Monday, August 10, 2020

PLEASE READ ARTHUR GOLDSTEIN'S SOBERING EXECUTIVE BOARD REPORT

Thanks to Arthur Goldstein, we have minutes from tonight's UFT Executive Board meeting. There will be no sugarcoating here. Bashing Mulgrew and the UFT at this point is a waste of time and energy. I saw Bill deBlasio's presser today.  School buildings are opening in my opinion unless Cuomo kneecaps de Blasio (always a possibility) no matter how unprepared and unsafe schools are. The Mayor and the DOE are in their own world from what I saw this morning and read tonight. Their planet does not resemble the one UFTers and students inhabit in most school buildings in NYC. 

The UFT will only talk tough to scare you about the penalties for striking in my view. To put it simply, it is up to us collectively to protect ourselves. The Union strategy to wait the Mayor out and expect the safety shortcomings, logistical challenges, lack of funding and shortage of staff in the deBlasio-Carranza plan to kill it might be wishful thinking. The UFT will react and probably yell and sue but that's about it. It is up to the rank and file if we don't want to see more people infected with COVID-19 in schools in the fall. I hope and pray I'm wrong and that this is the turning point where Michael Mulgrew/Unity Caucus become real labor leaders.

From NYC Educator:

Roll call--5:50

UFT Secretary LeRoy Barr--welcomes us 6:01 PM. 

Minutes--approved via email.

UFT  President Michael Mulgrew--6:04--We need to look at numbers within last two weeks. Appears that there's no neighborhood at 3% or over at this moment. We will continue to check. 

We are considering legal actions, and we need to say there's a clear and present danger to prevail. Anything we went to court over would simply give city a month to fix it at this point. 

We must prepare for either opening or remote. We have to do all we can to keep everyone safe, hold city's feet to the fire. They have a plan, but not many details. We know what we need, but it isn't there yet. We will train 100 people as COVID task force. We've already started visiting schools. Largest problem is ventilation. 

We need eyes on PPE, eyes on processes at school level. Thanks 100 people for taking on this process. 

As far as strike or job action, we are prepared to do whatever we need to do if we don't feel things are safe. Everyone has to understand, if we go to court and fail to get an injunction, members need to understand what striking means. We will talk about them. We're not near that yet, but we need to give people good information on which to base decisions.

We will be in every school building in NYC before they open up

Around rest of country, we see school after school closed right after they open. These states are on fire with COVID. We aren't near that, but we shouldn't open unless we are safe. City Hall has completely lost our trust. We will continue to do our work and prepare. I'm prepared to face whatever penalties if necessary.

15% of teacher have medical accommodations. 20% or more of students have opted out. Parents can opt out at any time. These numbers will continue to grow. 

21 districts opened today with high COVID levels, and are closing quickly. How can we insure we won't go through the same thing? Should we test everyone who enters a school building? Probably. We have no agreement with city yet. 

Doctors say we need random intermittent testing to quickly shut down program. We have no agreement with city on testing or tracing, no evidence they can actually trace. Didn't work upstate and school was quaratined two weeks.

Instructional--No program yet. Goal is, if we open, we want students in, to do their learning and get home as quicky as possible. We want the same for our members. We still have to work out special ed. services and IEP. We have to focus on remote. Numbers will get higher. Over 70% of instruction will be done remotely, and there's a large possibility we will switch to all remote, if we don't start there.

Right now everyone gets out 30 minutes early. This will minimize time in building. We want you to spend the least amount of time in building. We want to coordinate as teams. City wants teachers to work full day and then do remote later. That won't happen. City will be short on teachers, and we don't have federal package to help. 

Instructional lunch--we can't move children in and out. All children facing forward, students would work and eat, and teacher sits in back of room.

Mayor says everyone will be in pod, but that's almost impossible in middle and high schools. We are emphasizing PPE and cleaners. City has enough ionizers, 1400 now and 2000 on order. 

