Can you imagine trying to get to work, by public transportation, from Brooklyn's Cobble Hill to Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School in Staten Island? The DOE must think it's easy, because that's what they asked ATR Philip Nobile to do this week, his second trek to S.I in three weeks. For example, McCown is 19.65 miles and 2 hours and 5 minutes via public transportation from his street in Cobble Hill. And the starting time is 7:45 A.M. Nobile got so frustrated that he wrote the following letter to the UFT's Michael Mulgrew (President), Michael Mendel (Secretary), LeRoy Barr (Staff Director), Howard Schoor (Brooklyn Borough Representative), Thomas Bennett (Basis HS representative), and Amy Arundel (Special Representative).
Dear Colleagues:
Something must be done about sending ATRs in Brooklyn District 76 to high schools in the the far reaches of Staten Island.
 |
| Cobble Hill, Brooklyn |
For example, Tottenville H. S. is 19.3 miles and 2 hours and 8 minutes via public transportation from my street in Cobble Hill. It's farther and longer for others. Four-hour commutes amount to cruel and unusual reassignment.
| Tottenville, HS, Staten Island |
Granted the vast unpopularity of the DOE's algorithm that turns teachers into perpetual motion machines, the UFT could do a good deed for the least of its brethren by contacting the DOE asap to negotiate an end to unconscionable treks to Staten Island. Can we count on you?
Thanks for your consideration,
Philip
Photo credits:
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/04/23/realestate/23livi.600.jpg
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I'm with you. I thought it was a good thing to use the city's public transportation system to get to work. But I live in Manhattan and I work in Queens and there are going to be many many schools that will be impossible for me to get to via public transportation. I called the Help Center once to ask if I could be placed in Manhattan and I was given a flat out no way - no how -figure it out - on your own response. So when the time comes that I get placed in the far reaches of Queens I will get there when I get there. Why am I going to rush in to be treated as less than a sub. I hope your blog wakes people up to the extreme difficulties that many of us will have as we tour the boroughs of NYC.
ReplyDeleteI am a Staten Islander and have been sent to schools in Cobble Hill and Williamsburg Brooklyn. The UFT told me it is in District 76..too bad! I would love to be at Tottenville!
ReplyDeleteHow about us Staten Islanders who have to travel to unknown neighborhoods in Brooklyn! District 76 is toooo big and we should be placed by geographical region like the middle and elementary school teachers! It is a shame what is being done to us!
ReplyDeletePS they don't care! The DOE wants us to quit! The UFT must fight!
ReplyDeleteIt's called institutional sadism. Apparently, there's an app for that.
ReplyDeleteYou guys complain about being ATRs while 25% of HS grads can't do college work. 4th & 8th grade scores have stagnated under Bloomberg/Klein. 7,000 classrooms are overcrowded. Schools are being closed. When two 12 year olds threw a shopping cart off a bridge this week almost killing a passerby at Target, we blame you. School is not all math and reading test prep. Do you teach any social skills? Can you discipline a child to not disrespect you? Do they get sports as an outlet? Music? Art? Yes some do but not most. You pay $8million per month to the UFT to provide benefits. What more can you expect? Policy is set by politicians who are owned by the folks and corporations with the most money and can offer the best jobs after life at the DoE and UFT. For ex: Joe Klein
ReplyDeleteTo the person who wrote the last post, for what purpose did you refer to the tragic occurrence as our fault? I do not understand your point. It is now our fault as well for the poor behavior of those kids. I guess it is our fault for everything. That's what an ATR is for, to blame all the wrongs in the DOE on us. Yeah that's a good one.
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