Saturday, March 28, 2020

TEACHER TURNED OVER LAB REPORTS SHOWING CORONAVIRUS BUT SCHOOL BUILDING STAYED OPEN (Updated with another Sue Edelman article on Dodge)

Please read Sue Edelman's NY Post piece, copied in its entirety below. A pregnant teacher turned in lab results that she tested positive for COVID-19 but the Department of Education kept the school open. Five other staff members then came down sick with the virus. The Chapter Leader is one of them and he blames the mayor and chancellor.

Please answer me this question:

How is the UFT not as culpable as the Department of Education for not telling teachers in the strongest terms possible to stay out of this infected building? 

We pay dues for the Union to protect us. 

Pregnant teacher with coronavirus couldn’t convince NYC to close school

A pregnant teacher who was hospitalized for COVID-19 says the city refused to close her Brooklyn school — even after she turned over positive lab results — while five colleagues also fell ill from the virus.

Frightened for her unborn child, Raquel Iacurto, 32, begged school officials to shut PS 199 Frederick Wachtel in Midwood and warn others about possible contamination, but she only hit roadblocks.

“I had a lab report and a letter from my doctor. It still wasn’t good enough,” the fourth-grade special-ed teacher told The Post.

Despite her pleas, the city Department of Education did not close the school on March 17 — 19 when the entire faculty was mandated to report for training on remote learning. What’s more, students and their parents flooded into PS 199 classrooms on March 19 to pick up books, iPads and laptops.

“All of my kids came in to get their stuff. They pretty much emptied their desks,” Iacurto, who was home sick, said she heard from colleagues.

It takes two to 14 days for symptoms to appear after a person is infected with COVID-19, and the virus can be transmitted in that time, experts say.

The five other staffers who tested positive include Andrew Rosenberg, 43, the union chapter leader, who also pushed for the school’s closure.

Faulting Mayor de Blasio and schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, Rosenberg charged, “Their complete negligence should be investigated. They insisted on keeping the schools open without acknowledging confirmed cases, and knowingly put tens of thousands of people at risk.”

City Councilman Mark Treyger, the education committee chairman, said he is equally furious.

“They never shut the school down. They told staff to report to a building they knew had a confirmed case of the virus. They put lives on the line, and that is outrageous.”

The Dodge story below which we added just makes the point further:

Where oh where was the UFT?

Bronx school told teachers to hide coronavirus case: ‘Staff can be fired’

By Susan Edelman

March 28, 2020 | 12:59pm

After learning that a teacher in their Bronx school building was sick with the coronavirus, faculty members were told they could be terminated for warning students to stay away, The Post has learned.

“Staff can get fired for telling kids not to come to school,” a supervisor advised, according to a report of a March 15 teleconference with worried teachers at the Grace Dodge campus in Crotona, which houses three schools.

“Very few students will be in tomorrow. It’s not worth risking your job to lower the number,” the supervisor said.

Later that day, Mayor Bill de Blasio finally announced the city would close schools for students, but require all teachers come in for three days of training on remote instruction.

The report, obtained by The Post, raises troubling questions about whether City Hall and the Department of Education failed to fully safeguard staff and students, and tried to limit information released to the public.

A spokeswoman for Anastasia Coleman, the city’s Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools, confirmed Friday there is an “open investigation” of the DOE’s response to COVID-19 cases.

The SCI received a letter from Queens Councilman Robert Holden calling for a probe after Brooklyn principal Dezann Romain, 36, died Monday of complications from the virus.

Holden also cited a Post report that the DOE kept Brooklyn Technical HS open for 350 staffers while five ailing teachers tested positive.

“I believe this conduct by the Chancellor to be extremely negligent and irresponsible,” Holden states.

The Bronx report reveals that the DOE delayed closing schools when teachers reported their COVID-19 test results, saying they had to wait until the Health Department ordered it.




60 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is worth $62 per check.

Mike said...

I have to give the Post and Sue Edelman credit.

