The gloves came off last week in the fight to save 22 public schools, including Jamaica HS, put on the chopping block by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In the end, the battle says more about the mayor and his subordinates than about the schools.
The mayor blasted the United Federation of Teachers for going to court last week to block his plans to close the schools.
“If you think about it,” said Bloomberg, “we’re trying to close schools that are leaving our kids without an education, and they’re fighting to keep those schools open. I don’t know how irresponsible you can possibly be.”
He accused the union of “trying to create maximum havoc and disruption and fear among parents.” It is becoming clear that the mayor has no tolerance for unions, especially if they challenge him on a major issue.
The UFT charged that the city is walking away from a written agreement to save the failing schools. The union is also opposed to the mayor’s yearlong campaign to abolish seniority rights for teachers in the event of layoffs.
Sadly, newly appointed city Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott and Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson have joined their boss in the union bashing. Wilson accused the union of trying “to protect the jobs of adults rather than educational opportunities for kids.”
Wolfson’s comments are pompous, divisive and unfair. The first mission of any union is to protect the jobs of its members. Wolfson should understand and respect that.
Wolfson and Walcott should also understand that there is nothing to be gained by vilifying the UFT and a great deal to be lost. For the sake of the children they claim to care about, these men should find a way to work with the teachers’ union. If they are unwilling to do that, they should start preparing their résumés.
Neither the union nor the 140,000 teachers it represents want to see children fail. Nor do they want to see unqualified and unmotivated teachers kept on the city payroll. If the Bloomberg administration could climb down from its high horse and deal respectfully with the UFT, it might find the teachers and their union are willing to work with City Hall to improve public education in New York City.
