Not letting a good crisis go to waste, Philly Supt. goes after seniority rights
“You never let a serious crisis go to waste." -- Rahm EmanuelIf you doubt that the current school budget crisis is in large part, a manufactured one, just take a look a Philly where Supt. William Hite is using the crisis to suspend teacher seniority rights. He knows that lots of teachers are going to be called back to work if schools are to open in the fall. So he's asking the School Reform Commission to suspend parts of the state education code at an emergency meeting today.
The move would allow him to override the bargaining agreement with the union and replace higher-paid, experienced teachers with cheaper 5-week TFA wonders and other newbies. The state's largest district has laid off about 3,800 employees, from assistant principals to nurses and guidance counselors, in an effort to stem rising costs and close a projected $304