Hi Yael:
I remember an evening news piece on rubber rooms many years ago, and thought it was appalling that teachers were getting paid for doing nothing for such lengthy periods. Since then, I haven’t heard much on the issue, so it was a surprise to me that your brief highlighted that the City spends upwards of $15 million on these rooms or the PC term “reassignment centers” each year. I thought you did a good job of clearly stating the problem and gave some good examples of the inefficiencies, for eg: the teacher asleep on the rubber room floor wearing sweats and the teacher who had spent 9 years in a rubber room. I would have liked to see more data on how many teachers are currently in these rooms and what is the average length of time a teacher would be “reassigned” there. I think this would give your problem depth as to how prevailing and extensive the issue is.
Early in your brief, you state that “Mayor De Blasio, I do not need to convince you that the rubber rooms which exist all over the city are embarrassing to our education system….” But actually, I think that is the whole premise of this brief; you do need to convince him serious of an issue it is. Also, initially, I thought you were saying that the contractual right to a hearing is a problem, but reading on, I get that you felt the City could save money by mandating the administrative tasks and shortening the procedural times for hearings.
I think you downplayed/underestimate the fallout or push back you will get from the teachers’ union with your first solution (not paying the teachers if they don’t do the administrative tasks assigned to them). I think you need to come up with a middle ground or something to appease the union.
But I love the second solution, years is entirely too long for a teacher to be stuck in a room. Teachers are one of the most underappreciated professions, and I appreciate you taking the time to bring this issue to our attention.
Good luck…I look forward to your presentation.
Hi Yael:
I remember an evening news piece on rubber rooms many years ago, and thought it was appalling that teachers were getting paid for doing nothing for such lengthy periods. Since then, I haven’t heard much on the issue, so it was a surprise to me that your brief highlighted that the City spends upwards of $15 million on these rooms or the PC term “reassignment centers” each year. I thought you did a good job of clearly stating the problem and gave some good examples of the inefficiencies, for eg: the teacher asleep on the rubber room floor wearing sweats and the teacher who had spent 9 years in a rubber room. I would have liked to see more data on how many teachers are currently in these rooms and what is the average length of time a teacher would be “reassigned” there. I think this would give your problem depth as to how prevailing and extensive the issue is.
Early in your brief, you state that “Mayor De Blasio, I do not need to convince you that the rubber rooms which exist all over the city are embarrassing to our education system….” But actually, I think that is the whole premise of this brief; you do need to convince him serious of an issue it is. Also, initially, I thought you were saying that the contractual right to a hearing is a problem, but reading on, I get that you felt the City could save money by mandating the administrative tasks and shortening the procedural times for hearings.
I think you downplayed/underestimate the fallout or push back you will get from the teachers’ union with your first solution (not paying the teachers if they don’t do the administrative tasks assigned to them). I think you need to come up with a middle ground or something to appease the union.
But I love the second solution, years is entirely too long for a teacher to be stuck in a room. Teachers are one of the most underappreciated professions, and I appreciate you taking the time to bring this issue to our attention.
Good luck…I look forward to your presentation.
Norrisa.