The resolution, sponsored by School Board President Ralph Hernandez, narrowly passed, 5-4. It will allow the district to choose from a larger pool of teacher candidates, while eliminating the requirement that teachers, with some exceptions, must live in the city or risk losing their jobs.
The resolution included an amendment by board member Rosalyn L. Taylor that will give job applicants who opt to live in Buffalo a “10-point hiring preference” added to their hiring score. A second resolution asks the district to “create incentives” that encourage teachers to live in the city.
So now, all the 3rd generation South Buffalo political hacks living in West Seneca and Hamburg, can call their uncle and get hired in Buffalo. This is no different than the way it's been anyway. The "10 point hiring preference" is a complete smokescreen, when you take into account the Keanes and Comerfords, etc all start with a "100 point hiring preference". You can't fight city hall, but you sure can expose the corrupt people in it. And I look forward to doing so.
I wonder if the "incentives" are going to be the same ones the city used in the 90s' to keep all the police and firefighters living in Buffalo. We know how well that worked out for the city. They practically gave them new houses in the city, which most turned around and resold at a profit (before moving their families to Orchard Park!)
The sad part is, I personally know at least 7 city residents who would be excellent physical education teachers. They have the degrees. They just don't have the money to bribe the people controlling the hiring.
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is this new hires or all teachers? I'm confused
ReplyDeleteit would have to be all teachers and new hires. in other words, teachers that were using a fake address to skirt the rule, could now use their real address in the suburbs.
ReplyDeleteDo you really believe that living in the city is so bad that you have to force people to live there?
ReplyDeleteWhat should be paramount is getting the people who are most dedicated and qualified to educate the kids of Buffalo, regardless of where they choose to live.
I grew up 40 miles south of Buffalo, yet some of my best teachers were city residents. It just didn't matter that they weren't part of my community. If you're meant to be a teacher, whichever kids you work with become "your kids".
Jobs are scarce these days. If I want to go to a beach in Hamburg, I can't. If I want to go to a park in Clarence, I can't. If I wanted to be an Amherst police officer, no way. The taxpayers of the district are the employers in the schools. For subject areas where there is a great need for teachers, hire from anywhere. In areas where there are hundreds of applicants for one job, hire from the city. It would not be hard to find many great applicants from the city.
ReplyDeleteMy street in Bflo would be much better off if it had a fireman, police officer, and a teacher on it. Drug dealers would not want to operate on a street like this. These people would cash their checks and go shopping at the neighborhood supermarket, helping to keep some of their other neighbors employed. The children in the neighborhood would see them as role models and not drug dealers and gang leaders.
Yeah for the ban being lifted. I student taught at PS School 3. Loved every day of it and would teach in the city in a heartbeat if hired. The students were amazing and I know I could make a difference. Unfortunatley, I never applied because I don't have the money or willingness to move to the city when I still won't be the breadwinner in the family and my children would have to sacrifice the friendships they have made in their school. A great teacher is a great teacher no matter where they live!
ReplyDeleteIf I was an aspiring teacher living in the suburbs, I would be all for the ban being lifted, too. I'd just like to see more teachers living in Bflo neighborhoods for the reasons mentioned above. I don't disagree with you, though. I'm sure there are many great teachers from the suburbs.
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