Closing the some schools or taking a massive infusion of schools on a field trip for tomorrow's March 4 rally day has been a theme of mine since Eva announced she was closing schools and forcing the teachers - at our expense - to go up to Albany. You see, the argument that private money is covering the costs is specious. They may pay for the buses and other incidentals. But the teacher salaries are paid by us and this is theft of service.
Now if only someone - like the UFT - had the balls to sue them on those grounds.
NYSUT LETTER ON SUCCESS RALLY—Capital’s Jessica Bakeman: “In a letter to state leaders, New York State United Teachers questioned Success Academy's plan to close its 32 schools on Wednesday, when students, parents and advocates will instead attend a rally in Albany. ‘If schools boards and superintendents in the state's nearly 700 school districts also wish to close en masse for a day and transport thousands of their students, parents and staff to Albany to lobby for additional state funding, would that be permissible?’ the union wrote in the letter to Cuomo, Board of Regents chancellor Merryl Tisch and acting education commissioner Elizabeth Berlin.” http://bit.ly/1F3i92M
—Later, education department spokesman Dennis Tompkins responded: “State law requires schools, including charter schools, to be in session for not less than 180 days a year,” he said in a statement. “As long as that requirement is met, local school officials, including both those in school districts and charter schools, have discretion to determine the days in which schools are in session.”
And then there is this from Perdido:
NYC schools could close and would have to close schools if teachers wanted to attend the rally. Why? Becuase chancellors regulations FORBID participating in any political function on school time. Thus, we would never be able to send thousands of kids to Albany becuase it would have to be on a day that schools are closed. Who would be willing to pay for thousands of district school kids to attend a rally on a closed school day? Then there are teachers. I would say that the majority of teachers in NYC would not want to take their "day off" to travel to Albany when they could spend the day with their family insted. In fact, I think it is unfair that UFTchapter reps get to attend this rally and regular teachers do not. What makes UFT chapter reps special? They are teachers and they are attending on public school time. This smacks of conflict of interest and seems like it is a violation of chancelors regulation. (Please note, I am not a charter school slug but I am just playing devils advocate here)
ReplyDeleteIf they wanted they could call it a civic lesson on how Albany works but they would make a point in just doing that. Let the charter lobby and the press scream bloody murder.
DeleteAnd do you REALLY want to get on a crappy bus at 7AM and not come back till 7PM so you can "lobby" your own rep? And listen to Mulgrew? But you do get that rubber chicken lunch and an apple in a bag for the trip home.