New York City teachers who read this blog include a number of ATRs.
Readers from outside the city ask what an ATR is.
I have explained that it is a teacher who used to work in a school that was “phased out” and replaced by new schools. This is the Bloomberg administration’s central strategy of school reform: close and replace, close and replace, repeat and repeat.
The teachers who lose their jobs have not been evaluated. They may be great teachers. They just happened to have the bad luck to teach in a closing school. If they are experienced teachers, other principals may reject them because their salaries are too high. So they become wanderers in the school system. They become members of the Absent Teacher Reserve, floating from school to school, a week at a time in each. They are lost souls in a soul-less system run by the greatest minds of our generation.
I heard from an ATR today. He or she can tell you what life is like for an ATR.
Dear Diane,
I am a 21 year veteran atr teacher. I truly appreciate your blogging. I have been subjected to the most ridiculous and hostile work environment this past year, As it stands, any teacher can become an ATR at anytime.
The troubling thing is that my “colleagues” shun us as though we are lepers. I guess its just not cricket to be seen talking to us. The prevailing meme is that we must be “bad” teachers.
The administration treats us like subs and even calls me a sub to my face. Imagine being informed in your email each week where you will be working the following week. At each school there is a different schedule, so forget dealing with your own children, holding a second job, going to school or even per session. The algorithm that the NYCDOE claims to use in the placement of the ATR underclass, includes distance from home as a major factor. For thirty of the thirty four schools I was sent to, the travel time each way was two hours minimum.
As an ATR I have no democratic rights. We have no chapter. The only proper description of the treatment we have recieved at the hands of the DOE and its HR enforcement arm, the UFT has been constructive discharge.
Every day is the first day of school. Both staff and students don’t consider me to be a “real teacher”.
It becomes a major battle to obtain a bathroom key. It is like being a migrant farmworker. Travelling from farm to farm. Each farm has its own idiosyncratic culture and rules.
This is the reward for twenty one years of service.
The younger teachers display incredible hubris. They think that they know how to teach despite having very little experience in the profession. When I was a beginning teacher I would see the older teachers as sources of advice. This is not the case anymore. Armed with the latest crackpot theories and jargon, the newer set think that they are better than us old dinosaurs who have become irrelevant.
Given the catastrophes that the business world has imposed on the global economy, I find it insane that the business model has been superimposed on education. Much like the economic downturn that resulted from business, this has happened in the last bastion of democracy, public education. In an ever growing fascist regime, education has been made part of the encroaching fascist takeover of this society.
Much like the 1917 October suprise and the Nazi Regime in Germany and the Chinese revolution of 1949, teachers have been persicuted,
These are savage and dark days.
Marc Epstein wrote last year about what it meant to be an ATR. Marc was a teacher at Jamaica High School for many years. His column was published in Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-epstein/new-york-city-ronin-teach_b_946649.html
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For further information about the life of ATR teachers, see: nycatr.blogspot.com
For further information about the lives of ATR teachers, see: nycatr.blogspot.com.
Marc, I was so sad to read your experience as an ATR. I can’t speak for everyone in my school, but most of us who are in a school that hasn’t closed yet understand that in the end we are all ATR’s. Some of us simply have not yet been identified as such. I have seen my principal in action and she is always courteous and respectful to every ATR who has been in our building. I make it a specific point to introduce myself and let them know where my room is if they have any problems. Many of our ATR’s are from our district since almost all the schools in my district have already been closed at least once, some of them twice.
I cannot imagine how this is going to play out in the end. For now, it is very sad to see what has happened to the NYC Public Schools, once the jewel in the crown of public education in the United States.
Thank you for helping to raise the awareness of ATR’s.
We are all ATR’s
I read this testimonies and I am devastated. I do not teach in NYC, but this should horrify all teachers. I don’t know if it is due to my menopausal situation, but I can barely read these without crying.
NYC teachers support the ATR’s because Sheila is correct, this will be the fate for ALL teachers in the USA if the corporate vultures have their way.
