Statement by Public Advocate Bill De Blasio on Teacher Layoffs...

“We cannot expect to successfully change our education system by vilifying teachers instead of working with them. As a public school parent, I believe that we need the best and brightest teaching our children and that seniority rules need improvement. However, Mayor Bloomberg’s recent actions could well end up undermining the implementation of actual reform, not to mention destabilizing a difficult State budget process and compromising collective bargaining rights. I support the Governor’s proposal which will bring stakeholders to the table to implement objective standards for teachers and deliver real results.”