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Union tells turnaround teachers how to return to their positions

In the days that followed an arbitrator’s decision to restore teachers’ jobs at so-called turnaround schools, teachers and administrators who were once told not to return received almost no guidance from the city on how to reclaim their positions.

The city is appealing the arbitrator’s decision in court on July 24, arguing that they will not be able to carry out rigorous reform plans for the 24 schools without first replacing many of their teachers. But until then, the staffs of those schools who would have been replaced may reclaim their positions. Yesterday evening, turnaround teachers received the first word on how to do that, in the form of an email from teachers union President Michael Mulgrew.

In June, the city asked every teacher at each of the turnaround schools to reapply for their jobs and sit for interviews with a hiring committee under a contractual process called 18-D. State education officials said the city would have to use 18-D if it hoped to hit a federal quota for replacing the teachers (50 percent) and be eligible for millions of dollars in federal School Improvement Grants. The teachers union sued the city to have these plans reversed, and won.

Since then, the city has seemingly balked at complying with the arbitrator’s ruling. In the days that followed it, teachers said they were confused by the outcome, and administrators who led the turnaround schools until June 30 said they were still being asked to report to new assignments.

Despite these complaints, yesterday city officials repeated their promise to comply with the ruling—for now.

“At the moment, we have to assume they will come back, but if we were to win—which we fully expect and certainly for the benefit of our students pray that we do—then we have to make some adjustments ,which will be painful and difficult,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said during a press conference about the state test results. “With god as my witness, I will not walk away from those kids.”

(UPDATE: City officials emailed letters to teachers this afternoon. A copy of one letter provided to GothamSchools by a teacher is below.)

In his email, Mulgrew tells teachers they have “stood strong” for their schools, and encourages them to continue to do so as they await the appeal decision.

“The DOE has attempted to sow confusion about the future of these schools, but the options are all yours: to remain in your school or to transfer. It’s up to you,” Mulgrew wrote.

Teachers who were not asked to return to their schools should receive one of two letters from the city this week, the email said.

One letter, for teachers who applied to transfer to another school, will direct those teachers to an online survey, where they can tell officials of their plans to either continue their transfer or to return to their original school. The transfer is binding, Mulgrew wrote, and the city will consider an incomplete survey a confirmation that the teacher plans to transfer.

A second letter should go to teachers who were not asked to return to their school, but did not apply for another job, instructing them that “you do not have to do anything,” to reclaim their jobs.

A summer school teacher at Herbert H. Lehman High School, one of the turnaround schools, said teachers and administrators are still confused over their roles in the school, and unsure what hiring decisions, if any, must be made before fall. Candidates for a “lead teacher” position in English with a $10,000 salary bonus gave demo lessons today, the teacher said.

“I was under the impression that since we were no longer a turnaround school, those positions would not exist,” the teacher said. “The administration is almost acting like the arbitration decision never happened.”

The teacher also said assistant principals and other administrators have begun interview teachers from outside the school for positions in the fall.

“It makes sense that they need new teachers since many are transferring, but if we all have the right to return, they have no official idea if there are any openings yet.”

The full email:

Dear colleagues,

As you are aware, arbitrator Scott Buchheit on June 29 decided, in our favor, that the Department of Education violated our contract when it decided to excess all of the staff at the 24 PLA schools and make them reapply for their positions. Then, on July 10, we succeeded in stopping the DOE from securing a Temporary Restraining Order to prevent the implementation of his decision.

The Department of Education continues to try to get the court to overturn the arbitrator’s decision. We are due back in court on July 24. However, the DOE is in the meantime required to implement the remedy set forth in the decision. We have met with the DOE to discuss their plans and to make sure that the process for adequately staffing these schools in the fall complies with the arbitrator’s order.

All UFT members in the 24 PLA schools will soon receive one of two letters from the DOE. Those of you who have applied to transfer to another school will receive one letter; those who have not will receive a different letter.

Letter #1: If you have a pending transfer to another school, you should inform the DOE whether you still intend to transfer by completing the online survey linked to in the letter you will receive. Keep in mind that a decision to transfer is binding and that if you fail to complete the survey, your transfer will be confirmed.

