If you are an outsider, the DOE appears to be the guardian for an equal education and equal opportunity. However, when one looks deeper in the DOE policies they see inequality in many of the discriminatory actions of the organization.
First, the DOE's policy of"fair student funding" (fsf) discriminates against veteran teachers. Few veteran teachers can change schools since the fsf penalizes schools who hires a veteran teacher due to their relatively high salaries. The Open Market Transfer System is a joke for teachers who have ten or more years of experience since all the vacancies go to either"newbie" or untenered teachers, due to their lower salaries. This will only change if school budgets are no longer held accountable for staff salaries.
Second, the DOE continuously tries to discriminate against the ATRs. First, they convinced our union to allow schools to hire"newbies" outside the school system instead of excessed teachers. Then they made every effort to demonize the ATRs as lazy or bad teachers. Next, they made ATRs second class citizens in the 2014 contract. Finally, they discourage ATRs from taking per session jobs like Regents grading, or school based activities by not informing ATRs of these opportunities.
If the ATR won their 3020-a termination hearing, the DOE discriminates against them by not offering them vacancies and discourages principals from hiring them. They also put a red flag , known as the "Scarlet Letter"to inform principals not to hire them even when the 3020-a arbitrator found them innocent of the charges!.
Third, principals who commit offenses are presumed innocent by the DOE while teachers are removed and presumed guilty. This"double standard" is part of DOE policy and the latest example is the Principal that allegedly was DUI when she crashed her car into a police cruiser but still retains her position as school principal. You can read the story Here.
Finally, the DOE discriminates against whistleblowers and will rather file false 3020-a charges against these teachers then take the necessary actions to correct the problem. The CPE1 fiasco is a prime example of this.
The DOE continues to discriminate against veteran teachers, ATRs, whistleblowers, and practices a "double standard" when it comes to the removal process between administrators and staff.