Why offer me the job in the first place then?

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.

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.

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.  

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.

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. 

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?

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?