Posts
Dear teachers
I write to find out if you are, or if you know, displaced teachers who were not placed in tenured positions after they were displaced. I was displaced when the school I worked in was closed, and even though I am certified in an area of high demand (foreign language) I have never been rehired. I have been working as a day-to-day sub.
Other displaced teachers and I have marked the trend to hire new, cheaper teachers in positions we would be delighted to fill, and leave us to twist in the wind. Age discrimination? Maybe. Unionbusting and destroying any figleaf of seniority? Definitely.
When the Union Teacher features articles on the veteran teacher, and the novice teacher s/he taught when they were in CPS, I read the articles halfway through and don't know whether to laugh, cry or tear up the paper. I was called to sub in a school where I met a former student. He went into teaching, too. (How exciting!) He'd been hired at this school. In my subject.
An agreement between the Board and the CTU made the year my school closed required that principals interview displaced teachers before hiring anyone. I have found NO instance of this occurring.
There were 40 of us "honorably discharged" in these conditions in 2007. No doubt there are dozens, more now-- if the numbers are not more.
I wrote in, before Substitute Services closed our email accounts (February 29, 2008)-too much teacher-to-teacher talk! And I write again, to ask you to answer or FORWARD to someone in the same situation. Or maybe you have good news-- are they hiring you in a permanent position? GOOD!
It's time to get together to see what can be done, before our numbers swell again. And again.
PLEASE WRITE BACK TO
Thank you,
An Unembedded teacher