Town Hall this week. Press will spin it all sorts of ways. We are planning for every contingency. We need to insure schools will be safe. We have evidence city didn't follow rules in March. We need to know about testing and tracing, so far unsatisfactory. We are working on educational platforms and pacing. We need curriculum in everyone's platform, but we don't think city is up to it. 

If school doesn't have curriculum off which everyone works, schools can't coordinate. We need to be on same page, but plan is lacking right now. We may start meeting weekly now. Things will get very tight.

We will stand by demands for safety and papers can say what they like. We have access to doctors who work with us and give us great advice. 

Question

Does new schedule supercede SBOs in multisession schools? 

Debbie Poulos--There will be some SBOs we cannot implement, but we hope they will begin in Fall, but others can be implemented. 155 minutes not implemented, for example.

RSPs taking students out for therapy--Still working on that. PPE will need to be particular to those people. Working on caseloads whether remote or in person. Special ed. issues are very difficult. Principals are inventing policies that won't last. Late planning made this worse.

No survey of people who contracted. Info is protected. We are demanding school nurses for every school.

Medical accommodation approvals have begun going out.

We will get you protection needed, and we will get lawyers to back you up if schools don't comply.

We will hopefully begin testing at beginning to school, but we need to test everyone because some people are not symptomatic.

Michael Sill--There will be two forty minute meetings first and third Monday, as in multi session. No parent engagement, or OPW.

Staffing shortage will be next crisis you will hear about in media. Any issue with programs will be operational.

We will not have people in classroom with 12 kids and livestreaming to others. Broadband won't support it.

Teachers up for tenure next year--We don't want to harm anyone and people are still receiving it.

High schools will try to do grab and goes. Teachers will not eat with students. Teachers will have to social distance. 

Nobody is teaching six periods. If you are in those blocks you don't have to be there the whole time. 

We don't believe city has buses. Contracts are settled very late. Buses are controlled by DOE and they don't want to talk about them.

Mike Schirtzer--Ventilation--If systems work as designed would that mean theat of covid gone?

A--Can reduce but not eliminate. Custodians know there's a way to deal in newer buildings, pushing up airflow. Best thing still open window. 

 Arthur Goldstein-- I have a friend who's a middle school CL. He's very concerned about the six period day set out by DOE. He says they would teach six one day and four the next, rather than six every day, and the DOE program shows six periods a day, in violation of contract.

A--There are six periods available for school to use in blocks. No one is teaching six periods every day. CSA is just as frustrated as we are with bad information from DOE. 

Michael Freedman--Does Cuomo want to see every schools plan and have five meetings in large districts?

A--He said NYC has to have five public meetings, one specifically for teachers. We need to be present for all. 

Mindy Rosier--We need social distance, but none go far enough to protect D75 with spitters and biters. We will need to assist students. We can be super spreaders going to different classes.

A--We've been talking ICT over two months. There's no way they will be safe at this moment. Upstate was a special ed. building, and many more had to be quarantined because no one was able to handle a pod. We haven't touched D75 because we can't even get past ICT. You need gowns, face masks and everything. 

?--Many nurses have questions. In March, nurses weren't included in remote program. Where will we be in September? And where is calendar?

A--They're afraid to put it out. If we're back in, then nurses will be in schools, and we need more nurses. If we are remote, there will be some kind of child care program. Tough on nurse chapter, but no one got sick, thankfully. Right now we'll continue talking with city and keep you informed.

We agree to weekly meetings going forward. 

Dealing with city is quite frustrating. Not sure why mayor thinks number of opt-outs is good thing, and that number will continue to grow. Chances of opening still not so good. We are severely short staffed and have limited time. 

Thanks us and says goodnight. 6:55

Closing roll call.


61 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree. DiBlasio is completely out of his mind and intends on opening regardless of staffing, supplies or any other sane consideration.
BTW, When will people know if medical accommodations have been approved or disapproved?

Anonymous said...

So, if today was the morning of 9/8, what would everyone be doing?

