Community Columns

Open School Week: An Opportunity for Parents and Teachers to Work Together: Oct. 2007

The UFT has always encouraged parents to take advantage of this opportunity to meet with teachers, guidance counselors and principals to learn how their children are doing in school and where they need to improve.

Partners for Success in Education: Sept. 2007

Students, parents and teachers across New York City are preparing for a challenging new academic year as the public school system embarks on its third major reorganization in five years.

Seeking a Balance in Education: June 2007

Lots of people have been asking why, if the schools were doing so well, would the system need a third major reorganization in five years? Many questions were raised; some in public rallies and town meetings and some in print. The mayor listened and that’s why a coalition of parents, teachers and community groups recently reached an agreement with the city that addressed some of our key reservations.

What Really Matters in Schools: Feb. 2007

Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein recently announced, with much fanfare, plans for yet another top-to-bottom restructuring of the nation’s largest school system designed to dismantle the bureaucracy and shift all responsibility for educating kids onto the shoulders of principals.

Myth and Reality of the Teachers' Contract: Jan. 2007

As the city and the teachers' union have been trying to reach a new contract to replace the one that expired more than 1-1/2 years ago, a number of myths about the current agreement are surfacing, distractions that make it difficult to resolve the real problems of our schools.

The New Contract: A Real Educational Boost: Jan. 2007

This month brought both a real high and a low for public school students. The high mark came a day before Election Day in the form of a tentative two-year contract between the UFT and the City of New York. This is great news for teachers and bodes well for the future of education here.

A Split Decision for Our Kids: Nov. 2006

This month brought both a real high and a low for public school students. The high mark came a day before Election Day in the form of a tentative two-year contract between the United Federation of Teachers, which represents New York City's 100,000 public school educators, and the City of New York. This is great news for teachers and bodes well for the future of education here.

Ask Teachers What They Need: Oct. 2006

Most Americans agree strengthening our public schools is critical for today’s students to participate in what we think of as the “American Dream” and for our nation to compete effectively in the global economy. Unfortunately, we don’t often agree on how to do it, leaving kids hanging while policy-makers get mired in debate.