School ends with city, union bickering over when it should begin
It appears that no matter is too small for the city’s teachers union and the Department of Education to bicker over, not even what day class should start.
Negotiations to change the first day of school have broken down because the union is insisting that all schools choose when to open and the city is demanding that all schools open at the same time. Rather than work out a deal to move the first day of school five days back, the two sides have taken to publicly sniping at each other.
In a letter the city sent to principals today, Chancellor Joel Klein blamed the union for refusing to agree to his preferred schedule. United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew responded by holding a press conference where he blamed the Chancellor for being inflexible.
“Parents should be outraged that Chancellor Klein has refused to exert the authority he has to properly manage the school calendar,” Mulgrew said.
The city wants to move the start of school from Wednesday, September 8 to Monday, September 13, to make the first week of school a full one. Under the current schedule, students will report for one day of class on