Is UnFair Student Funding Sanctioned by the UFT?

    I have had several calls from ATRs explaining their experiences this week. The calls were troubling.  All of them have been rotated into difficult schools. Three months is a long time to stay in a difficult school.

    Many ATRs wanted to stay in their last schools with their principals approval - but schools could only keep ATRs if they hired them for a position. As most schools have no vacancies, they couldn't be hired. The principal I spoke to told me he couldn't hire any ATR for his staff, even if he had a vacancy, (though he would prefer to do so), because we are too expensive. He told me the kids he hires have a steep learning curve and move onto greener pastures after a year or two. The amount of time he puts in trying to train them and supervising them is incredible. He said that he asked his union to get involved in eliminating UnFair Student Funding, but inferred that the UFT is against it! Why for heavens sake would the UFT be against eliminating UnFair Student Funding?! I wouldn't have believed it except for the fact the UFT has done nothing to stop this long running scheme and force a return to centralized funding.

     I told the ATRs that called me to reach out to their borough reps with their concerns and for pertinent information. Unless many of us (ATRs) see some kind of representation from the UFT (and for me that means an end to Fair Student Funding) many of us will opt out of paying dues to the UFT. The UFT needs to start acting like a real union. I can no longer, in good conscience, try to persuade  anyone, especially ATRs, to remain in the UFT.