting kicked to the curb, the Dementor now has to get up in front of the staff and talk about how we have to come together…well, I hope the standing ovation received at the start of the year (2011) is remembered because I promise there won’t be one in September 2012. Heck in this case, the outside people were being interviewed for openings in the “new school” before the in house folks.

  • TeachmyclassMrMayor

     This is also true.

  • TeachmyclassMrMayor

     Linda, let me know how that reporting goes. The print media is entirely in the tank for Bloomberg. It is only places like this where you get journalism and balance.

  • burned

    It’s not accurate to say our schools have “no funding.” The SIG money could be used for only limited types of spending:  such as professional development, “smart boards,” assessment tests.  It could not be used to hire or retain teachers to reduce class size.   DOE is, however, projecting a huge drop in our enrollment and we have two teachers in excess, two too many.

  • guest

    I was the UFT rep on one of those committees.  I accept your pity, and deserve it.  I was a pitiful character, sitting among enemies, passing judgment on friends, many of whom are probably fine teachers but poor interviewers.  But, never mind my suffering.  Reservere all sympathy for the educators who were so humiliated and demoralized by this sham process.  When the news of our victory came down, our uft office exploded in cheers, tears, and jubilation.  Thanks to the UFT Grievance Department for ending this disgraceful process.

  • Ka D’Argo

    One problem is that so many teachers were not schooled in the eduspeak we are now responsible to know, as little or none of the new terminology was in use when we went to college.  Giving us a few hours of professional development or a handout does not help very much. Veteran teachers can seem inept and inadequate when they are interviewed about certain concepts or practices, even if they understand and practice some form of them, if they are clothed in terminology that is of recent origin.  

    One thing that teachers and the UFT must do is fight to take back the language of teaching. This is a war that should be fought in Albany, the City Council, in schools of education, and at the polling booth.  Ultimately, the power of a mayor over the eduction system must be checked.  If Bloomberg has proved anything, it is the old adage that power can corrupt, and absolute power… . He controls a DOE army of true believers, supplicants out to make big money, educational consultants who take old ideas, twist them around, and make a fortune, and media assassins who attack teachers every day, without ever looking at the good things we do, and we don’t seem to have an answer to combat this. We end up with non-educators in the Chancellor’s office, and principals and APs who have very little actual classroom experience, and there seems to be no significant response from the UFT to to this, or the trashing of our reputations and the trivialization of our profession.

    Winning this battle was great, but we are still in a war, and Bloomberg still has the power to make our lives miserable until his term is up. I don’t believe that we can count on any mayor to be an ally.  Until the system is changed, our lives as teachers is subject of the whims of the DOE and abuse of administrators.

  • guest

    Where is Mr. Flerperillo the lawyer?  No comment or opinion on a legal proceeding? 

  • Guest

    fine teachers but poor interviewers – that says it all

  • Turnaround and see the truth

    Just imagine what all the press on the 33, then 26, then 24 schools would have looked like if instead of writing/saying “failing” schools, they said “improving” schools. For example, “The UFT won the abritration to stop Bloomberg from closing 24 improving schools”. It would have certainly more closely represented the reality. TO THE PRESS: Quit calling us failing and instead call Bloomberg and Walcott failing every time you refer to them.

  • guest

     I am aware what the funds were used for as I work in what was a transformation school,The transformation money was making a huge difference .Without extra funding,the school is now  on its own with a budget based on enrollment.The enrollment is so low because of all the bad publicity,that the school has excessed as many as 3 teachers in every area (except sped),family workers (2),school aides (3)and secretaries (4 )and 2 AP’s.

  • Lindseycrist

    Courtenaye Jackson-Chase is a do-nothing General Counsel.  She is mostly concerned about her new title and blaming Mike Best for what she failed to do when she was his right hand.  Otherwise she is concerned about which job she will get next.  No one will want her, since she has no record of achievement.  Similarly, David Brodsky is one horrible lawyer.  This is not name-calling.  This is fact.  The DOE is outclassed by the UFT/NYSUT at every turn.  The contract couldn’t favor the UFT any more than it already does.  That is why the UFT is content to have the contract which ran in 2009.  The recent arbitrator’s decision only cements the futility of Brodsky’s tenure.  DB and CJC are impotent to challenge the union.  It is like Mike Tyson (NYSUT/UFT), in his prime, against someone with no arms (NYCDOE).  If NYCDOE press conferences, press releases, and meetings could help children learn, the NYC school children would all be geniuses.  Stay tuned for more NYCDOE press releases, failures to deliver, and more UFT wins.  The Bloomberg administration has been squandered.  Does any sober person believe that the next mayor will provide a better opportunity for real and substantive reform?  It will be a cold day in August before private schools sill run out of individuals willing to pay $40k+ annual tuitions.

  • Anonymous

    The decisions were made before they walked in the door. Who are you kidding? Old, experienced, expensive……out! Most didn’t stand a chance, no matter what buzz words they used. Our profession has been destroyed. Pitiful and pathetic.

    Turnaround the mayor’s office and the DOE….they are the true frauds and incompetent ones.

  • JohnQ

    Couldn’t agree more.  Someone should FOIL the NYCDOE for their affirmative litigation for the last five years.  I’m sure they’d come up with nothing.

  • RealTalk

    NYCDOE smoked again.  NYSUT/UFT outfox them at every turn.  NYCDOE fail to realize that press conferences, press releases, and meetings are no substitute for progress which aids students.  The NYCDOE has squandered the Bloomberg administration.  The union has successfully run out the clock on you, DOE.  Mulgrew and Adam Ross must laugh themselves to sleep, thinking about their useless counterparts. 

