The New York City Department of Education and the United Federation of Teachers reached a deal that ended one of the longest labor disputes in the City’s history. But will the new contract really help New York’s students?
In an opinion piece for the New York Post, Bob McManus raises concerns about the agreement:
Specifically, the contract apparently provides for up to $20,000 per teacher in merit pay; reduces teaching time in favor of “professional development”; calls for “simplified” teacher-evaluation practices; and even includes a process to make it easier to fire incompetent teachers.
Teachers will snap up more pay for less work any time. Hey, who wouldn’t.
But anyone who expects the UFT to accept more rigorous teacher evaluations, or to clear a path for firing bad teachers, simply hasn’t been paying attention for the past decade.