NEW meaning for ATR could be Angry Teacher Revenge…..upset too many of us and watch out….combined with menopause…..yikes!
With more and more schools closing and more and more teachers laid off, I can see this becoming common place in other places. Sure hope not, however.
This a sad commentary. Imagine our millennials have no frame of reference other than the culture as it exists now! This provides an impetus for inter-generational activism IMHO. Aware twenty-somethings and boomers are equally irate about the bruising greed and short-sighted antics of government slugs and their corporate overseers. It’s clear that the effects of all this greed on american culture is demoralizing people of all generations, except for our most innocent members who don’t know any other culture than the greed-plagued, plastic, mind-deadening, spirit-crushing one we observe now. Thank you Diane for your informative posts and for sharing the wisdom of your followers.
Every week a different ATR comes to our school. During a discussion with our union rep, an ATR complained that our UFT chapter doesn’t seem to devote time on ATR issues, a valid complaint, if you ask me.
One (ready to retire!) teacher in the room responded in a frankly hostile manner. “Are you willing to get smartboard training? Are you willing to learn new tech to integrate with your math instruction?”
Imagine, instead of sticking up for a colleague, you put that ATR on the spot and suggest it’s his fault! I felt terribly for him; he’s a teacher in his late 50′s, with kids to support. It was just his bad luck to have taught in a closing Queens school. It was also ludicrous to insinuate that all this teacher has to do is master the smartboard, and he can expect the job offers to roll in! We all know that age discrimination is alive and well in the NYC DOE. Shame on any NYC teacher who is rude to an ATR, or who doesn’t show them how to get to the bathroom, where the microwave is, and doesn’t show respect and solidarity with their situation. We’re all just one school closing away from being an ATR.
ATR sounds eerily congruous to “rubber room” teacher, and both originating in NYC. These teachers are prime examples of guilt by association, coming from a “failing” school. What a terrible situation in which to be placed, especially for the more senior among them. I hope Randi Weingarten is trying to do something to remedy this calamitous situation.
Hmmm…sorry but Randi, Dennis, and all other Union leaders who might ‘help’ are quite busy syncronizing datebooks for the next wink-and-smile photo-op/conference call with Rhee and Duncan. Or campaigning hard for another four years of Sir Barack. Cuz, you know, the first four went so well for teachers.
Too busy. Too little. Too late.
This just in though: due$ dollar$ from ATRs are worth the same as everyone else.
I was so happy to read about people like me, the traveling teacher reserve pool. I was thrown into the pool because my school was closing in a year. It was either June of 2011 or June of 2012. I was selected to go first.
So, I had a good summer: slept a whole lot, caught up on family, friends and reading; bought myself some outfits that would work well with traveling from one place to another each week, and took a lot of deep breaths..yes, I mean did a lot of yoga.
What I learned was only too familiar. It was a jungle out there. I found out so much that unless I share it, I will burst. So, in this case, the real deal, the life of swimming in the pool hit me right in the face. Seriously!
My first gig of 34 was at Brandeis H.S. in upper Manhattan. It was fine, until I got to check students in at the door–the rudest little shits that I had known in years..really! (To digress a little bit here. I’m a 20 plus veteran of the NYC DOE. I have been in many situations with students but I’ve never felt the kind of insult you get when they don’t know ANYTHING about you).
While I was checking kids in for their first day of school ,I was cursed at and cards were snatched out of my hand. I then did lunchroom duties with aides and paras and school staff. The kids came in and were told where they were to go to check in with their teachers. Many of them said “fuck that shit, I ain’t got no fucking time to deal with that shit right now.” All I was doing was my job. I was not nasty, in fact I was welcoming no matter what they said to me. These were insults that I shook off. Then, I was to usher the kids out of the hallway. One kid told me to “shut the fuck up bitch, you don’t tell me what to do.” I said nothing at all. I just kept on moving the traffic from out of the hallway.
My day, now looking at it was, on a scale from 1-10, 10 being a great day, it was a six.
Since my first day of swimming in the pool, I had to learn how to be a damn good swimmer, with lots of mental resolve and a whole heap of outer shell. I knew from this day until my 34th gig, that I was going to be swimming against the current.
