......was posted by Jeff Kaufman on the ICE blog.
It lays out the basic seniority issues very well from the teacher rights point of view.
We should not view the issue solely from the perspective of teacher rights.
Joel Klein makes the argument that a school system should not be about job protection but about teaching and learning. Sounds noble if you don't know the real deal. Weingarten goes along with these beliefs as evidenced from her actions in relation to seniority protections and by info from the inside that she talks more about getting rid of bad teachers than about being worried about protections.
There's a case to be made (NEVER by the UFT, of course) that seniority rules create stability and school cultures that overcome the instances of the bad teacher being protected (I still think there are as many poor teachers, if not more, since BloomKlein and many people loyal to the principal will be protected no matter how bad they are.)
Stable schools include experienced people, many of whom share their knowledge and do the real training of newbies. Kids have long-standing relationships with teachers in these schools. The assault on seniority had done as much damage, if not more, to the educational institutions as it has to the traditional perspective of job protection.
3 comments:
This is not meant as "blowing my own horn" so to speak- but meant more as to make a point about stability and school culture. I have students who graduated 7, 8, or 9 years ago who still come and visit me. I've been invited to their sweet 16 parties, high school graduations, and have had promises of invitations to their weddings. When they visit, they ask sadly about teachers who no longer work in the school.
Back in the day, it wasn't unusual for teachers to spend their entire careers in one school. What was wrong with that? I'm not saying that there shouldn't be a mix of seasoned veterans and young teachers in the school system- all teachers can and should learn from each other- but to create a teaching force composed of newbies with no true dedication to the profession and to children is unconscionable.
My school was very stable, with many people spending their careers there. And it was on Bushwick ave surrounded by projects with some private homes built in the 90's.
We were well known in the neighborhood -- and became sort of local stars. We had children of children and after years many of us dveloped positive reps that really helped us deal with all kinds of situations, even conflicts where people in the neighborhood gave you leeway due to your rep.
The Lead acad person there for the past 3 years has decimated the staff and culture and if anyone ever did an honest study they would find the kids and community have suffered greatly for it. Her replacements are already leaving.
Seriously, does ICE even serve a real purpose other than to drive a wedge within our union? Has ICE ever accomplished anything worthy of mention? And no, a sham presidential candidate in the last election, shoddy quality YouTube films, and heckling during the Delegate Assembly doesn't count.
-Son Of Unity, the next generation
I'll be back!
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