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Teachers Union Says Bloomberg Is Picking A Fight With Them
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 14, 2012
Modified Jan 14, 2012
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NYC Mayor's Office
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 14, 2012
Modified Jan 14, 2012
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After Mayor Bloomberg promised to cut up to half the teachers at 33 underperforming schools—and to give $20,000 bonuses to good teachers— during his State of the City address, the United Federation of Teachers has been busy. The teachers' union has threatened to go to court to block the firings and is on the offensive on Bloomberg's education reforms.
While some hail Bloomberg's move to remove the teachers at failing schools, which would pave the way for NYC to get $60 million in federal money (the sides have unsuccessfully attempted to create new teacher evaluations to qualify), UFT President Michael Mulgrew told the Wall Street Journal, "What I saw was a man who was trying to set up a smokescreen about the decade of disaster that he has put upon our city schools. He is trying to start a fight with the United Federation of Teachers rather than negotiate with us on an evaluation system so that all children will be helped more." However, Bloomberg maintains, "For all the bluster, I think, in the end, my hope is that people would all come together and that we'll find a way to evaluate teachers, reward the best, give some help to those that aren't doing a great job."
According to the Daily News, NY State education officials are behind the plan to cut teachers. Up to 1,750 teachers, guidance counselors and other staffers could be fired; a NY Times editorial says the UFT should just go back to the drawing board and work with the Department of Education.
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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