Teachers aren’t letting 22 city schools close without a fight. Both the teachers’ union, the United Federation of Teachers, and the NAACP announced a lawsuit yesterday to stop the planned closure of 22 public schools this year.
The suit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, challenge the city’s ability to close the schools for poor performance, saying the Department of Education ignored an agreement to help the schools and did not obtain the necessary approval.
Other people joining the suit include parents and elected officials. Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott called the lawsuit “shameful” and said it focused on “protecting jobs for adults at the expense of what is best for our children.”
Mayor Michael Bloomberg is already not on enviable terms with the city’s public educators.
He’s been fighting to change the state’s “last in, first out” policy, allowing him to keep newer teachers and fire those who have seniority.
Follow Alison Bowen on Twitter @AlisonatMetro.
