F-U Time

The day I turned 55, I visited a school on my weekly run as a district tech support person. The principal, one of my generation, congratulated me: "From now on you're on F-U time," he said. "Someone says something nasty to you, or gives you a hard time, say 'FUCK YOU' and retire."

With Gov. Spitzer about to sign the 55/25 (27 for new teachers), hundreds, if not thousands of NYC teachers will be reaching "F-U" time. I suggest all of them gather in front of Tweed and say loud and clear en masse in a final good-bye to the BloomKlein gang, a rousing FUCK YOU!

It is ironic that with so may cries from Joel Klein that poor, under-performing schools were being short-changed because seniority rules allowed senior teachers to work in the better schools, one of the supposed reasons for the fair-funding of schools (a total lie since the real reason was to penalize schools for hiring expensive senior teachers), here is another level of proof that experience doesn't count and another plank in the program to create a cheap, inexperienced staff that turns over to such an extent that few people will ever collect a pension. Follow the money, honey!

Rumor on 55/25

Just in from a chapter leader:

Have you heard rumors that the 55/ 25 pension is being held up because those that be in charge want to raise the amount of money we would have to pay to opt in??

If you've heard anything, let us know.

When Weingarten announced the merit pay plan she said it was teamed with 55/25. Merit pay has been voted upon and is being put into effect while 55/25 pension plan is delayed. She spun this as a good thing at the last Del. Ass. – see, the longer the delay, the less you have to pay. But she promised there would not be one without the other. I'm just shocked she might have been a shade less than straightforward on this. Just shocked!

THIS JUST IN: Pension plan changed from 55/25 to 95/75. UFT argues this is a good thing as the DOE will allow those who die on the job to be buried on school grounds free of charge.

UPDATE: Sunday Feb. 3 from a CL:
At Middle school chapter leaders meeting last week, vp said that 55/25 is expected to be signed at the end of February or the beginning of March.