Staten Island ATR meeting another sham and a fraud and a phony facade

A teacher named Sue filed this report about the UFT meeting for ATR teachers that was held on Staten Island on Wednesday, October 5.

Unwashed masses attempt to flee Staten Island.

There was no crowd. Only a handful of mainly elementary school teachers. There were only two high school teachers. Everyone seemed frustrated and angry. Emil Pietromonico and Amy Arundell were the storytellers.

Ms. Arundell began her propaganda spiel and became very agitated if anyone interrupted her speech to, God forbid, ask a question. We were told to write down our questions and to save them for the "question and answer" section of the night. 

Anyway, here is a summary of what she said:

1) ATRs will be moved around weekly so that the principals do not get a "free ride" using the ATR in a vacancy and allowing central to pay for the teacher.

2) Per-diem subs will no longer be allowed to cover vacancy positions. ATRs within that license will get an "audition."  However, principals are not obligated to hire the ATR.

3) High school teachers are basically screwed because their districts are so broad and they can be sent anywhere within a district.  Ms. Arundell said the placements are computerized and can NOT be changed.  No talk about the union fighting to keep high school teachers closer to home. "Too bad" was the answer when I spoke of my dilemma. When I told them that I was sent from the south side of Staten Island to the farthest school in the district they really couldn't care less. I have to go and that's that. 

4) More tales were spun. And then she started the speech about how the union fought hard to keep us. Bloomberg wanted to get rid of us. Blah Blah Blah.  One man agreed with her as he said "100%,  the union saved our jobs and are doing the best for us." I think he was planted in the room by the UFT.  Others started to agree with him and I felt the lukewarm coffee I had been served try to make its way onto the floor.

Finally, the unwashed were allowed to speak. When I asked why the DOE allowed the hiring freeze to be lifted over the summer she spewed something about more vacancies in the license areas than there were teachers. When I prodded her about why there were still ATRs in these license areas she had--surprise--no answer!

My findings:

THE UFT is doing nothing to help us and if we do not fight for our rights we are SCREWED!

An ATR Speaks Out at May 5 Rally

This one needs no comment, just a note that it includes a quote from a teacher who attended one of the UFT rallies on May 5.

On Staten Island, a large crowd assembled outside Staten Island Borough Hall in a spirited rally that highlighted the plight of teachers serving in the Absent Teacher Reserve.

Dan Singleton, an ATR working at PS 22 who lost his teaching position at PS 57, skewered the New York Post and the other city tabloids for maligning ATRs.

“I didn’t even know what an ATR was until I became one when my school lost 12 teachers,” Singleton said. “The newspapers are painting a false picture of who we are. I teach fifth grade every single day. I have 25 kids every single day.  I am under the same pressures that other teachers are under every single day.”

Staten Island Borough President Emil Pietromonaco noted that three-quarters of the ATRs in Staten Island are working in full-time teaching positions.

Click here to see the full article.