NYC Union Chief Proves Gov. Walker Right: Tougher Teacher Evaluations Must Be Negotiated Into Contract

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo stressed the importance of officials agreeing on a new statewide teacher evaluation system at yesterday’s State of the State address. Michael Mulgrew, President of the United Federation of Teachers, tells WOR’s John Gambling that Cuomo showed real leadership, but until Mayor Bloomberg negotiates the law the union will not act outside of those parameters.

Mulgrew has already refused to give principals ultimate authority to remove ineffective teachers. And he has failed to select arbitrators for existing disciplinary cases, presumably to throw a wrench in the gears of the current teacher-removal system.

Next time you hear sanctimonious wails from the left about how Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) and Republicans want to take collective bargaining rights away from workers, remember that basic evaluations and disciplinary actions for awful teachers are things these unions believe need to be negotiated and are not, in fact, the built in right of the employer (that’s you, the taxpayer).