It’s war!

The UFT is hitting the airwaves today with a 60-second radio spot that slams for-profit charter school management companies as “more interested in making money and ducking accountability than fighting for our kids” and spending “millions on false attacks against teachers and public schools.”

The NYC-based teachers union is ratcheting up its war over charters in the wake of the Senate’s 45-15 passage yesterday of a bill that would increase the cap on the schools from 200 to 460.

The UFT and its parent organization, NYSUT, insist they are not anti-charter, per se, but say they want more regulation and oversight of the (generally, but not always, non-unionized) schools. NYSUT recently released a report highlighting conflicts of interests and other problems at charter schools around the state.

Charter advocates, in turn, accuse the unions of blocking legislation that would have boosted the cap and improved the state’s chances of winning up to $700 million in federal “Race to the Top” cash. (The deadline for Round II in the RttP application process is June 1).

Here’s the script for the ad (a link will be available on the UFT Website later today). It will air on 13 local radio stations, including 1010 WINS and WCBS-AM

“Over” – FINAL RECORDED SCRIPT

Listen to what’s happening inside our public schools.

SFX: Door opens. We hear the sounds of kids in the hallway. It’s busy, chaotic.

Class sizes are on the rise.

Tutoring and after-school programs are being eliminated.

And great teachers are threatened with layoffs.

SFX: School bell sounds.
Music: Fade up sad, slightly negative track.

Our kids don’t get a second chance at a good education. That’s why we should all be working to block cuts to our public schools

But for-profit charter school management companies are playing politics in Albany. They’re more interested in making money and ducking accountability than fighting for our kids. And now, the for-profit charter school crowd is spending over a million on false attacks against teachers and public schools.

None of it helps our children.

Music: Shifts to more positive, upbeat and hopeful track.

Our kids need good schools, good teachers and leaders who will stand up for them.
Go to UFT.org. Join with parents and teachers. Stop the budget cuts. And stand up for all our public schools.

Paid for by the United Federation of Teachers, Michael Mulgrew, President.

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