Letter #2: If you do NOT have a pending transfer to another school, but you are thinking about resigning, retiring, or going on a leave, you can complete the DOE survey linked to in the letter you will receive. Completion of the survey is not binding and is for informational purposes only. If you are returning to the school to which you were assigned in school year 2011-2012 (or the school that replaces it), you do not have to do anything. You may still transfer through the Open Market regardless of whether or how you complete the survey.

From day one, we said that the DOE was wrong and that we were going to fight them on their misinterpretation of articles 17 and 18D of our contract. The DOE has attempted to sow confusion about the future of these schools, but the options are all yours: to remain in your school or to transfer. It’s up to you.

Despite all of the obstacles the Department of Education has thrown in your way this past year, you have stood strong for your students, your schools and your profession. Our focus now turns to doing everything we can to make sure that your schools have a good opening in the fall.

Sincerely,

Michael Mulgrew

The city’s email:

 Dear Colleague,
As you are likely aware, pursuant to a stipulation between the United Federation of Teachers and the NYC Department of Education and a subsequent arbitrator’s decision covering the 24 PLA schools, you have a right to be assigned to your School Year 2011-12 school (or the school that has been intended to replace it) for the 2012-13 school year.*
According to our records, you have a pending transfer to a different school for next school year.  It is essential that you confirm as quickly as possible whether you still wish to transfer or remain at your SY2011-12 school (or the school that has been intended to replace it) for the 2012-13 school year.  To communicate your decision, use this link to an on-line survey:

[Link removed]

Please be advised, a decision to transfer is binding and you will NOT be able to return to your SY2011-12 school (or the school that has been intended to replace it) for the 2012-13 school year.
Please complete this survey by Friday, July 27, 2012.  Failure to respond will result in your transfer being effectuated. You will be able to print a confirmation page from the survey for your own records.
If you have any questions, technical difficulties, or are not able to complete this survey on-line, please call HR Connect at 718-935-4000. (Do not reply to this email.)  Note that you may be receiving duplicate copies of this letter via email and regular mail; you should only respond to the survey once.
Thank you,
Division of Human Resources & Talent
*Reminder: This decision does not preclude any other actions permitted under the contract such as your right to obtain a transfer through the Open Market.  Also note that the staffing of the school is still the subject of legal proceedings and may change based on the outcome in that litigation.

  • A Brooklyn Turnaround Victim

    Got to love the Mayor’s quote…..is he kidding? This has never been about the students and anyone who believes it does is foolish….Glad I got the email but there are still a lot of unanswered questions that are not being addressed……what Federal Model will the schools be considered under, assuming that the judge sides with us? Do our names change?  Without the SIG funds, what happens?

  • Jcnjteacher

    Why are these positions still listed in the Open Market? No wonder everyone is confused.

  • Jcnjteacher

    Why are these positions still listed in the Open Market? No wonder everyone is confused.

  • guest

    …and the Division of Human Resources & Talent has the nerve to refer to the teachers they did everything to destroy as colleagues.  How sick.

  • East Sider

    Will the City continue to provide additional funding to the schools? Will the principals be restricted to current employees or can they still fill a percent of vacancies from teachers new to the system? Can principals reshuffle their budgets at this point and excess teachers at this point?  Is the August 7 Open Market closing date firm? If the City goes the school closing route what are the time frames?

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

    My Summer Mantra – “No plan B (Still Can’t Believe It)”  

    I must remember to teach my kids to always have a Plan B, just in case Plan A doesn’t work out…it’s unlikely they will learn that lesson in school.

  • Michael Fiorillo

    Mary,

    Plan B is identical to plan A: lie, avoid following the law, disrupt, destabilize and continue attacking.

  • guest

    According to the NY Post, the Principal of Flushing High School was busted last night a block from the school.  Be that as it may, and I won’t prejudge the case and I’ll even leave an out that it might not be THE Principal (maybe an AP or other administrator) and I won’t mention the name is 33 years old.  There is nobody, repeat nobody, who is capable of being the Principal of a large High School the size of Glushing High School at age 33 making dec isions on getting rid of teachers.  If it’s a true story, it’s is absolutely an indication of how those running this system don’t have a clue.

  • Thanks Mike!