I know James has Sue’s contact information and by reaching out to her, it has done wonders for how the Post writes about teachers. It has helped.

Maybe Mulgrew can learn from this.

The Uft needs to sue the doe yesterday.

Anonymous said...

The UFT sue the DOE?! Don’t you understand the love they share for money and statistics? Just look at the way Mulgrew looks at deBlasio - it’s a bromance made in hell for all teachers. Every time the rank and file get f—ked, with Mulgrew standing by, I hear the cry of ‘Sue!’ It’s time for teachers to cry, ‘No!’ Folks like the oblivious Arthur G. blasting Trump and deBlasio, saying they ‘won’t walk the line!’, AFTER they went in for the three days training and exposed themselves and their families. What about the criticism for Mulgrew and the UFT? They’re just ignoring the UFT’s complicity as usual and stamp their feet to deflect attention away from the UFT.

Anonymous said...

If not opting out, teachers will immediatley forget this happened, go back to work, and it will be more of the same.

Anonymous said...

So there will be no lawsuits, nobody will stop paying dues, we were made sick or at very high risk, at the very least. Back to business as usual. How pathetic. For the record, i already opted out.

Anonymous said...

I am one who has been opted out since last July. I can't use the last 2 weeks as the reason, but others sure can. It is more proof in the pudding. How many times do I have to write the same list? How many punches in the gut do all of you need?

1.3% raises over 11 years, retro held back with no interest for 11 years
WE are the only group who had TDA reduced from 8.25% to 7%
no discipline code
fake grades
fake grad rates
fake suspension rates
higher medical co-pays
absentee chapter leaders
abusive admin
abusive students
cell phones in buildings
open market fraud
no travel hardship transfers
getting blamed for students not caring, not being present, being in poverty
screwed observation system

I'm sure there is other stuff that can be listed, stuff I forgot, stuff happening in individual schools

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew feeds off of our stupidity. 77% voted yes for the 2014 contract, the worst contract, by far, in uft history.

James Eterno said...

12:53, The UFT sending people into buildings that were infected with COVID 19 kind of blows away all of the other UFT shortcomings by a wide margin.

Anonymous said...

A popular Queens Catholic high school girls’ basketball coach and school administrator has died from the coronavirus, the school announced.

Joseph Lewinger, 42, who spent 20 years at the Mary Louis Academy, a private girls school Jamaica Estates, died Saturday as a result of complications from the deadly virus, the school’s principal said in a Twitter post on Saturday.

Anonymous said...

Well James, don't say I didnt warn you. This has been a failing uniuon for a long, long time. Instead of calling me a scab, and telling me I was the lowest of the low, people should've been paying attention. I thought I have been making fair arguments about the fact that they were completely out of touch and just didn't care about the memebrs. I spoke about all the ignored emails. All the "We can't help you respnses." All the ways they failed us, see above. These are long-term financial issues. These are also work deterioration issues. The list has been posted a million times. Shouldnt have needed Covid-19 to wake up. That is why we are in this position.

Anonymous said...

Will all due respect, I know this is a bit off topic, I have been complaining about the fact that I live in Staten Island and can't get a transfer for 20 years. Been going over the bridge for 20 years, with a perfect record. Does the current situation surpise me? Not at all. The uft has shown me that they either cant or wont help. We just arent that important to them? How mant complaints can I make? This is just the next shoe to drop. Does the uft honor the hardhsip travel clause in the contract? When teachers get physically assualted? Verbally assaulted? Why allow the discipline code to go in the trash? Why not get the 8.25% back after we got through fininacial peril? Why give it away in the first place? This has been a borderline worthless union for years.

Anonymous said...

Hi James...Point is, uft had all those shortcomings, and it was ignored. Other than the few that have opted out, we have allowed this to happen. If th liost of shortcomings is that lonmg, we should have acted sooner. That is the point.

Anonymous said...

