Sunday, February 14, 2010

Hoist Klein by his own Petard


Klein's latest diatribe against teachers appears in today's New York Post. In it, Klein calls for rubber room teachers to go without pay and health benefits while their cases are adjudicated (Thanks to Chaz for blogging about this--I had missed it myself). You can read my response to the piece in the comments section of the Post beneath the article. I urge you all to respond as well.


The chancellor also proposes expedited hearings. The UFT has supported quicker resolution to rubber room cases, and I am sure most teachers would agree with such a move. Speedier hearings would be welcome, but will never happen under Klein, as conditions in the reassignment center cause teachers to resign without having to hold those nasty hearings. Also, Klein wants cases heard by administrative judges who would be beholden to the city, rather than independent arbitrators.


Is it a coincidence that the Post has published at least three articles (that I know of) exoriating reassigned teachers, immediately followed by Klein's Valentine's Day screed? If the Post had any journalistic integrity, they'd report the news rather than try to help Klein circumvent state due process law.


If Klein is so hot for this idea, I say let's allow him to be the test case. Klein was given a failing grade by about 90% of teachers in a UFT survey, and parents are completely disenfranchised by his dictatorial policies. Let's charge him with incompetence, take away his pay and benefits, subject him to humiliation in the Post, and then let him see if he can prove that he's competent to hold the office of chancellor. My guess is he can't.

3 comments:

Chaz said...

I am all for this. Klein is not only incompetent but a danger to public education and should be removed from the education system.

Miss Eyre said...

I think all teachers are for an expedited hearing process, knowing how many of the charges are patently false or, at minimum, groundless.

Let's assume that this really is meant as a money-saving strategy (ha!). If that's the case, wouldn't paying innocent teachers back pay plus interest actually cost MORE than keeping them on the payroll? Isn't it the case that most teachers are exonerated?

NYC Educator said...

It's just Klein giving NY Post red meat. Racism is not nearly as chic as it once was, so why not stir up hatred against teachers? One scapegoat's as good as the next.