We demand:
1. A return to more manageable workloads for teachers and other school staff.
Two rounds of time-for-money swaps have severely compromised the conditions for learning in the city schools. We must fight the false notion that “productivity” can be increased simply by extending the time of instruction. The teacher's school day must include time for planning, student conferences and consultation among faculty.
2. Ending attacks and discrimination against senior teachers.
Experienced teachers are crucial for any school. Only the most short-sighted and irresponsible management would be so hostile to them. Teachers who have successfully taught for years in a school should be secure in their jobs.
3. Enhancing the rights of new teachers.
Klein and Bloomberg have worked to greatly increase the number of new teachers which has changed the makeup of the teaching force. We call for a shorter probationary period to increase the proportion of teachers with tenure. New teachers must be protected against abuse by administrators and supported with meaningful professional development, mentoring and support.
4. Small classes with enforceable limits.
Equity with other districts in the state should only be the immediate target. Ultimately class-size reduction should meet children's needs which are greater in high-poverty, urban areas than in the suburbs. The lack of funding for the upgrading and building of new schools is the main cause of oversized classes which is a violation of our students' civil rights and should be treated as such.
5. Ending high-stakes testing and all other inappropriate testing of students.
Testing should be primarily used for diagnostic purposes and support educational goals, not distort them. Examples of inappropriate testing are
- forcing all English Language Learners (ELL) to take the English Language Arts exams
- inflicting standardized reading tests on children before they reach the third grade
- making all high school students take the PSAT
Evaluation of students and decisions about their progress should be made locally by those most familiar with them. Students should be able to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
6. A broadening of school curricula to address long-term educational goals.
Civic participation in a democratic society must be reincorporated into the education of New York City schools. We demand the restoration of subjects that have been shortchanged because of the craze for short-term results on math and reading tests, including music, art, vocational training, health, foreign language, sports and technology. This must also include an end to mandated methods of teaching practices and strong guarantees of academic freedom for teachers and students.
7. An end to the over-reliance on standardized testing for qualifying teachers.
One of the results of relying exclusively on standardized tests and the labyrinth of requirements for new teachers has been a relative decrease in the number of black, Latino and non-native English speakers among the teaching staff. Alternative paths to qualify as teachers should be reinstated. School workers, including paras and school aides should have an opportunity to turn their school experience into better school jobs.
8. School improvement planning that provides a significant role for teachers.
Teachers must have a meaningful voice in the running of their school. Our union must take a clear stand against privatization of school services and management. We must resist the national crusade to punish and condemn schools on the basis of test scores. Let's push instead for transparency in school governance, oversight by elected boards and councils and broader community input into how schools function.
