Judge Says City Must Reinstate Fired Teachers From Turnaround Schools

Hundreds — and possibly thousands — of teachers and administrators fired from 24 struggling New York City schools as part of the “turnaround” process must be reinstated, says a New York State Supreme Court ruling this week, according to Gotham Schools.

Tuesday’s hearing was part of the city’s appeal of an arbitrator’s ruling that said the city’s hiring and firing decisions were in violation of a contract with the , says the article.

The city is now arguing that the arbitrator overstepped his bounds and wants the entire decision overturned, according to Gotham Schools.

A city lawyer, Maxwell Leighton, said halting the turnaround process would “thwart” efforts to improve the schools, according to the article.

”This would undo everything the DOE has done thus far to improve these schools,” Leighton told Gotham Schools.

Adam Ross, a union lawyer, told the schools blog that UFT officials would “immediately” begin talking with the city about reinstating teachers and administrators who were told they could not return to their schools.