Who woulda thunk that a letter in the New York Daily News "Voice of the People" section would explain why I haven't been able to find a regular teaching position for the last three years. Here it is:
Briarwood: Schools used to get more money from the city when they employed senior teachers because schools were funded based on employees' average salaries. Then Mayor Bloomberg changed the policy and senior teachers became a financial liability. No senior teacher, no matter how talented, would be hired by a principal who had a choice between one expensive veteran and two cheap rookies. This is the real reason many excessed teachers can't find jobs, though principals are more than happy to let them sub, clearly trusting them to teach.
Renee Silverstein
And notice how the savvy Ms. Silverstein even knows how members of the Absent Teacher Reserve pass their time: they teach!
Renee...
ReplyDeleteThanks. Sadly, very few people are making your argument...not even our union. I went to an ATR meeting recently, and guess what...we are all gray haired and approaching retirement! Ive been an ATR for two years and have taught within my license at all times! What's up Mayor Mike?
MMP
Bill
I wish that money were the driving force behind the behavior of principals and their bosses.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't. The destruction of education, of the ability of the citizenry to reason, read, write, spell, think, debate, count, RESIST, ORGANIZE and the like is the driving force here.
It's easy to impose a particularly cruel and destructive dictatorship when everyone is illiterate, stunted and narcotized.
This program has been picking up steam for many years now.