Someone asked about the MPS teachers' contract, it is here, but is is rather large (3.2Mb): http://www.mft59.org/docs/tcon0305.pdf
Empty classrooms may exist, but as I stated in and earlier (http://www.mnforum.org/pipermail/mpls/2004-May/032410.html) post, the numbers given by MPS don't make sense. At Southwest, teachers have to share rooms, and many teachers have to work from classroom to classroom with a cart. They say that we have empty classrooms, that just doesn't make sense. As for Arlo Strand, the decision makes sense to some, and not to others. There are merits on both sides. MPS just sent us teachers an email message regarding it. It is below. Bill Towne CARAG -------------------- Teacher realignment process in Minneapolis Public Schools is governed by Minnesota Teacher Tenure Law We know many district employees are concerned about teacher staffing changes that have occurred as a result of another year of severe budget cuts. The following information provides important background on how teacher assignments are being made in the wake of the most recent teacher layoffs. On June 29, the Minneapolis Board of Education, faced with a fourth consecutive year of declining enrollment and budgetary reductions, passed a 2004-05 budget that resulted in the layoff of 608 teachers. The reduction in teaching ranks reflects an anticipated enrollment decline of 4,600 students from Fall 2003 to Fall 2004. Staff layoffs of this magnitude are extremely difficult. While the district has made every effort to minimize the disruption caused by this year's teacher layoffs, we are bound by a landmark court decision* that dictates how school districts must apply seniority in teacher layoffs. The court's interpretation of the Teacher Tenure Act requires districts to save tenured teaching positions by realigning teachers who hold multiple teaching licenses. Law dictates that realignment must be educationally "reasonable and practicable." Legally, this interpretation is very narrow. The Minnesota Department of Education considers a teacher qualified for teaching in a given area if the person holds a valid license in that area. Thus, several tenured teachers who hold more than one license have been reassigned to a new area. For example, a third-grade tenured teacher who holds an arts license in addition to her elementary teaching license would be reassigned to an art position held by a less senior teacher, thereby preventing the layoff of a tenured, elementary teacher. Legal precedent requires the district to realign teachers in this manner. An attorney from Education Minnesota, the state teacher's union, has monitored the district realignment process very closely to ensure that the district is following the letter of the law. The district will make every attempt to mitigate disruptions caused by this realignment process, including staff orientations and trainings for teachers who are entering areas of instruction that may be new to them. *Arlene M. Strand, Edward P. Lue and Barbara Johnson v. Special School District No.1, 392 N.W. 2d 882 (Minn. 1986) REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
