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Budget Cuts Could Mean Layoffs For Recently Hired Teachers
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Jan 31, 2011
Modified Jan 31, 2011
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By
Jaya Saxena
Published Jan 31, 2011
Modified Jan 31, 2011
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Speaking at the Christian Cultural Center in Canarsie, Mayor Bloomberg predicted that unless the rules changed to firing teachers based on performance and not seniority, the city may have to lay off almost every teacher hired within the past five years. Of course he can't say that for sure since Albany has yet to finalize a budget, but that didn't stop the mayor from making such hyperbolic claims to support his campaign to end "Tenure for Life." Bloomberg said, "Albany rules say when it comes to teaching, talent doesn't matter, results don't matter. I say enough with Albany rules!"
Albany plans to release the state budget tomorrow, and a spokesman for Governor Cuomo previously told the Wall Street Journal that it is "premature to speculate about the budget." But Bloomberg continued, "You just cannot do this. If the Governor’s budget contains education cuts, it must also contain changes to the law so that we can take merit into account when making these difficult decisions."
The Post reports there might be a super secret plan to fire up to 4,000 "nonteaching teachers," like those formerly kept in "rubber rooms," without having to deal with the "last in, first out" policy. However, UFT President Michael Mulgrew wasn't buying it, and thinks the goal should be to avoid layoffs altogether. He said, "The mayor's propaganda campaign isn't fooling anyone. Everyone knows that laying off teachers sends class sizes skyrocketing and hurts kids. The mayor should be working with us to prevent layoffs." But then he wouldn't get to blame anything on Albany!
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Albany
budget
education
mayor bloomberg
teacher tenure
Jaya Saxena
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