NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

On Friday our district UFT rep came to the school with fliers saying that teachers with 3 years or less teaching experience should attend a special meeting with Randi Weingarden regarding possible lay offs.

Did anyone else get this flier or hear anything about this?
Any thoughts?

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

Randi sent an email out...she said that it might b 15000 teachers...if i remember correctly... that is soooo scary...she was sayin tho...with the amount of kids in the schools they r goin to ruin the children's eudcation b/c it would mean more students per class. I just dont get what is goin on.../this is my tenure year and im hopin i get it..praying...this year has been so stressful for me!!! I just want to cry everyday and I never know what tomorrow will bring...How do they excess teachers...do they go by who was hired last and do it like that?? or can principals pick n choose people under 3 years/??

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

It is done by appointment date in the WHOLE system, not by school. In fact, the principal gets no say at all.
For example, my school would be devastated because we are a new, small school and 3 out 6 of our teachers have under 3 years.
If they got laid off, the classes would be combined and maybe the DOE would reassign a teacher from another school to ours.


I understand your frustration.
All we can do is petition Albany, hope & pray.

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

So essentially 1st year teachers are as good as gone?

So is NYC even hiring at this point?

If you have a master's are you safer than if you don't?

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

I am not too new but getting worried I have been at my school for three years and previously had been in NYC but left.

I hope that they are just saying they are doing lay offs but don't...I bet they are still hiring as well..doesn't make sense

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

i think a lot of thins is very alarmist. i would think they would get some of the MANY b.s. positions within the DOE before they cut teachers. also, if they're in sch dire straits in terms of teachers, how come they're still holding interviews for Teaching Fellows and spending money on all the BS like acuity and all that?

i hope it's not true... my husband only has a about a year and a half in! good luck to everyone!!!!

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

Posted by donegal419

i think a lot of thins is very alarmist. i would think they would get some of the MANY b.s. positions within the DOE before they cut teachers. also, if they're in sch dire straits in terms of teachers, how come they're still holding interviews for Teaching Fellows and spending money on all the BS like acuity and all that?

i hope it's not true... my husband only has a about a year and a half in! good luck to everyone!!!!

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

Posted by donegal419

i think a lot of thins is very alarmist. i would think they would get some of the MANY b.s. positions within the DOE before they cut teachers. also, if they're in sch dire straits in terms of teachers, how come they're still holding interviews for Teaching Fellows and spending money on all the BS like acuity and all that?

i hope it's not true... my husband only has a about a year and a half in! good luck to everyone!!!!

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

I also think that Klein is being alarmist.

However, should it come to layoffs, I would be willing to accept a pay freeze (not just me , everyone in the DOE) in exchange for teachers not being laid off. The reality is, if teachers are laid off, we will all be affected. We'll have bigger classes, more than likely. I'd rather not get a raise than have to deal with 38 kids in a class. There is at least one district in Westchester where administrators are freezing their pay. I think it will become a trend.

However, I do think that lots of other cuts can be made first, and of course they need to stop hiring. My school is getting new windows this summer, to the tune of $6 million. We don't need new windows, especially not now.

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

I too, hope its an alarmist attitude.
Here is some more info:

Interesting article regarding NYC Fellows, the budget, hiring, etc.
Gotham Schools


Bloomberg in the Daily News:
Daily News

UFT POV


Randi Weingarden

Message edited 2/2/2009 7:45:25 PM.

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

I posted something similar a week or two ago, and I had a lot of people tell me to "relax." Sigh. But this is the deal: If NYC delcares a financial crisis, the city will go backwards by appointment date and subject area, and lay off the newest people first. Keep in mind that the only way the DOE can invalidate our no-layoff contract is in the case of a financial emergancy.

Our district rep said that anyone under 7 years is "at risk." I'm the only guidance counselor in a newer small school (5th year) and more than half my staff has under five years... including me. If we're all laid off, the DOE will appoint ATRs to fill our spots.

I don't believe it'll come to this... but I'm polishing my resume, just in case...

Message edited 2/3/2009 7:14:22 PM.

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

Posted by MrsProfessor

I also think that Klein is being alarmist.

However, should it come to layoffs, I would be willing to accept a pay freeze (not just me , everyone in the DOE) in exchange for teachers not being laid off. The reality is, if teachers are laid off, we will all be affected. We'll have bigger classes, more than likely. I'd rather not get a raise than have to deal with 38 kids in a class. There is at least one district in Westchester where administrators are freezing their pay. I think it will become a trend.

However, I do think that lots of other cuts can be made first, and of course they need to stop hiring. My school is getting new windows this summer, to the tune of $6 million. We don't need new windows, especially not now.

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

We were told the same thing. About 15,000 teachers starting from the bottom. It has nothing to do with your school as they will reassign as necessary.

However, we were also told that this is a DOE threat in the hopes that the state will give us more money. It would be somewhat impossible to cut this many. I work for district 75 where the class ratios for special ed are mandated by the federal government. If you have a special ed degree, you could be reassigned.

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

Re: NYC Teachers~Possible Lay offs?

My friend was just excessed from a HS in Brooklyn. This is her 3rd and tenure year. Interestingly, there is another teacher in her building in her first year of teaching that got to stay. Apparently, her 4 years as a PARA gave her more years in the system than my friend. This makes no sense at all but that's what they're doing. job dust to all of you and those of us hoping to GET a job for next year

eta: I also understand they're planning to offer a huge incentive for retirement. hopefully this will balance things out as well.

Message edited 2/9/2009 8:54:16 AM.