    This is a disaster!! As a turnaround teacher this is so embarrassing. If you’re child goes to one of these schools, what are you thinking? You’re child has been part of Bloomberg’s Union Destruction Experiment. If you’re a Junior at a turnaround school, most likely you’ve been a part of the Transformation model, Restart Model, and now Failed Turnaround model. Next year will be model four! Nice job Mike! You’ve basically made it impossible for any teacher to to be successful in these schools. So many good teachers have ran from these buildings leaving inexperienced or weak teachers at these schools. Decent schools have been able to poach these turnaround staffs. Bloomberg claims, “He will not walk away from these kids.”  What he means to say is, “Don’t worry kids, I’ll make the life of your favorite teachers and administrators so miserable, that there will be no incentive for them to stay. We’ll get the moral so low that enrollment drops, space opens and my charter school buddies will have space to open up in your historic building.” 

  • Jjman36

    Division of Human Resources & Talent?
    Ironic name of a department within an orgainzation at Tweed so devoid of any acutal talent in implmenting educational policy.

  • Guest

    What is the process for CSA personnel?  Our union has been silent.

  • Jjman36

    I so agree! TIME =Things I Must Earn!  Day one of any new administration in NYC:
     
    1.       Close the principal’s academy.
    2.       Either move out of Tweed or have the building renamed
    3.       Go back to called the DOE the BOE
    4.       Eliminate all positions that use terms like portfolio, talent etc..
    5.       Stop all school closings and phase-outs and instead actually help schools!
    6.       Enact a rule that you must teach for 10 years before becoming a principal
    7.       Appoint a Chancellor that actually has class-room experience (You see Ray Kelly actually defending police officers while Klein and Walcott attack us on a daily basis)
    8.       Stop putting charter schools in building where other schools exist and help the existing schools

    I could go on and on!
     

  • Mr. Flerporillo

    The Internet tells me that NYC hasn’t had a Chancellor with substantial (if any) public school teaching experience since Ramon Cortines, in the mid-1990s.  And before that, Richard Green, in the late 1980s. Interesting. 

  • guest

    …but we had that illustrious Cathie Black!

  • Manhattan70

    I have no friggin’ idea what is going on…..

  • burned

    I don’t think there are any models, because there’s no DOE UFT agreement on a new teacher evaluation.  Our principal told us DOE now designates us FKATT: “formerly known as Transformation/Turnaround.” ) I guess the former Restart schools are “FKART.”) 

  • Bdiddy

    vote republican they are for the little people

  • Newtown student

    After criticizing Mayor Bloomberg mercilessly for several months, his quotes in the article (“With god as my witness, I will not walk away from those kids”, “…if we were to win—which we fully expect and…pray that we do”) have moved me to apologize. Indeed, I was mistaken in thinking the mayor was being so malicious and greedy, and now I beg him for forgiveness.

    Of course! Causing absolute chaos in the school system and destabilizing the lives of thousands was part of God’s will! Who could have possibly known? This should make us all feel better now, shouldn’t it?

    Surely, who are we to question Mayor Bloomberg – when it’s obvious that his infinite wisdom in meting out deliberate disruption comes from above?

  • Human

    Okay, so it seems like many people are on the side of the Union and are all for protecting teachers’ jobs, but wasn’t the whole point of the turnaround to improve schools by getting rid of ineffective teachers?

    Is nobody on the side of the students? Our primary concern should be the students.

    By reversing the turnaround, we’re not doing anything to help the students. We have thousands of young, motivated teachers trying to find jobs while we’re protecting the veteran teachers, many of which are probably causing these schools to underperform.

    What happens to teachers who were just hired to replace the old teachers and were then left hanging when the arbitrator reversed the turnaround?

  • East Sider

    Senior and ineffective are not the same … I have the opportunity to view many teachers – the vast majority range from C- to C+ with the ocassional star and the ocassioanal dud. New teachers may be highly motivated, remember half of them leave within three years … as the dust settles over the next week schools will determine staffing needs … BTW, ineffective teachers, regardless of seniority should be discharged, it is not impossible, it just requres a princiapal to do their job.

  • Invictus

     The young and foolish should have thought about the hiring roulette that would have taken place BEFORE going through the motions.  I am sorry but if there is such a thing as Karma, I do not know what is. 