I'm in a similar position as 1:49 PM, begging Sill and Amy for almost 2 decades, travel hardship clause is already in the contract. They basically told me to fuck off. I sent thousands of emails, thousands of open market transfer applications. As soon as I could, i opted out. If the uft failing surprises you, you deserve what you get. As 2 PM said, if the failure list is that deep, why are we still paying? What are we paying for? We were screwed long before Covid-19. What will it take for all of you to make a statement? Don't worry, this October you will get the money you were supposed to have in 2009. That's good, right?

waitingforsupport said...

Everyone is rightfully fuming about having their lives put in danger.
This is the last straw by a wide margin. Got it. Well as you fuss fume and stomp about the recent wrongdoings, remember how the DOE and UFT destroyed the lives and opportunities of many students. Their lives are AS IMPORTANT as your life. Right? Im talking about the student who shows up daily, does the "school work" but is receiving 80s and 90s but everyone knows that that 80 is barely a 65 because the "school work" isn't authentic. The student is only eligible for community college 80. Can't get a real high paying job 80. Can't earn enough money to live in his or her community 80. Yes. The DOE/UFT treated you just like they have treated students for many years: Carelessly. Im amazed that when educators badgered and said such disrespectful things about the students there wasn't this much fuming, stomping, and rage on this blog. I mean the DOE basically stripped you of your teaching expertise years ago by demanding that you give a 65 to someone who showed up 15% of the time. You did it. You took the marching orders and did it. Better yet some of you took your rage out on the "savage" students and their"welfare parents". However,those students didn't make you give up your integrity. The DOE did that but you refused to speak up. You just continued to beat down those students/families. You said they have cellphones and expensive sneakers as if that had something to do with anything. You had one job: use your professional skills and teach. When asked to divert from that, you and your colleagues should have raised hell. Now. Now. Now. Now injustice is knocking on your door and you're spinning your wheels. You're FINALLY upset? I've been UPSET. I've had to take money out of my pocket to save my job. Am i better than you? Nope. Are you better than me? Nope. However I refuse to sell my integrity. The DOE, Admin, and by default the useless UFT tried to destroy my career but I won and I still have my integrity. It was the worse battle i ever experienced but I came out with my integrity my pension and many many letters of thanks from almost every school's principal I went to as an ATR. I am now called weekly by these principals to come in to support their school. My point: I am surprised that you're FINALLY fed up. Yep. Good luck.

James Eterno said...

Allowing the membershipinto infected buildings is bigger than all of the other complaints. Mulgrew had his chance to be a real hero when the membership rose and started calling out sick en masse. Instead, the UFT encouraged people to go into buildings they knew were not safe and threatened a lawsuit that would have delayed the closing of buildings even further and put more people at risk. After schools were closed for the kids, Mulgrew would not put a stop to three more days of UFT members working in what we know were contaminated buildings. That is beyond someone not getting a hardship transfer or the other UFT shortcomings. Way beyond.

James Eterno said...

2:02, I have acted. I served for a decade on the UFT Executive Board representing high schools. I never ever took a Unity endorsement. I campaigned like crazy in 2016 to get a united opposition to Mulgrew to win the high schools in that election. My opposition to the 2005, 2006, 2014 and 2018 contracts is well documented as is my member advocacy. I have stayed active to try to activate people to fix this union even after retiring in 2018. If this does not activate people, I don't know if anything will.

Beside emails and phone calls and anonymous comments, what are some of the commenters doing?

Anonymous said...

As for the previous comments, I fail everyone who deserves to fail, much more than anyone else in my building. I opted out 18 months ago, my dues stoppped coming out last July. I constantly list those uft shortcomings, only to be called a scab. What else would you like me to do?

Anonymous said...

What else can one do other than emails and phone calls?

Anonymous said...

Let's face it, you have two choices.

Choice 1 > Keep paying dues, go back to work, and have Mulgrew, de Blasio, Carranza they laugh at all of us when we forget in a few months what they did to us.

