"Thank a retired teacher, an ATR or a Rubber Room Denizen campaign."updated Thurs, 7:30 am
The much heralded "Thank a Teacher Campaign" announced today in a joint statement by Joel Klein and Randi Weingarten had a secret component, rooted out by the crack investigative reporters at Ed Notes Online (seen in the picture above on Monday night outside Tweed.)
A member from each Rubber Room will be chosen by lottery to be given a chair to sit on as a thank-you for being there for the DOE to be able to use scapegoated teachers to deflect criticism of BloomKlein's policies. Randi Weingarten went along, saying "I wasn't happy with this part of the plan since a hundred people still have to stand all day, but at least one person gets to sit. It is a start and we're hoping this collaboration will lead to another chair in each rubber room by next year."
Both Klein and Weingarten aides will write anonymous letters thanking a retiree for leaving their higher salaried job for a newcomer so the the DOE can hire 2 for the price of one.
ATR's who swear a blood oath to leave the system immediately will be nominated for a raffle to receive a free cell phone programmed with one number on it - the DOE sub hiring office. "Why pay them full salaries when we can get them as subs for no more than $150 a day," said a spokesman in the Tweed PR department? "But will teachers work for such a small amount when they could just stay on for over double that salary," an Ed Notes reporter asked? "Ve, er - we have our methods," she said. "Besides, we know incentives work."
The agreement was hammered out as Weingarten and Klein held a secret meeting in the dark recesses outside the Tweed Courthouse under a rain-soaked umbrella in the short time
between the end of Monday's UFT candlelight vigil and the beginning of Klein's PEP meeting.Joel Klein and Randi Weingarten working out the secret agreement on Monday
Chancellor Klein said. “I’ve said many times that I owe a great deal to my physics teacher at Bryant High School in Queens, who encouraged me not to set any limits when I thought about my future." The young Klein, was told, "Don't be crazy and become a teacher. Don't you know we make shit and have lousy working conditions? You don't want to have to do idiotic bulletin boards. " Instead he urged Klein to skip the drudge stuff of teaching and aim straight for Chancellor of the schools. "Remember, Sonny. NEVER BE TEMPTED TO TEACH, NO MATTER WHAT."
Weingarten, when asked to name her favorite teachers, did her usual straddling the fence wide stance and said all her teachers inspired her to aim high and do the minimal amount of teaching necessary to become head of the largest local in the world. "6 months full time ought to be enough," said Ms. Dumbledee, her 1st grade teacher. "But always make sure to tell people it was 6 years. If you say it often enough, it becomes true. NEVER FORGET: GOOD PR IS WORTH MORE THAN KNOWLEDGE."
Note: The actual DOE press release is at Norms Notes.
So while schools are threatened with closing and their teachers displaced into permanent Sub-dom, the rubber rooms filled to bursting with teachers not informed of the charges against them, and former prosecutors hired to go after others, our union president participates in this hypocritical PR stunt.
ReplyDeleteThe symbolism of Monday evening's non-event at Tweed - isn't a candlelight vigil better suited to a memorial service? a memorial service for seniority and tenure? - followed by the Chancellor's patronizing and dishonest leeter to UFT members, and now this photo op - shows that Randi's sole function, aside from her own political advancement, is to manage the downwardly mobile expectations of the membership and their occasional discontent.
Shame. Shame and disgrace on all of them.
RE: "NICOLO" KLEIN, ESQ.
ReplyDeleteWith all the buzz buzzing around about how people can trace their "roots" via DNA research, Joel has lucked out once again.
The first time was when he managed to have the Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg pressure the Commissioner of Education to
grant Klein a Special Waiver to become Schools Chancellor although he possessed not a single credential to be appointed to such a post.
Now, this week, once again, Mr. Klein has had a second run of luck.
He will not have to spend even a dime to trace his roots, because his actions the day of the Candlelight Vigil give the game away.
Clearly he is distantly related to the Renaissance inventor of "The Spin" as well as "Master of Manipulating People and Events", the one and only famous Nicolo Machiavelli.
Having learned from one of his stooges, that posted on Craigslist there was a preview of a proposed Candlelight Vigil speech titled
"Flickering Flames, Burning Words" that was not particularly flattering of the counterfeit Education expert Chancellor,
"Nicolo Jr." sprang into action.
Not knowing if that speech would be allowed to be delivered, just 5 hours before the Vigil was scheduled to commence, "Nicolo" Klein put out a crudely fashioned propoganda piece to prove how much he appreciated all the hard work teachers do for New York City's over one million children.
Would the original Nicolo Machiavelli have given "Nicolo Jr."
a letter grade of A, B or C for his
rapid response to what could have turned out to be an embarrassing
evening.
Well, we suppose Klein will just have to wait till he meets up with his illustrious and notorious Machiavellian ancestor in Hell to learn the answer to that one.
The irony of the situation is that the speech Mr. Klein likely did not want to hear from his office window inside Boss Tweed's old haunt, ended up on the cutting room floor. Apparently it was considered too incendiary to be delivered at a Candlelight Vigil.
Does that sound like a possible contradiction in terms? Let's ask Mr. Klein, Esq. After all, is he not an Education expert?
Guys, come on, you are making me laugh, and you know that is strictly prohibited!! Oh no , the goon squad is here to take me away!
ReplyDelete