The United Federation of Teachers - A Union of Professionals

May 9, 2008  

City reduces promised school funding despite multi-billion dollar surplus

Parents, educators and elected officials on May 1 gathered outside the Bronx Courthouse to decry $450 million in cuts to anticipated education funding in the mayor’s proposed budget. “The Mayor rightly understood it was important to keep his $400 promise to homeowners and to roll some of the surplus as a cushion,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten. “He should have given the same consideration to the importance of the four-year promise that the city made to our children. He has broken that promise, and we have five weeks to work with him and the City Council to reverse it.”

GENERAL NEWS

Open letter from the UFT president to ATRs

In an open letter to teachers serving in the Absent Teacher Reserve pool, UFT President Randi Weingarten wrote, “I wanted to personally reassure you that the UFT will not reopen the contract to negotiate any change in the terms and conditions of your employment. We have a rock-solid job security clause in our contract that does not allow the Department of Education to lay off any of our members, particularly ATRs.”

DOE flouts state class-size reduction mandates

Despite receiving $153 million in new state funds meant to lower class sizes, the DOE has failed to implement a comprehensive class size reduction plan to meet state goals. Half of the elementary and middle schools receiving the funds did not lower class size; in fact, class sizes increased at a third of those city schools, according to a report issued on April 28 by the UFT.

Julia Richman: The award-winning school that Klein would destroy
Psychologists to chancellor: Help us do our job
Video captures UFT members door knocking for Hillary in Pennsylvania
DA launches phase two of budget fight targeting City Hall
More time to teach
Bronx UFT reps blast budget cuts at parent council meetings

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