Choice 2 > File lawsuits against DOE, whistleblow by calling Sue Edelman at the Post at 917-584-7675 to provide more evidence of the extent of DOE's coverups so the PUBLIC knows what is going on, and stop paying dues because money speaks louder than words to "leaders" like Mulgrew.

I'm betting all of you will go with Choice 1.

If you were all coal miners and Mulgrew was the president of the coal miner's union who sent you into mines that were nearly collapsing, there'd still be some Mulgrew and DOE apologists saying things like "I’m the one who went on record to the media about all this. That said, I find it very painful to hear you are considering organizing an opt out" like one commenter on this blog did yesterday.

If you haven't realized by now that Mulgrew and Carranza are two sides of the same coin, that they have little concern of the health of teachers and work hand in hand, you deserve the treatment you get.

waitingforsupport said...

How is that bigger than issuing fake and/or valueless diplomas? Tell me how James?

waitingforsupport said...

Yes. Anonymous posters. Please share what have you done. I've spoken with Ben Chapman, reported to SCI, OSI, EEO, about the inequalities in my school. Those are just SOME of the things I did.

Jeff said...

Ok, we are getting off topic. Stop blaming. This is the fault of the doe and uft. What are we going to do about it? I have opted out already. James, what is your plan?

James Eterno said...

You can't recover if you are dead Waiting for Support. We pay dues to an organization whose primary responsibility is to protect us. They failed here way beyond any earlier failure.

Anonymous said...

345, I'm choice 2. Filed opt out this morning. How many others did? Probably not many.

Anonymous said...

Ignore waiting for support. He is anti white. He just causes trouble.

James Eterno said...

I am pro-union but cannot defend the UFT any longer. Opting out without trying to put something better in place might make you feel better but won't do much for all of us.

Consider this, when this is over, the city and state will legitimately be broke. You think a weaker union will be able to fend off the cuts? Everything will be on the table. We will need to come together.

I don't think anyone will trust Mulgrew/Unity under these circumstances. How will you solo opt outers fight off the cuts?

James Eterno said...

Anonymous comments on a blog won't cut it.

Anonymous said...

So do you suggest a mass opt out? Or nobody opting out?

Anonymous said...

City will be broke? Maybe now they will finally force place the ATRs.

Anonymous said...

We just gave the city a 600 million dollar interest free loan with our retro money.

James Eterno said...

We all go together as a group with real demands or only the lone wolves go who won't help any of us.

Anonymous said...

I guess Mulgrew now has an excuse for our next lousy contract in 2022. 0 plus 0? Oh, wait. We got 0 plus 0 in the 2014 contract too.

James Eterno said...

You folks need to come out of hiding.

Anonymous said...

I will give you my name. I already opted out though.

waitingforsupport said...

True--If you're dead. Yes. They put all educators at risk. However, to say this is beyond any earlier failure is lost on ME. We will agree to disagree. Why? I don't think anyone's life is more important than another's life. It's my view of the world I guess. It's disappointing that the organization that is supposed to do right by you,doesn't. Across the board.

James Eterno said...

This is not going to be easy. WE WILL NEED A REAL UNION!!!!

waitingforsupport said...

@3:07pm...im only talking about those who do not do what they are charged with doing. I have many colleagues who are AMAZING teachers and educators with integrity intact.

James Eterno said...

Not having a legitimate diploma is worse than being dead Waiting? Okay, we agree to disagree.

Anonymous said...

UfT useless we failed together

Anonymous said...

8f I would be an ATR now I wouldn't want to work for those crooks.

Anonymous said...

The UFT has been a source of corruption for a long time.

waitingforsupport said...

@4:34...I'm anti white? I guess the UFT and DOE are too because they really put your life in danger. You have bigger problems than thinking someone is anti-white.

James Eterno said...