Anonymous said...

What about covid and flu at same time in fall? Where do teachers eat lunch? Everyone is going to be scared to death at work everyday? What about train and bus travel? Who is policing student mask wearing? What do I do when students refuse? What happens after I fell some illness, automatic absent for 14 days? What if a kid coughs, sneezes, looks sick? Covid? Cold? What idiot teacher sits in an isolation room?

Anonymous said...

Easy to say its a low percentage, until you are part of the low percentage.

Anonymous said...

We can't file grievances, uft dropped them for months. We have no rights. That is the new uft contract. Wanna walk out? Wanna opt out? Wanna die from covid? Want mulgrew negotiating for you? Time is running out.

Anonymous said...

I don't think schools are safe or prepared...Dr. Fauci slams Georgia school that reopened for ‘disturbing’ crowding
Dr. Anthony Fauci pushed for the “universal wearing of masks” in a televised interview, in which he said the viral image of schoolchildren crowding a Georgia school hallway was “disturbing.”

“There should be universal wearing of masks,” Fauci said on ABC’s “World News Tonight” on Monday when asked about reopening schools.

“There should be the extent possible social distancing, avoiding crowds. Outdoors [is] always better than indoors and [you should] be in a situation where you continually have the capability of washing your hands and cleaning up with sanitizers,” he said.

Disgusted in Queens said...

this is so true.


https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/analysis-ventilation-should-be-part-of-the-conversation-on-school-reopening-why-isnt-it?fbclid=IwAR10s2NWYiDXWgoMj6SwV_eGoInc8Ts7jqGrUEvfHRbJ4QZ1YvCHKK02gSE

Anonymous said...

It is ok until you are part of the percentage.

A new #COVID19 tipping point, from @axios

1 in 5 know someone who died.

Anonymous said...

I have been working at my current school for 6 years.
Ventilation problems have been a chronic problem even before I started working there.
So, the idea that ventilation issues are going to be fixed in a couple of months is a big lie.
O and my school is on the ground floor with no windows to open.

TJL said...

Remember when the Randi cheerleaders called TJC "Teachers Just Complain"? Maybe they were right after all.

If you have a legitimate risk you have the right to an accommodation which more than 10,000 have taken advantage of.

If you don't, but you're still afraid, James and JD gave you the Work to Rule roadmap. Say you have a headache, fever, runny nose, nausea, whatever, or someone you were "exposed to" does, and you have 2 weeks off with no hit to your CAR. If your conscience nags at you, ff you have seasonal allergies you just have to mow your lawn. Or have a few drinks. Problem solved!

I'll be at work at 9/8 after almost 6 months of having my earnings reduced and hopefully I'll get a 6th class or at least a decent number of coverages if enough of the fearful stay home.

For now it's 8/11 and vacation is calling. I'll enjoy the next 10 days and I hope you do too. Make the choices you want and enjoy yourself.

Anonymous said...

If we are all united to get a work to rule action going and you are in school to get per session, then you are what is called a scab.

Anonymous said...

can someone confirm, if we follow the DOE rules and stay home if we or a family member have any symptom, it does not come out of CAR?

My colleagues and I were told it comes out of CAR, just like we were told we are doing remote and in class instruction as per tweed.

Anonymous said...

Despite Mayor Bill de Blasio’s optimism, New York City schools are still lacking all the cleaning equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and detailed plans needed for a safe reopening, the teachers’ union president said Monday night.

“We have an agreement on certain things that have to be in the schools, but nothing’s actually there yet,” United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew said in an interview with NY1 Anchor Cheryl Wills.
Mulgrew hit the city over what he deemed to a lack of concrete policies and details on how individual schools would keep students and staff, something parents have complained about.

The union boss also expressed frustrations over the speed of reopening planning and communications, claiming the UFT was asking the mayor since April to work with it on a reopening plan but he didn’t start to engage until July. Now, Mulgrew has concerns over the tight timeline. The city is weeks away from the start of the school year and plans to reopen are only now being finalized. Last week, the latest proposal was released. It calls for "blended learning," which incorporates in-person and remote instruction. About 736,000 students were in enrolled, as well as 85 percent of all teachers.