I have been cursed at, I have been threatened with bodily harm, teacher’s have either been nice, absolutely nasty or in some cases somewhere in between. I’ve had teachers tell me that it would be great to have a veteran in the room..she (the woman talking to me with the other 20 somethings in the room) would help to get me into shape for the new school way of thinking and assist the students in their road to success. (I had to bite my tongue or lose it). OUTRAGEOUS.
I’ve had administrators never acknowledge me or in anyway address me, I’ve had administrators come up and shake my hand.
It matters where you go. It really does. You may meet the UFT chapter-chair person or not, you may get a bathroom..elevator..classroom key or not, you may get a group of teachers to try and get your goat, you may have to travel a long way roundtrip, their may been things to eat in the area where you are located or not, pricey or not, the APs or deans may come or not (then you’re on your own..good luck with that).
Now, this school year, I was assaulted in December 2011 when the nasty kids at Murry Bergtraum threw desk chairs at me in the dark. I was in a basement classroom trying to maintain my composure as the kids threatened to harm me (one kid really, but that’s all it takes), made fun of me, cursed at me, talked so loud that I couldn’t even hear myself think..bad, bad day. When the lights went out and the desks came flying my way, I managed to scoot under the desk. I injured both a should and a knee. In February 2012 I sat on a tack. A kid put a tack on my chair and while I sat on it and it hurt like hell, I didn’t scream, I bit my lip instead. In May of 2012 I was hit in the head by a kid who kicked a soccerball into my head..it gave me a concussion.
Here’s where things get better. I filed a complaint for injury in the line of duty (LODI, which is the DOE and UFT jargon for being assaulted). However, you have to sign legal documents and have the payroll secretary code the days as LODI, NOT as sick leave. In All of the cases that I filed a LODI for, I’ve had to fight hard to get the days coded correctly. The December and May days have not been coded. Even though I did the paperwork, I had to do it and redo it and the people were hostile. I was told that what I experienced was not a big deal, I was told that my concussion was all made up. I still do not have the days coded for LODI.
So, I write these words to say be very careful. Carry the LODI papers with you everywhere you are assigned. The vast majority of payroll secretaries that I’ve had NEVER have the paperwork. Get every doc that must be signed by the principal and the Supt. signed and approved. NOW, one other very important thing that you must remember to do regarding attendance, keep every assignment for everyday that you attended..to back you up pick up two time cards and clock them both in..one for you and one for the school. Or just xerox your timecard front and back when needed.
I have been told that I was absent six days instead of three but I have no proof. I was also marked absent for one of the hiring halls I attended. That I have paperwork for.
God Bless all ATRS and our colleagues. It is a jungle out there. I’ve lived through a lot of it and I continue to stay strong and to keep as upbeat as I can. I do lots and lots of breathing and tell as many people about what I go through as an ATR. I stay strong and take very good care of myself,mentally and physically. The job is beyond challenging.
Hi Again all, it’s Clare the ATR. Remarkably, I made it out alive this past school year as an ATR. I must tell you that the journey is bleak, long and hostile. I say this only to note that my last year really beat me down. I wanted to quit, not attend, just go off on my way and take up a new vocation. Well, I didn’t go away. I stayed strong. I learned to stay sane in the face and culture of chaos.
I told you all that I was injured on the job three times during the 2011-2012 school year. The Murry Bergtraum assault remains unresolved. While I turned in all of the paperwork (for which I have copies) for the incident over a year’s time due to payroll secretary issues ( she NEVER received my documents, she did not enter the incident into the computer, she gave me many excuses and I got fed up with here and took matters into my own hands–to get the days that I had to take off coded correctly in the computer), the failure of HR Connect to scan the documents in, even though they say they did, they stamped the documents and sent me on my way–of course knowing that I still had to get the Superintendent’s signature on my CIR ( Comprehensive Incident Report). The Sup’t never signed my documents, to this day. Then, on November 2, 2012, I get a call from the Leaves Office of the DOE who is now handling the assault incidents of ATRs. I was told that my paperwork, that I turned in, had scanned in, had copies of that were stamped, were NEVER received. It has been a year. I was shocked. Could not believe this man who was talking to me, wanting me not to get upset. He said he wasn’t trying to hassle me or anything like that.