    To make things more clear, remember that ultimately the young were looking for lasting a couple of years in the job as a stepping stone for other ventures but those people who are part of these schools are people who have put their heart and soul in the profession.  I say they should take this as a learning lesson about what is just and fair. 

  • Human

    You think all young teachers trying to get jobs are just looking to use it as a stepping stone? I’m sure that is not the case. 

    Those people “who have put their heart and soul in the profession” were in the same position as these young teachers who are trying to start their career.

  • Invictus

    If there is any consolation, there will be plenty of jobs for the young and inexperienced to make their marks in NYC public schools just not in these 24.  

    If I were such a candidate, I would think twice in starting out in such school, as the turnaround model or any sort of improvement model relies more in smoke and mirrors rather than what the school can ‘honestly’ do to move forward and when the pressure comes in making the numbers look good, the new powers that be will demand students who are not even showing up to school to be passed or the teacher in question will be passed along to the exit door.  That is the reality in many of these pressure pots.  

  • Newtown student

    Human, this thing is not that simple.

    I can tell you from being a current student in the system that this turnaround thing had nothing to do with the students AT ALL. From the very beginning, the turnaround thing was being done ONLY because the union and the city had a falling out in the beginning of the year over teacher evaluations; the schools were already under separate plans that were only beginning to be implemented in full force (http://gothamschools.org/2012/01/12/bloombergs-turnaround-switch-would-cause-33-school-closures/). Because of the timing of the change, we were never able to see what effects the process would carry out without interference.

    As if that wasn’t bad enough, the mayor stubbornly plowed ahead with the turnaround plans even when an agreement was reached that would make it possible to get the SIG money under other plans (http://gothamschools.org/2012/02/16/bloomberg-evaluations-progress-wont-stop-turnaround-plans/). This whole thing brings up a question: if it was so urgent to get out ineffective teachers, then why did he surprise us with this plan in the middle of the year?

    Nobody asked for this; we students are just trying to live our lives, and while I can’t speak for all students involved throughout the 24 schools, I know I speak for a sizable majority when I say that this whole process that the mayor started has only made it that much harder for us. We’ve raised up our voices all around the city in an affirmative “NO!”, as shown by these articles:
    *http://gothamschools.org/2012/04/18/pep-rally-tone-but-many-worries-at-queens-turnaround-hearings/ (includes the hearing at Newtown)
    *http://gothamschools.org/2012/04/03/in-many-tongues-newtown-students-attempt-to-save-their-school/
    *http://gothamschools.org/2012/02/15/grover-cleveland-students-join-fray-protesting-turnaround-plans/
    *http://gothamschools.org/2012/03/28/as-hearing-nears-sheepshead-students-indict-turnaround-plan/
    and countless other articles here on Gotham Schools and around the internet.

    The only thing the turnaround plans have produced in the schools is confusion and disruption of daily life, because we have no idea what will happen in the new year, which teachers will stay, which ones will go, whether the programs we attend will exist next year, exact details of changes, etc. It has produced instability the likes of which I’ve never seen before, and has bred a general dislike of the Mayor amongst the various student bodies.

    Bottom line: the turnaround process has done the exact opposite of what the Mayor said it was supposed to do, and we’re sick of it. At this point, most of us know that the city is not on our side, and is executing this plan for its own reasons, and at this point most of us share a common interest with the rank and file teachers in the schools to have change done in a way that doesn’t throw everything into chaos (which has been the case from the beginning with this turnaround plan). Indeed, the focus should be the students, but it certainly isn’t as far as the city is concerned.

  • guest

    Spoken just like Michael Bloomberg.  Look, they held many 18D interviews and what became obvious is they were axing a disproportionate number of senior teachers who in many cases, we are told, were among the best teachers in the school.

    There are procedures for getting rid of ineffective teachers; yes it can be a bit difficult but then again one has to be sure if one is to be deprived of their jobs.  All along that’s what the union has been asking for namely a rationale procedure with a fair appeals mechanism.  Bloomberg refuses to move on this.

