"A child's learning is the function more of the characteristics of his classmates than those of the teacher." James Coleman, 1972

Wednesday, January 02, 2019

AFT Works to Prop Up Biggest Threat to Public Schools

by Abigail Shure

I would hate to be selfish, but it really galls me that the AFT president is wasting resources that my colleagues and I have invested in the union on imposter teachers who chose to upend the system and the hard-fought-for gains. 

Public school teachers have to work with any child who walks in the door whether he arrives on day one, or any other. He could be homeless, hungry, sick, or have special needs. I have had students threatening to commit suicide and one student, who had not taken his meds, was walking on tables. Those charter school teachers should spend a few class periods educating nonverbal autistic children. In one class discussion, every student knew personally someone who had been shot.

I have certification and many years of experience in my area of expertise. I was treated like complete garbage by my district. My moronic union president assisted some charter school teachers pro bono because they had not been paid their salaries. In New York City, the UFT allows the ATR debacle to fester year after year.

Instead of promoting the demise of public education by charter schools, I would be pleased if the AFT president spent more of her energy protecting the teachers who elevated her to her position.

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