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Since I graduated with my master’s degree in education back in 2007 and I have been working as a substitute within the New York City School system. This year I was asked to join the UFT and support the unions fight against the City of New York budget cuts. In that time my colleagues and I who also have their New York certifications are getting tired of being used as dupes in a system which need serious overhaul.
I have seen so many teachers well over the age of retirement but refuse to allow the next generation of teachers to take their place and perform their task. Many boomer seniors have been teaching for over thirty years and are at the top of the cities salary scale. The losses in the financial market over the past two years have prompted them to stay on in their positions even though they teaching skill have begun to suffer. Many of them have been taken out of the class room and put into the rubber room in Staten Island because they could not be counted on to perform their duties. Even out of the classroom they are still a burden on the system since they continue to receive their salaries while spending their school days occupied with personal reading material.
The UFT is protecting their jobs and right to teach even though hundreds if not thousands of recently graduated teachers are ready to perform their duties using the new teaching methods being instructed in today’s colleges and universities. When will the city begin getting rid of the drift wood which has permeated the city's school districts?
I have spoken to many substitute teachers who have their master's degree and we all agree that the UFT speaks for only those at the top of the food chain. Even with our teaching certification and master's degree we are only per diem teachers. That’s not exactly fair since we are called to do the same job functions as a placed teacher. I myself help correct the social studies regents exam at a Harlem high school a few months back because I had my certification in my field but received nothing other than my days pay. When I was close to earning Z status by that same school I was dropped one day short of it being put into effect. That one more day could have provided me with some benefits but the schools administration felt it need to save money on an already stretched budget.
The UFT was no where to be found on the day I was told my service were no longer needed but had received high praises from many of the school’s staff including it’s administration. Funny that it had no problem collecting my union during every pay period. My situation in not unique within the New York City School Distinct. Many certified substitute teachers have received the same treatment when coming close to becoming a long term substitute (z status). For many of us the UFT is a paper tiger and we are starting to believe it’s a liability rather than a useful entity dedicated to the preservation that teachers should be held because of merit and not always because of tenor.
I totally understand your frustration with finding a job. I know many people who have had a hard time making the transition from sub to full-time teaching.
It's funny that you mention teachers who are unwilling to retire. I know many people who are close to retirement and do not plan to stay a moment more than they have to. What do you think the UFT should do about those who will not retire? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm just asking you what the UFT should do.
I totally understand your frustration with finding a job. I know many people who have had a hard time making the transition from sub to full-time teaching.
It's funny that you mention teachers who are unwilling to retire. I know many people who are close to retirement and do not plan to stay a moment more than they have to. What do you think the UFT should do about those who will not retire? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm just asking you what the UFT should do.
I thank you for asking me your question. I have to say it’s a generational problem in which Boomers have held on to the lime light way too long. Their influence is deeply woven into the UFT since it’s their leadership that powers the UFT. The answer is what can be done? No one is listening to those who stand and wait. I think the AFT should do a better job at representing us. Since we pay dues to the union we deserve benefits. The majority of substitute teachers earned their master's degree in education. That’s five to six years worth of studying. Our degrees did not come out of a Cracker Jack box. We deserve the same respect as placed teacher.
How should UFT handle this problem? Stop protecting the job security of teachers who are dried up and let the city retire them. That’s all. Unions are not supposed to protect terrible work ethics and performances. They were meant to bargain collectively for their workers. So let them go if they don’t perform in regards to the states requirements.
Well, I agree that ineffective teachers should not be in the classroom, whether they are old timers or newbies. It's a really hard call because I've know older teachers who are absolutely amazing. So, you can't assume that all older teachers are burnt out and suck at their job. I don't know exactly what the UFT can do other than help newer teachers find positions. Firing all older teachers would be unfair and illegal, since it would be age discrimination.
A couple days ago I checked the staff at my elementary school. Many of the teachers were there when I went there. Shoot, two of them were there when my uncle went there. However, they are all great teachers, and I wouldn't want anyone to tell them to leave because younger people need the jobs. It can't just be the "awesome" school environment, either. This school has changed a lot since my uncle went there. It used to be a middle class area with mostly whites and a good number of Hispanics. Now, and when I went there, it is lower class with a mixture of whites, Hispanics, and Asians. It is in a gang area, but these teachers are still there. This school has never had a problem keeping teachers. My second grade teacher just recently retired, too. OK, so maybe this school is a pretty good environment. I would love to be able to teach there, but I know it probably won't happen. Maybe there is a reason the older people aren't quitting there. Maybe they are wonderful teachers who have oodles of experience.
Perhaps I am being nitpicky, but the poster writing about being upset about not finding a teaching job writes very poorly. I hope she's not looking for a teaching position in a subject that requires good writing, e.g., English, social studies, etc.
Since I graduated with my master’s degree in education back in 2007 and I have been working as a substitute within the New York City School system. This year I was asked to join the UFT and support the unions fight against the City of New York budget cuts. In that time my colleagues and I who also have their New York certifications are getting tired of being used as dupes in a system which need serious overhaul.
I have seen so many teachers well over the age of retirement but refuse to allow the next generation of teachers to take their place and perform their task. Many boomer seniors have been teaching for over thirty years and are at the top of the cities salary scale. The losses in the financial market over the past two years have prompted them to stay on in their positions even though they teaching skill have begun to suffer. Many of them have been taken out of the class room and put into the rubber room in Staten Island because they could not be counted on to perform their duties. Even out of the classroom they are still a burden on the system since they continue to receive their salaries while spending their school days occupied with personal reading material.
The UFT is protecting their jobs and right to teach even though hundreds if not thousands of recently graduated teachers are ready to perform their duties using the new teaching methods being instructed in today’s colleges and universities. When will the city begin getting rid of the drift wood which has permeated the city's school districts?
I have spoken to many substitute teachers who have their master's degree and we all agree that the UFT speaks for only those at the top of the food chain. Even with our teaching certification and master's degree we are only per diem teachers. That’s not exactly fair since we are called to do the same job functions as a placed teacher. I myself help correct the social studies regents exam at a Harlem high school a few months back because I had my certification in my field but received nothing other than my days pay. When I was close to earning Z status by that same school I was dropped one day short of it being put into effect. That one more day could have provided me with some benefits but the schools administration felt it need to save money on an already stretched budget.
The UFT was no where to be found on the day I was told my service were no longer needed but had received high praises from many of the school’s staff including it’s administration. Funny that it had no problem collecting my union during every pay period. My situation in not unique within the New York City School Distinct. Many certified substitute teachers have received the same treatment when coming close to becoming a long term substitute (z status). For many of us the UFT is a paper tiger and we are starting to believe it’s a liability rather than a useful entity dedicated to the preservation that teachers should be held because of merit and not always because of tenor.
So as I read this you are saying that you having been subbing in the system and your performance has not excited anyone enough to want to hire you. Sounds like your audition is going very well. Either that or you picked the wrong teaching field to go into. Perhaps that is what you need to evaluate. Going into a field that they are hiring for and not one that has a surplus. That is called decision making. The goal of a public institution is not to maximize your income but to wisely use tax dollars. However it appears that your social studies background does not include familiarity with age discrimination and the financial consequences of doing so in the public sector.
Bottom line, administration said you did a good job but didn't hire you. Sorta like the guy who tells the girl in the morning he really liked her and never calls again. So if a teacher starts at 54 and works 30 years you them to collect a pension another 40 years to 94 without producing anything or being eligible for Social Security until for 12 years til they meet their normal retirement age? 30 years is when you are eligible for full retirement not a clock saying it is time to.
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