  • Johnd

    Here’s a question that the union will never answer directly…Since the principals are not objective, will you please come up with an accurate objective measure of teacher performance which can be used as soon as possible?

  • cj

    Many Principals were objective when we had a proper ladder of promotion where teachers served for about 10 years teaching then spent several years as Assistant Principals before assuming the role of Principal.  Now as Bloomberg has no clue as to the true respoonsibilities of a Principal (he thinks they are like CEO’s in his corporation), we have people who lack the teaching experience attending some garbage called the Leadership Acaqdemy and they are a Principal.  Of course it doesn’t hurt your career to be a yes man or woman for the Bloomberg garbage and his warped concepts of just what goes into education.

  • Roses

    Sorry, is that your response to a request for an objective measure?

  • Noturningaround

    Why did I get an e-mail saying that my interview is *postponed* and not straight out cancelled?

  • Every now and then…

    As civil servants we sacrifice and serve for the next generation. When will the DoE stop hating their workforce and start supporting. Mulgrew said it best at the PEP in February of 2011 – “.. if the department of education is not going to support teaching and learning then we do not need a department of education”. This disgraceful “turnaround” process is a lesson to all…  never let anyone take your dignity away.

  • Mr. Flerporillo

    Not much to say. Right now there’s no opinion; just an award. But there appear to have been two issues: (1) whether the dispute was arbitrable and (2) the merits of the dispute. Looks like the DOE got its clock cleaned on both. The DOE might conceivably have some chance of success on appeal on the first issue, depending on the details of the arbitration provision that the union claims was the basis of the DOE’s agreement to arbitrate the dispute, but I wouldn’t bet on it. On the merits, the DOE is toast. You can’t overturn an arbitral tribunal’s ruling unless you can show the process was patently unfair, which it almost assuredly wasn’t. Game over, huge loss for Bloomberg.

  • Jjman36

      
    Why is the fact that these schools were operating under Bloomberg’s DOE for almost 12 years completely ignored by the News and the Times? If they are “failing” why doesn’t Bloomberg ever get blamed for his in-effective polices?  In addition it is imperative to discuss the complete chaos caused by the sudden change in re-organization plans of these schools.  Teachers who had stellar reputations, perfect ratings, were beloved by students had to endure the uncertainty, stress and humiliation of re-applying for their own jobs during the school year. Meanwhile they were in the midst of preparing students for state tests! This hurt the children! Why I ask is that never mentioned?  
    Mr. Bloomberg speaks of replacing teachers with better teachers but one has to wonder from where these “new” teachers will appear, out of thin air?  It is clear to anyone who follows Bloomberg’s educational strategy that he only wants to replace experienced teachers with less experienced ones who are cheaper.  In fact hiring cheaper, newer teachers is a centerpiece of his overall strategy which tragically has nothing to do with curriculum or teaching practices in the least. The media needs to hold Bloomberg accountable!  Why is the fact that these schools were operating under Bloomberg’s DOE for almost 12 years completely ignored by the News and the Times? If they are “failing” why doesn’t Bloomberg ever get blamed for his in-effective polices?  In addition it is imperative to discuss the complete chaos caused by the sudden change in re-organization plans of these schools.  Teachers who had stellar reputations, perfect ratings, were beloved by students had to endure the uncertainty, stress and humiliation of re-applying for their own jobs during the school year. Meanwhile they were in the midst of preparing students for state tests! This hurt the children! Why I ask is that never mentioned?  Mr. Bloomberg speaks of replacing teachers with better teachers but one has to wonder from where these “new” teachers will appear, out of thin air?  It is clear to anyone who follows Bloomberg’s educational strategy that he only wants to replace experienced teachers with less experienced ones who are cheaper.  In fact hiring cheaper, newer teachers is a centerpiece of his overall strategy which tragically has nothing to do with curriculum or teaching practices in the least. The media needs to hold Bloomberg accountable!
      
    Why is the fact that these schools were operating under Bloomberg’s DOE for almost 12 years completely ignored by the News and the Times? If they are “failing” why doesn’t Bloomberg ever get blamed for his in-effective polices?  In addition it is imperative to discuss the complete chaos caused by the sudden change in re-organization plans of these schools.  Teachers who had stellar reputations, perfect ratings, were beloved by students had to endure the uncertainty, stress and humiliation of re-applying for their own jobs during the school year. Meanwhile they were in the midst of preparing students for state tests! This hurt the children! Why I ask is that never mentioned?  
    Mr. Bloomberg speaks of replacing teachers with better teachers but one has to wonder from where these “new” teachers will appear, out of thin air?  It is clear to anyone who follows Bloomberg’s educational strategy that he only wants to replace experienced teachers with less experienced ones who are cheaper.  In fact hiring cheaper, newer teachers is a centerpiece of his overall strategy which tragically has nothing to do with curriculum or teaching practices in the least. The media needs to hold Bloomberg accountable!

  • Anonymous

    Why is all mention of Marc Sternberg erased from the comments.  It would seem that Mr. Sternberg should lose his job – no? I mean this is his debacle?  He picked the wrong turn-around strategy according to the Times.  Where’s the accountability now?  

← Older Comments
Newer Comments →

Tips, questions, feedback?

Contact us at .

Word from Our Sponsor

Follow GothamSchools

RSS
Subscribe to the daily email digest:

Chalk It Up

Recent Comments

2 comments so far today
View all comments »

RSS Feeds

Newsroom posts Community posts All GothamSchools content

Archives

May 2013
M T W T F S S
« Apr  
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  

Copyright Notice