NYC Mayor Bloomberg calls for 6,100 Teacher Layoffs in His New Austerity Budget

Mayor Bloomberg called for over 6,100 teaching jobs to be cut from the city’s public schools next year in a new austerity budget released today.

The preliminary budget, which tries to close a massive gap left by the end of federal stimulus funding, will leave the Department of Education with a total deficit of $435 million. The department was spared a more brutal cut by the mayor’s decision to shift funding from other areas into the school system, partially filling the hole left by the loss of $853 million in stimulus funds and $350 million in budget cuts.

Folded into the city’s calculations is the assumption that another 1,500 teachers will be lost through the attrition schools experience every year. It also assumes that schools will bear the full brunt of the $435 million cut, though a spokeswoman for the DOE said officials have not decided what, if any, cuts will be made to the central administration.

http://gothamschools.org/2010/11/18/mayors-early-budget-calls-for-6100-teacher-layoffs-next-year/#more-50247

No cuts to central administration, database building, or no-bid contracts for standardized testing, of course.

Just teacher layoffs.

If you're an ATR, you'd better duck, because they're aiming for you.

And if you're a veteran teacher, you'd also better duck - you can bet the Keep Teachers Great/DFER's people will ratchet up the p.r. and ads calling for the end of seniority protections by Christmas time.

Also, don't be surprised if a lawsuit modeled on the one in LA that effectively ended seniority protections there isn't brought here.

And then, when the layoffs come, they'll just get rid of 20-22 year vets.

At least they'll start with them.

Then they'll head down to 18 year and vets and finish up with 15 year vets.

Soon the only people left in the system will be young teachers.

Logan's Run for education.

http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2010/11/mayor-announces-6000-teacher-layoffs.html

Not in NYC, it sounds like.

of the worlds largest cities.

What is about being rich that makes you thinks austerity for other people is a good thing? These people are so fucking arrogant.

planning to do with the kids that are de-teachered?

I thought we were supposed to be lowering class size. But i thought a lot of foolish things.


>>>>No cuts to central administration, database building, or no-bid contracts for standardized testing, of course.>>>>>

That's where the money is. Follow the money.


Well, back to the trenches.

while complaining about how awful unionized schools are.

They're scrapping that system, which will probably involve letting a lot of those teachers go.

And nobody will care, because teachers have been demonized in this country.

Get ready for it.

Happened out here in my neck of the woods last spring. Cost me my first teaching job, and left me unemployed.

But hey, we've got money for wars and tax cuts.

busting the teacher's union is an added "bonus" for this crap.

Once the local executive branches (governors, mayors, etc.) got wind of the Obama/Duncan pro-charter/anti-teacher agenda, they have begun to move swiftly to fire teaching staff, increase class size to unreasonable levels, and do their damnest to bust up the teacher's union. Baltimore is just the latest group of teachers to be defeated by these pro-corporate entities. Everyone else must stand strong and demand to bargain these potential cuts.

Baltimore is just the latest group of teachers to be defeated by these pro-corporate entities.

They voted for their contract. How is that a defeat? And what "corporation" is doing this?

A pro-corporate entity is not necessarily a corporation. Otherwise, I would have used the word "corporation." I meant, people or organizations supportive of corporate interests such as our administration's delight with KIPP and UNO charters, which provide no better outcomes than traditional public schools.

Maybe they liked the higher pay, and the younger teachers liked tearing down some of the seniority system.

DC teachers overwhelmingly approved their new contract, and still like it.

and SCHEDULED A SECOND VOTE.

it doesn't get more blatant than that.

That seems to be a requirement for how republicans do business (at least it's true in Florida, from the county level up through the state level).