Boston.com

They come from places like Harvard, Yale, and Brown, inspired to share their energy and knowledge with public school children.

But the Boston Teachers Union has a message for those eager Teach for America recruits: Thanks, but no thanks.

With the first batch of 20 corps members scheduled to arrive in the fall, just months after probable teacher layoffs, the union has sent a letter to the popular program objecting to its help.

“We already have hundreds of good, ’surplus’ teachers; we don’t need [Teach for America] to provide us any additional help,” Richard Stutman, the union’s president, wrote in a letter sent this week. “By coming here, you will only make matters worse.”

While public service is a key mission of Teach for America, the program does not provide free help. Participating school districts must pay the recruits the same salary as a beginning teacher in the district, which in Boston would be $46,291. (more…)

I have a question. What is the percentage of teachers who were laid off in this district who were beginning teachers? If it turns out that a significant portion of these laid off teachers are getting paid above $46, 291, then the union claim that their decision has to do with money is bogus.

teachforamerica.org