    Remember most of the 24 schools are high schools where you don’t even have the simplistic idea of the reading and math ests because many many high school teachers do not teah a course ending in a Regents exam.  IOn many cases, these 24 schools were once very effective schools so was itr the teachers who changed?  It was Bloomberg who used these schools as dumping grounds when his pride and joy, the new small schools, wouldn’t touch these students.  Remember what Yogi Berra once said.  When asked what makes a good manager, he answered, “Good players.”  What makes good teachers?  Good students, not necessarily academically speaking but at least polite and willing to learn.

    Finally, while it is too strong a word.  Many of the new teachers who rushed in to apply for the jobs Bloomberg illegallyt tried to take away from veteran teachers are acting just like scabs.  No I don’t want to see them get hurt and if jobs open up by fair means, I wish them well.  But not at the expernse of a teacher illegally bounced from his school by some 34 year old Principal who doesn’t know you know what from you know what.

  • guest

    Aren’t you late for your E4E mixer?

  • guest

    Human – Most of the young teachers are not going to have the choice of making teaching a career.  They will either be denied tenure for specious reasons or those who do survive to get it will be found to be “ineffective” just before they qualify for a pension. Invictus is referring to folks who come in as 5 week wonders thinking they are not the equal but superior to veteran educators who have paid their dues.  They are scabs, and are unwittingly making it more difficult to achieve a career in teaching for themselves and those who come after.  They will get theirs if their puppet masters succeed in destroying the union – there will be no one to protect them from the arbitrary and capricious actions of an unqualified and disinterested Administration, and Tier 6 will look like a Wall St. Golden Parachute. 

  • A Brooklyn Turnaround Victim

    define an ineffective teacher Human….because teachers with experience,with years in are usually VERY EFFECTIVE…..it’s not the veteran teachers that caused theses schools, including my own to have issues. It was the Mayor and the Chancellor who LET THESE SCHOOLS DOWN!  The interview process had nothing to do with finding out who would be good for the schools…you had to know the buzzwords and the lingo and you had to be young to be considered.
    The teachers who they did hire….let them find jobs in schools that actually have open positions.
    By the way…..young and motivated does not equate qualified and talented.

  • Anx

    What happens to teachers who had mortgages and children and were told to find another job and just go away and lets replace them with the younger less experienced tfa teachers.Many of these people paid union dues for years and did what they were told and were tossed out to be replaced with with younger people who in this economic environment decided to teach because there were no other jobs.
    Human your being used by a mayor who doesn’t have one human characteristic. He has taken the contract and made believe it doesn’t exist to get his way.You are caught up in the illegal things he did.In a way I feel sorry for you and in other ways I think you have a lot of growing to do.
    Just because you graduated from a great college doesn’t mean you know the ways of the world. 
    Human 
    You need to know that you really have no idea about the teaching profession.You wouldn’t know an effective teacher if you tripped over them.Teachers don’t cause schools to underperform, students cause the schools to underperform. You had been brainwashed into believing the tfa and e4e kaka. I have seen so many young people come into the profession with big ideas and wash out very quickly. 
    Experience Counts
    Read some of the articles about tfa.
    After three years most have washed out and left the profession

  • Keepitsimple

    Human,  your comments mirror much of the public’s sentiment who have not spent one day inside a city school.  Im not talking about specialized schools or grammar schools where most of time most everything seems fine and dandy.  Here comes the cliche:  Do you honestly think the fault lies with teachers?  Are you that ignorant?  Do you believe that the majority of students who struggle are actually studying, doing homework, come to class and put their best effort forward?  If you do – well, I’ll keep it simple – you have have not one clue. 

  • Gsnide1881

    JJ — You sound like one of those carreer educators.  You know, the ones that Tweed and Bloomie want to get rid of.  Your points are on point.  Well stated!

  • abeck

    I was offered a job at a turn around school as a guidance counselor, and I accepted the job.  However, with the decision I don’t have a job anymore.  What are my options?  What can I do?  I don’t think it is right that I was offered a job, but b/c the UFT won the case, I get pushed aside and forgotten about.

    Why offer me the job in the first place then?

  • Pjg320

    Dollars come, dollars go … if the job was withdrawn you return to your previous position … if you were not a DoE employee you must continue to apply through Open Market.

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