Here I am with 15 years experience as a teacher and I go into schools with many new, inexperienced teachers who treat me as "just the sub" - no respect or recognition that I was an excellent teacher and have so much to offer these teachers. Why don't they put me in as a co-teacher to work with them? .... Paraphrasing an ATR at the Nov. 19 meeting.
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| How many ATRs want this? |
I reported on Saturday's invigorating ATR event:
Chaz Delivers Outstanding Presentation for 40 ATRs Who Turned Out for Info Session
I know that we can't make blanket statements about all ATRs and the problem with the DOE and the UFT is that they view them as the same. Maybe ATRs who feel they have certain skills get to state them -- like my pal Peter Zucker has tried to do when he goes into schools with no functioning tech programs.Another take away from the meeting were the number of people who were misplaced and called Amy or Mike and got things resolved. Now a comment on my last post castigated Amy and Mike for not advocating for an ATR chapter.
My responses:
A
few people at the meeting seemed to have given up on asking the uft do
help when. Rules weren't followed. Chaz and others pointed out that they
do respond and fix stuff. That was the praise I guess. I mean they
should do that but some atrs are so angry or dispirited they never ask.
Also discussed was that some atrs give a bad impression and ruin it for
others.
I
also think we need to understand that people in the uft are not free
agents. Amy might be fine with a chapter. She couldn't say that openly
as long as mulgrew is not for it. His concern is bringing in hostile
forces to the Del ass. Since atrs would get a batch of delegates. They
don't want a vocal rogue chapter. The best we can hope to do is form a
shadow Atr chapter but the major issue is that few atrs are willing to
stand up in public.
If there is another meeting - which would be in mid-late January - I would see if people would want to form a shadow chapter and form an executive committee that would run the quasi chapter. These people would have to be capable of making cogent and impressive presentations - like Chaz did. I was thinking of offering an opportunity for ATRs to make an ad. Some should go to PEP meetings and present a case for using some of them effectively in the schools. Allow for some flexibility instead of wishing them to go away.
We also need to discuss how they are supervised - if the DOE considers them throwaways why are they spending so much money on hiring people to supervise what is essentially a sub?
We know the reason of course. And on rotation - if a teachers is older and not as physically able to take on the burden some provision should be made.
On the other hand we did hear that there are so many bad suprvisors running schools that rotation can be a life saver from being doomed to be under the thumb of monsters.
My final take away for today is the value of having an organization like MORE available to facilitate issues for various interests. Chaz pointed out that for the first time in a long time having independently elected reps on the UFT Ex Bd has created more transparency in the union. You need an organization that can raise money, preocure space and provide resources to assist people.
So it is not only about MORE beating Unity in an election but a lot of activity on a number of levels. 80 people showed up to a MORE sponsored event on Sunday to talk about a response to the Trump election -- MORE has to be a big enough and inclusive tent.
I did not attend because I now believe we ALL are ATRs living in a world of a new world president in the name of trump. I truly hope our livelihoods are preserved as we indeed deserve the best as nyc educators are the best in the world. Midget mike use to say the NYPD is the best in the world but would never say that about nyc teachers because we don't protect his midget ass the way the NYPD use to. However, nyc educators are the best in the world and we deserve the best. EVERYONE now is an ATR. 40 PEOPLE at the meeting and we are happy?? There are now 75000 ATRs people as EVERYONE will now know what it feels like to be an ATR.
ReplyDeleteYou are delusional. ATRs have jobs and get paid. Under vouchers you will wish you were an ATR. And why do you think you deserve the best just because you are a teacher? 40 ATRs who came out to get info that will get then through the job is better than whining.
DeleteYou asked an essential question there, "If the DOE considers them throwaways why are they spending so much money on hiring people to supervise what is essentially a sub?" We know the reason of course. We do, but many don't. It's not supervision, it's paid systematic harassment under the best or worst circumstances. The DOE wants us out. A deeper question is, why is the UFT allowing this? That two people, Amy and Mike take care of individual problems for ATRs is minor. Amy and Mike should take care of real problems. This is a real problem, that the UFT is not addressing. So no, I do not believe Amy and Mike are advocates for ATRs, nor do I believe they are representive of real unionism - they do what they are told for a check - ethics be damned. I would refuse to be part of that type of discrimination against fellow UFT members, especially under the rationale that I was helping. It is furthering a charade.
ReplyDeleteSo when they put you a high school teacher in a kindergarten just stay quiet and suffer. The point of this meeting was to try to help ATRs make the best of a bad situation. That is not to say don't fight the power - which it would take an organization to do. The UFT will not address the problems until hundreds of ATRs are willing to stand up publicly and fight. Call in complaints about bad supervisors - force the UFT to call for them to be removed. The UFT has allowed this for so many others too - not just ATRS -- in entire schools with bully principals - so when you think it is only your group that is under assault you play into the game. When there are hundreds of ATRS marching on the UFT they will start to do something - until then nada -- if you don't understand that they will respond like any other political entity not because it is the right thing to do. "why is the UFT allowing this" when the answer is because you let them.
ReplyDeleteSo the role of a union is to discriminate and collude against a segment of their members and if those members don't unite and fight the entity that they pay to protect them, it's that group's fault? Or that individual ATR's fault? Under that logic it was the Jews fault for the Holocaust. I don't believe that, do you? How do you get a couple of thousand passive intellectuals to fight en masse?
ReplyDeleteStart by not being anonymous and standing up. You know there were actually Jews in history who proudly stood up despite the risks.
ReplyDeleteWe know what happened the vast majority of them. I have no wish to sacrifice my livelihood and family's well being for a group that was artificially created group. It's easy to be brave when you're retired.
DeletePeter zucker, Chaz, Portelos, eterno -- they don't seem to be afraid. Your silence begs the UFT to screw you. And by the way - many of us when we were working stood up consistently and publicly throughout our careers despite threats and intimidation from both the union and the BOE so dont' go lecturing me on what being brave is all about. Just go on griping.
DeleteAll of them but James went through a 3020a. James ran for UFT president. I'm not griping. I'm responding to you're comments. Happy Thanksgiving and try to follow your own advice about lecturing others.
DeleteYou're not just responding but lecturing about how you are getting screwed by everyone. Best to do nothing - like my oh my what a risk those 40 people took on Saturday - they sacrificed their livelihood and families. How dramatic.
DeleteI'm not getting screwed by anyone. I'm not griping and I don't need help from you or anyone else, which is why I didn't go to the meeting. Stick with those acting classes, you're almost believable.
Delete"We know what happened the vast majority of them". Why don't you tell us what happened to a majority of them? Every comment is a gripe about something. I don't care if you don't go to the meeting but you imply people who did go were risking their lives or wasting their time. I'm retired so giving up a day is meaningless but for those people to give up a Saturday is not to be taken lightly. I appreciate that they did so and I left with even more respect for the plight of ATRs. It's defeatist attitudes that doom people.
DeleteI never implied any of that. Peace to you.
DeleteNot consciously but I read between the lines.
DeleteThat's called an assumption, not an implication. Have a nice Thanksgiving, Dr. Norm.
DeleteAnd despite these therapy sessions for you I won't send you a bill.
DeleteLOL! I enjoyed this tête-à-tête.
Delete