NYC Mayor Bloomberg calls for 6,100 Teacher Layoffs in His New Austerity Budget

[Hannah Bell]

Mayor Bloomberg called for over 6,100 teaching jobs to be cut from the city’s public schools next year in a new austerity budget released today.

The preliminary budget, which tries to close a massive gap left by the end of federal stimulus funding, will leave the Department of Education with a total deficit of $435 million. The department was spared a more brutal cut by the mayor’s decision to shift funding from other areas into the school system, partially filling the hole left by the loss of $853 million in stimulus funds and $350 million in budget cuts.

Folded into the city’s calculations is the assumption that another 1,500 teachers will be lost through the attrition schools experience every year. It also assumes that schools will bear the full brunt of the $435 million cut, though a spokeswoman for the DOE said officials have not decided what, if any, cuts will be made to the central administration.

http://gothamschools.org/2010/11/18/mayors-early-budget-calls-for-6100-teacher-layoffs-next-year/#more-50247

No cuts to central administration, database building, or no-bid contracts for standardized testing, of course.

Just teacher layoffs.

If you're an ATR, you'd better duck, because they're aiming for you.

And if you're a veteran teacher, you'd also better duck - you can bet the Keep Teachers Great/DFER's people will ratchet up the p.r. and ads calling for the end of seniority protections by Christmas time.

Also, don't be surprised if a lawsuit modeled on the one in LA that effectively ended seniority protections there isn't brought here.

And then, when the layoffs come, they'll just get rid of 20-22 year vets.

At least they'll start with them.

Then they'll head down to 18 year and vets and finish up with 15 year vets.

Soon the only people left in the system will be young teachers.

Logan's Run for education.

http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/11/mayor-announces-6000-teacher-layoffs.html

[ixion]

1. Is our children learning?

Not in NYC, it sounds like.

[geckosfeet]

2. That's rich. One of the worlds most wealthy men calling for an austerity budget for one

of the worlds largest cities.

What is about being rich that makes you thinks austerity for other people is a good thing? These people are so fucking arrogant.

[Starry Messenger]

3. recommend.

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. That would be about 4+ per school. What are they....

planning to do with the kids that are de-teachered?

I thought we were supposed to be lowering class size. But i thought a lot of foolish things.


>>>>No cuts to central administration, database building, or no-bid contracts for standardized testing, of course.>>>>>

That's where the money is. Follow the money.


Well, back to the trenches.

[Warren Stupidity]

11. They are going to wait for super-duper-man

while complaining about how awful unionized schools are.

[Recursion]

15. Depends on how many of these were "rubber-room" teachers

They're scrapping that system, which will probably involve letting a lot of those teachers go.

[SarahB]

5. This is going to be repeated all over the country.

And nobody will care, because teachers have been demonized in this country.

Get ready for it.

[madrchsod]

6. they have been demonized by our president and his lackey duncan

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. +1

[MadHound]

8. Already has happened all over the country

Happened out here in my neck of the woods last spring. Cost me my first teaching job, and left me unemployed.

But hey, we've got money for wars and tax cuts.

[blindpig]

9. k&r

[w8liftinglady]

10. well,hell-he's taking a hint from Texas...cut the poor to favor the rich

[Doctor_J]

12. Keep 'em stupid so they'll vote Repuke

busting the teacher's union is an added "bonus" for this crap.

[stray cat]

13. Budget cuts in federal funds will not spare teachers

[Tatiana]

14. Quelle surprise! Teachers better wake up and start taking back the leadership of their unions.

Once the local executive branches (governors, mayors, etc.) got wind of the Obama/Duncan pro-charter/anti-teacher agenda, they have begun to move swiftly to fire teaching staff, increase class size to unreasonable levels, and do their damnest to bust up the teacher's union. Baltimore is just the latest group of teachers to be defeated by these pro-corporate entities. Everyone else must stand strong and demand to bargain these potential cuts.

[Recursion]

16. Umm... the Baltimore teachers voted for their contract, yes?

Baltimore is just the latest group of teachers to be defeated by these pro-corporate entities.

They voted for their contract. How is that a defeat? And what "corporation" is doing this?

[Tatiana]

18. Baltimore teachers had the vote correct the FIRST time.

Baltimore teachers said thanks, but no thanks, Thursday night to a new contract that would have based their pay on student outcomes and professional development, instead of seniority and degrees.

The contract had been touted by many in education policy as a potential new model for the state, and even the nation. Even the morning of the vote, the U.S. Department of Education had bragged about the expected deal in a press release highlighting examples of cooperation between teachers and education-redesign minded managers.

Back when the contract was announced, Jack Jennings, the president of the Center on Education Policy, told The (Baltimore) Sun that the agreement was "extraordinary" and squelched claims that unions are impediments to reform. And Emily Cohen, a policy analyst at the National Council on Teacher Quality, told the paper that the city went further than any other district to eliminate automatic pay increases.

http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/10/baltimore-teachers-reject-reform.html

A pro-corporate entity is not necessarily a corporation. Otherwise, I would have used the word "corporation." I meant, people or organizations supportive of corporate interests such as our administration's delight with KIPP and UNO charters, which provide no better outcomes than traditional public schools.

[Recursion]

19. Are you saying they were coerced? Pressured? Brainwashed?

Maybe they liked the higher pay, and the younger teachers liked tearing down some of the seniority system.

DC teachers overwhelmingly approved their new contract, and still like it.

[Hannah Bell]

20. yes, it's quite certain they were pressured. the ptb didn't like the way they voted the first time

and SCHEDULED A SECOND VOTE.

it doesn't get more blatant than that.

[Dappleganger]

17. "No-bid contracts"

That seems to be a requirement for how republicans do business (at least it's true in Florida, from the county level up through the state level).

[Hannah Bell]

21. k