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| Teachers and staff at the Academy of the City Charter School in Long Island City. |
Isn't this the reason why the UFT is not fighting co-location and the
closure of public schools...I mean, really fighting?
Talking isnt walking.
Charter school teachers vote to join UFT
By STEPHON JOHNSON Amsterdam News Staff | Posted: Thursday, May 31, 2012 12:00 am
This month has seen a flurry of activity from charter school teachers involving the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and its relationship with schools ultimately under the control of the Department of Education.
A couple of weeks ago, teachers at the Sisulu-Walker Charter School of Harlem won an order from Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) Director Monte Klein, confirming their decision to join the UFT.
Initially, the teachers decided to join the union in 2010, but their school board didn’t recognize the UFT, saying that teachers on the school’s leadership team couldn’t join the union. The situation prompted Walter Sisulu’s son Max to write a letter asking the school’s trustees to recognize the union. Walter Sisulu is the anti-apartheid activist after whom the charter school was named.
The news of the PERB’s approval was music to UFT President Michael Mulgrew’s ears. “This is a good day for the teachers and students at Sisulu-Walker,” he said. “This will give the Sisulu-Walker teachers a real voice and the chance to create a better learning environment for their students.”
But that wasn’t the only news on the charter school front this month.
Teachers and staff members at the Academy of the City (AOC) Charter School in Long Island City have announced they too will seek UFT representation.
In a letter submitted to their school’s board of trustees, the staff stated that they needed to speak as one and represent their interests.
“We made this decision because we believe it is critical for us to establish a formal collective voice within our school community,” read the letter. “The recognition of the teaching and professional staff as respected partners of AOC is fundamental to the success of our school and to the realization of its mission to empower students.”
The staff also notified PERB that they’re seeking union representation. According to the UFT, if the school’s governing board doesn’t recognize the union as a bargaining representative within 30 days, the UFT can ask PERB to certify the unit on the basis of authorization cards.
“These educators want to share a voice and deserve the opportunity to have a greater say in the decisions that affect their students,” said Mulgrew. AOC now represents the 17th charter school staff group working with the UFT.
Teachers at Queens charter school vote to join UFT
Teachers and staff at the Academy of the City Charter School in Long Island City have announced they will seek to be represented by the United Federation of Teachers.
The educators submitted a letter to the school’s board of trustees, and notified the state’s Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) that the staff is seeking union recognition. If the school’s board does not recognize the union as the bargaining representative within 30 days, the UFT can ask PERB to certify the bargaining unit on the basis of the authorization cards.
The teachers wrote in a letter to the president of the school’s board of trustees, “We made this decision because we believe it is critical for us to establish a formal collective voice within our school community. The recognition of the teaching and professional staff as respected partners of AOC is fundamental to the success of our school and to the realization of its mission to empower students.”
First grade teacher Alice McNeil said, “Having a union at Academy of the City Charter School will give the teachers a strong voice in making decisions to best support the students.”
UFT President Michael Mulgrew said, “These educators want to share a voice, and deserve the opportunity to have a greater say in the decisions that affect their students.”
With the addition of Academy of the City Charter School, the UFT represents educators at 17 charter schools in New York City.
Academy of the City Charter School opened in September, and currently serves approximately 100 students in kindergarten and the 1st grade.
The educators submitted a letter to the school’s board of trustees, and notified the state’s Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) that the staff is seeking union recognition. If the school’s board does not recognize the union as the bargaining representative within 30 days, the UFT can ask PERB to certify the bargaining unit on the basis of the authorization cards.
The teachers wrote in a letter to the president of the school’s board of trustees, “We made this decision because we believe it is critical for us to establish a formal collective voice within our school community. The recognition of the teaching and professional staff as respected partners of AOC is fundamental to the success of our school and to the realization of its mission to empower students.”
First grade teacher Alice McNeil said, “Having a union at Academy of the City Charter School will give the teachers a strong voice in making decisions to best support the students.”
UFT President Michael Mulgrew said, “These educators want to share a voice, and deserve the opportunity to have a greater say in the decisions that affect their students.”
With the addition of Academy of the City Charter School, the UFT represents educators at 17 charter schools in New York City.
Academy of the City Charter School opened in September, and currently serves approximately 100 students in kindergarten and the 1st grade.
Keeping Authentic Education Alive in an Age of Standardized Tests
- Saturday, November 20, 2010
- 9:00am until 10:30pm
- 52 Broadway, 2nd floor
- Develop your skills as a professional educator and learn how to provide your students with the education they need to close the achievement gap! Join fellow charter school educators and expert scholars for a series of workshops planned by teachers, for teachers.
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Invited speakers:
Ann Cook, Founder/Co-Director, Urban Academy Laboratory HS; Organizer, New York Performance Standards Consortium.
Claire Sylvan, Founder/Executive Director, International Network for Public Schools; nationally recognized expert on educating English Language Learners.
Presentations are followed by breakout workshops by grade level.
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This is the first in an ongoing series of UFT ACTS professional development workshops for NYC charter teachers and staff. All workshops are free, and are developed by NYC charter teachers in partnership with UFT ACTS staff and the legendary UFT Teacher Center.You will receive a certificate of professional development participation. To check out more upcoming workshop dates and topics visit:
http://www.uftacts.org/index.php?option=content&ta sk=view&id=149
Family Court judge visits UFT Secondary Charter School
By Michael Hirsch
Family Court Judge Ingrid Joseph took the time to talk to students at the UFT
Secondary Charter School in Bushwick, Brooklyn, about how she succeeded
at a job she loves and how they can succeed, too.
Joseph visited four classes on May 9, telling students that her career climb
wasn’t easy, but worth it.
“Choose what it is you’ll be happy doing in 30 years,” she told the students.
The youngest of five children of an immigrant Guyanese working-class family, the
judge admitted the law was her second choice after being a ballerina.
“That’s because I couldn’t dance, but I could talk a lot and I could argue both sides
of an issue,” she said.
Her advice: “If you want to learn, no one can stop you. Be ready to drop friends who
don’t share your goals, because friends who have goals work with you to achieve
goals. Those who say ‘let’s cut school’ are not acting in your interest.”
On a related topic, she said, “You don’t have to hide the fact that you are smart or
that you like books.”
Joseph also advised students that they reach long-term goals one step at a time.
“Just make one goal at a time,” she said. “If you have a problem now, address it now.”
One of the first questions that an 8th-grader asked was, “Do you know Judge Judy?”
But there were plenty of on-point questions, too, including what Joseph liked best
about her job.
“I like solving problems,” she replied. “I also like it,” she said jokingly, “when I come
in and everybody stands up. And my word is the last word … but I also know I can’t
make everybody happy.”
Student Government President Selena Vargas appreciated how the judge “talked
about life in general and not just about court procedure.”
The teachers said Joseph served as a valuable adult role model for their students.
“This is information that the kids really wanted. You can see they were engaged,”
7th-grade teacher Miranda Meyerson said, pointing to the forest of hands going up
to ask questions.
Sixth-grade teacher Thomas McDonald said, “A talk like this makes them think
about their futures.”
Judge Joseph are (standing from left)
guidance counselors Monique Davy
and Daniella Goodwin, Coordinator of
Student Activities Krystle Castillo, School
Leader Martin Weinstein, Executive
Director of UFT Charter School Shelia
Evans-Tranumm and Dean of Students
Justin Davis. (Miller Photography)
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