Resolution to Stop and Reverse the Disappearing of Black and Latino Educators ( UFT Assembly)

[Hannah Bell]

Resolution to Stop and Reverse the Disappearing of Black and Latino Educators

Submitted to the UFT Delegate Assembly, October 20, 2010 for consideration at the November DA.

Whereas the hiring of Black and Latino educators has declined steadily from 41.5% of new hires in 2002 to 25.8% in 2008, and

Whereas the hiring of white educators has risen steadily from 53.3% of the total of new hires in 2002 to 66% in 2008 and

Whereas tenured teachers, including a large percentage of Black and Latino educators have been excessed, and

Whereas the DOE’s hiring of white over Black and Latino educators, combined with their excessing of tenured educators is an about face on racial justice and labor solidarity,

Therefore be it resolved,


That the UFT take on the role of whistleblower to stop and reverse the disappearing of Black and Latino educators and publish complete and up to date hiring data disaggregated by race in the NY Teacher to raise awareness among the membership and public at large, and


That the officers and staff of the UFT not serve on the boards of or as consultants to agencies and contractors working under the direction of the Mayor including Teach for America and Teaching Fellows, until the Mayor and Chancellor implement credible affirmative measures to increase the percentage of Black and Latino educators actually hired to teach in NYC public schools and cease their attacks on the tenure system and contractual protections for senior educators, and


That Chapter Leaders, Delegates, Parent’s Associations, Community Education Councils, School Leadership Teams and C-30 members, be encouraged and supported by the UFT officers and staff to attract and retain a racially diverse and highly qualified pedagogical staff that reflects the composition of the city’s student population, and


That the UFT officers and staff take the lead and identify obstacles to the training, recruitment and retention of Black and Latino educators: propose corrective action; provide legal, legislative and other logistical supports to accomplish these goals and raise awareness and unity among the membership and with the school community at large, and


That President Mulgrew assign staff to review the NYSED teacher certification exam to determine the exam’s effects on; a) staff diversity, b) student achievement, c) teacher retention, d) teacher quality according to parents, peers and school based administrators, and e) to make appropriate recommendations after consulting with the membership based on these findings.


(Partial list of endorsers;

Sean Ahern(Delegate), Ernestine Augustus (C/L), Peter Bronson (Ret), Douglas Haynes(Executive Bd), Bryan Jones, Ellen Fox(Ret.), Don Murphy(C/L), Lisa North(C/L), Francisco Pena (Executive Bd), Roberta Pikser, John Powers(C/L), Marjorie Stamberg (Delegate), Dr. Anna Maria Thomas, Mark Torres (C/L), Joan Selino(ATR)


For more info: School Staff Caucus/Coalition for Public Education (CPE) P.O Box 24086 [email protected], (212)-348-573, web site: http://www.forpubliced.blogspot.com/

http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/