[Mpls] Teacher reassignments & excessive layoffs

[Socialist2001 at cs.com]

In a message dated 7/3/2004 7:05:16 AM Central Daylight Time, Dan McGuire 
writes:

<<     Unfortunately, for the teachers, students, and families, the current 
reassignment maneuver is permitted under the current contract.  This move has 
the added effect of making the union look bad. The contract provision protects 
seniority and does not allow individual teachers to decline the reassignment 
if they have a license in the area to which they are being reassigned even 
though they may not have taught in that area at anytime...  >>

Can I get a copy of the current teachers contract? 

I believe that the reassigned elementary teachers have a legitimate beef and 
can find some points of support in the contract, the law and in the factual 
situation upon which to base a grievance and take whatever steps may be 
necessary to defend their rights. 

The number of teachers recently fired greatly exceeds what is justified by 
the number of positions being cut, retirements, etc. That maneuver (excessive 
firings) and whatever avoidable infringements on the tenure and seniority rights 
of teachers accomplished by carrying it out may be challenged as illegal, in 
my opinion. 

It is evident that the management has decided to go with a districtwide 
excessing and layoff scenario that I described in my last post: Firing 600 teachers 
on the bottom half of the districtwide seniority list, even though the budget 
calls for the elimination of *only* 213 regular classroom teaching positions, 
which leaves about 400 positions up for grabs, plus the positions that will 
be vacated through normal attrition (Retirements, resignations, and some 
firings for cause). The district administration is therefore planning to offer to 
hire / rehire more than 400 teachers. It is questionable whether as many as 400 
teachers will want to accept an offer of reemployment with the district.

I won't be the least bit surprised if the board tries to prohibit any public 
comment on the subject of its excessive layoffs and related violations of 
seniority and tenure rights during the public board meeting on 13 July 2004.

Stay tuned for an analysis of the MPS 2004-2005 budget that will show how 
much money in the general operating budget is allocated for administrative costs 
and highly compensated employees (earning more than the top-paid teachers).

-Doug Mann, King Field
Mann for School Board web site
www.educationright.com
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