As I’m speaking to the LEAVES rep, I start to sob, I’m crying my eyes out. My heart is beating uncontrollably. I feel faint, like I’m going to fall on the ground. Now, mind you, I am in the process of having moved into my home and I have all of these boxes to break down, my seven year old is talking to me about something he thinks is important. So, I stop what I’m doing,not because I want to, but because my emotions just boil over. The documents that I have walked over to HR Connect, no longer exist. There is not much I can do because neither the payroll secretary at the school nor anyone else has entered the incident into the computer. I am lost, no more words to speak. I am crushed. After suffering an assault, having my documents lost, not having the Sup’t signature on the CIR and no help from the union, I am left wringing my hands. I have given up on getting those two days that I was out, coded as LODI. I lost those two days.
I refuse to start the process over again. I have no more fight in me to do it. And the union could careless.
The next incident that I sustained with sitting on the tack, led me to the doctor to get a tetanus shot. The incident was reported, yet the boy wasn’t punished because he was a SPEd kid and I thought that he should be reprimanded instead of suspended. Done.
The last incident at Manhattan Comprehensive Night and Day H.S., is still open. I handed in all of the documents, the school and HR connect received all of the paper work for my concussion and I have yet to have the day and hours lost coded as LODI. The school refuses to do it. HR Connect’s hands are tied because they have NO AUTHORITY to force the school to code the days as LODI. I am still reeling from this tool.
So, as you can see, I am tired of all of the drama associated with the assaults not being taken seriously and coded correctly.
The incompetence on the side of the NYC DOE is astounding. The help that I have received from the union has been to no avail and useless.
I’m drained.
I started my new year as an ATR, school year 2012-2013. The year started off fine. The same drama as last year regarding the traveling and the logistics, getting used to the culture of each school and etc. Until I got the HS for Graphic Communications Arts. It was HELL. I was assigned to the “SAVE ROOM”. This is a place set up in the school for in-school suspensions. In a nutshell, the students tortured me and the staff, SSA’s, deans, union rep and union did NOTHING! I was on my own as the students hurled desks around the room. reduced the room to rubble, threatened me, came in my face and cursed at me, one girl put her hand into my hair, they surrounded me, they barricaded me in the room, one boy told me that he wanted to f##k me and how I would like it, blocked me from getting up from my seat to get out of the door etc. Let your imagination run wild here. I maintained my composure and stayed quiet because when I called the SSAs, the deans and the APs to help me, they did nothing. Nothing at all.The students were allowed, even encouraged by malfeasance to continue their criminal behaviors. I wrote up three days worth of incident reports and took them to the dean’s secretary to have them entered into the computer. I have copies of everything. I don’t know if she entered anything into the computer. For Christsakes, I’m and ATR and have no recourse.
On Election day, yesterday, I spoke to a cop about the incident; this interest in my welfare coming from a colleague after having told him what I went through. I forgot to care about the incident, trying to put it behind me. But, after talking with this colleague at this new school where I am now, I decided to speak to a cop. I described to him my experiences at Graphics H.S., and he told me that I had the RIGHT to call the police to get these kids arrested. Interesting to hear this, and now I am enlightened and it feels good now that I know I have some recourse.
I say this to all of you ATR and teachers in classrooms because it can happen to you. It may very well be happening to someone in the pool of 1822 ATRs. I tell you that things for ATRs is in a shambles and that many of you, who try to get your needs met may never get them met. The union may not be there for you,no matter how many times you contact them. The recourse that you need when you are injured may never surface.
I’m not telling you to give up, I’m just telling you that because we are all swimming in the same pool, that we may be just treading water.
I can say that I am treading water this year. I’m already exhausted with the impossible situation I find myself in.
Sorry for being a downer, but this is what has happened to me.