Sold Down the River

Today, the Executive Board of the UFT voted to accept the PERB recommendation as the basis for a new contract.

High school teachers had better be prepared to teach five classes, do one lunchroom or potty patrol, (or whatever the principal deems you fit for), a dozen free coverages, and one “small group” instruction. That will make them the most overworked teachers in the state, and even with the increase, still the most underpaid.

And don’t forget, with the UFT’s repeated attitude of “We’ll take whatever the hell we can get, and worry about it some other time,” it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure the next contract will simply contain another ten minutes, and six full classes.

Now, young teachers will make a big 43K. They can wander into the very worst neighborhoods of the city, look at the very worst homes, and proudly declare, “I’ll never be able to afford that.”

At least they’ll have the satisfaction of knowing they’ll work twice as hard to not get it.