On Sunday, the New York Daily News interviewed Chancellor Carmen Farina and asked her what her goals were for the 2014-15 school year. Not unexpectedly was the Mayor's pre-k program, higher passing rates on State tests, and more parental involvement. However, when it came to teachers, the Chancellor showed her true colors, she told the Daily News that she will train principals how to terminate teachers they don't want rather than collaborate and support hem. Notice, she didn't say "ineffective teachers" but teachers who principals don't want.
The Chancellor also want after the ATRs by claiming that there will be a dramatic reduction of teachers without a classroom by mid October. Did she mean that the ATRs will be offered vacancies? No, according to the Chancellor, the reduction will be due to the conditions of the new contract that has already resulted in 97 teachers taking the buyout (almost all of them were retiring anyway) and by actively going after ATRs.for dubious disciplinary issues.
Interestingly, the Chancellor is full of contradictions as she, on one hand, wants principals to properly document teacher actions that can lead to termination while , on the other hand, wants to improve teacher morale. Let's see if you redouble the efforts to target teachers that will improve their morale, what an idiot! I guess the Chancellor believes in the statement "that the beatings will continue until morale improves". Moreover, she claims she wants to improve teacher retention. How can she do that when she refuses to remove vindictive and incompetent administrators that result in high teacher turnover in their schools? Furthermore, class sizes, the largest in the Stace, are not being reduced. Finally, her failure to discontinue the "fair student funding" and freezing already tight school budgets forces principals to hire the "cheapest" and not the "best teachers" for the students.The Chancellor claims there will be no "forced placement" and that there is mutual consent.
However, if a Principal requires that an ATR interview and take a position, the ATR has no choice but to accept the interview and the position or resign. That, to me, is not mutual consent and is a forced placement. What is the union's position? They just close their collective eyes and the disconnected leadership will claim there is a new attitude at the DOE. Yeah, a new attitude as the DOE redouble their efforts to target the classroom teacher.