UFT members calling and refusing en masse to go into unsafe buildings showed the UFT membership has real power. All of you calling saying you weren't going to work on March 16 is what turned the mayor who on Sunday, March 15 in the morning was on CNN refusing to close schools. The parent outrage of course helped too. You think it was fear of Mulgrew's lawsuit or the possibility that not enough teachers would be at work Monday that got schools closed? It was the teachers and parents.

Why would teachers go back to hiding under rocks after you just showed what you can do in spite of Mulgrew? You can take the union back now too but it won't if people are afraid to stand up for themselves and each other.

waitingforsupport said...

@James...i agree. Use your voice when you experience injustice.

Anonymous said...

Watch right before your eyes as NYC's dumbest (the teachers) allow Michael Mulgrew/Unity Caucus to turn the sickout victory into defeat.

Anonymous said...

Disgusted in Queens said...
The major and chancellor and our union have blood on their hands. Rather than worry about our health, we were told by the mayor we were needed to babysit and give the teenagers a place to go basically acknowledging that neither he or their parents couldn't manage then.

There needs to be a class-action lawsuit against the may and chancellor.

Our union president needs to be replaced. Mulgrew's failure to protect and advise members to protect their health and safety is inexcusable. There is no do-over, I will try better, etc.
THIS IS WAS A LIFE AND DEATH DECISION AND MULGREW AND HIS CRONIES FAILED ALL OF US.
Mulgrew has to go. He can no longer lead.

waitingforsupport said...

Worse? Of course it's not worse. I don't care about which is worse. I care about injustice. We could fight until the end of time about what's worse: my natural child birth or the pain from a c section. Im talking about INJUSTICE. When injustice is tolerated then it will be a matter of time before it reaches your door: Knock knock who's there? The DOE/UFT, you need to report to work in a building that's possibly infected with a deadly disease. INJUSTICE stand up when you see it or be ready for it when it visits you.

Anonymous said...

Just forget it. Waste of time. Take your checks and shut up. These teachers ain't doing shit.

Anonymous said...

Forgot to add, they extended the 2014 contract TWICE at a huge financial loss to members. Once because they couldn't figure out how to pay retiree retro, then because they made us overpay for PPL. Thanks a lot, again.

Anonymous said...

when one puts 'injustice' in all caps, it shows just how great a keyboard warrior you are. youre gonna fight fight fight for your rights!
wish i could signal my virtue so well; im just not that good.

waitingforsupport said...

@1:22pm... it shows. This warrior knows how to stand up and speak up to fight INJUSTICE. You can't "signal" something you don't have. However, the UFT/DOE will continue to protect you. Stay safe.

Anonymous said...

Here is another nyc union...City Correction Officers have rejected a contract that would have given them 7.95 percent in raises over three years plus an additional 2.25-percent compensation increase in the form of two longevity differentials by a vote of 1,493-1,099.

Anonymous said...

2 more dead...Richard Carranza confirms that two more school employees have died as a result of the coronavirus:

-A school safety agent in District 28

-A paraprofessional

DOE officials are so far declining to say who they are or how many total school employees have died

James Eterno said...

Where is this from?

RBE said...

Chalkbeat reporter on Twitter. I saw someone retweet it.

Also, Leonie tweeted Cuomo says schools should continue through Easter break.

Anonymous said...

My community college (I'm a student) is online for the rest of the semester, summer classes to be determined. We added an extra week in May because of the long spring recess.
Had my first Zoom class today, it was ok.

Anonymous said...

For $62 a check...How sad and pathetic.

Anonymous said...

I wonder how many students have it or are dealing with a family member that have it and also have to do remote learning. I know a student's father in my school just died from it.

Anonymous said...

Read Arthur Goldstein’s NYC educator’s blog comments to Jonathan to understand the pure tunnel vision of Unity over the UFT’s silence during teachers mandatory training in Corona infected schools.

Anonymous said...

That's just it, statistics only show the severely ill with COVID-19. If those with no and mild symptoms would be tested, there would be a drastic increase to statistics. Hopefully everyone can get tested to check if have had it with an antibody test.