But about 586,000 students (or roughly 80 percent of the kids signed up for “blended learning”) were enrolled automatically because their parents did not submit a survey, and retain the right to switch to remote, DOE spokesperson Miranda Barbot confirmed.

As many as 264,000 of New York City public school students opted not to return to classrooms this fall, and only 131,000 parents have openly declared their intention to send kids back to school, officials said.

But on Monday, questions surrounding school nurses were on the forefront of de Blasio's mind. During his daily briefing, he noted that hundreds of nurses are still needed. He said he hoped to find a solution in the coming days.

Ventilation is another issue the city will also have to address, and one for which Mulgrew lobbed criticism at the city. When faced with concerns over ventilation, the mayor would not promise that 100 percent of classrooms would see ventilation upgrades, but he pledged that no unsafe classroom would reopen.

Anonymous said...

This is what will happen. I am in a transfer hs. Nobody will show. Probably looking at 1-3 kids per period. With that said, safety risks in building and during travel exist.

Anonymous said...

Trump wants schools open, he is trash, he wants to kill kids, he is doing it for the stock market, he wants to kill my parents, we must be able to sue.

Cuomo/de blasio open schools, no problem.

Anonymous said...

Kids arent showing.

Anonymous said...

Im confused, as usual. De blasio said for months that there was inequality and students couldnt do the work because they didnt have computers. Now, 1.1 million parents had internet to tell everyone they wanted kids to go to school?

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Baron is not going to school.

Anonymous said...

How are we using the bathroom?

Anonymous said...

The president of New Zealand just locked down the whole country when 4 cases of Covid were confirmed in one household. The country went 102 days without a new case. See what happens when you have a good leader. They don't worry about their precious civil liberties.

Anonymous said...

Keep trusting Mulgrew, the Dems or the Republicans. Those bitches are all the same. Welcome back to school.

Anonymous said...

Somebody get Chris Cuomo on this stat
Quote Tweet

Zeke Miller
@ZekeJMiller
· 2h
New York’s true nursing home death toll cloaked in secrecy (from @AP) https://apnews.com/212ccd87924b6906053703a00514647f

Unlike every other state with major nursing home outbreaks, New York only counts resident deaths that occur in the home, not in hospitals. That could make New York's official toll, already among the nation's highest, a significant undercount. http://apne.ws/xCLrxDl

Anonymous said...

im not a doctor- what happens in dec when kids are waiting in the cold- does their temp drop on the themoter? also what happens when they get a cold from standing outside in the cold and start sneezing during the day etc?

Anonymous said...

Schools open...

Covid-19 cases in US children have increased by 90% in the last four weeks, report says
By Jen Christensen, Lauren Mascarenhas, Christina Maxouris and Sandee LaMotte, CNN 5 hrs ago
Lead was poisoning the water in Flint, Mich. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha put…
This number shows a stunning reversal in the chances of Main Street's…
CNN logoCovid-19 cases in US children have increased by 90% in the last four weeks, report says

As the nation focuses on safety issues around going back to school during the pandemic, a new report found a sharp increase in the number of Covid-19 cases among children in the United States.

Anonymous said...

BREAKING: Florida reports single-day record number of new COVID-19 deaths at 276

What doesnt the uft get?
de blasio?
Cuomo?

Anonymous said...

Is there really a hybrid vs remote survey for parents?

Not really.

But those who have expressed a preference?

Overwhelmingly remote.

Anonymous said...


BBC Newsbeat
@BBCNewsbeat
New sex advice includes:

Aubergine: Avoiding kissing
Peach: Wearing a face covering
Cherries: Choosing positions that aren't face-to-face during sex

Anonymous said...

A prerequisite for students to learn and thrive is feeling safe and BEING safe.
A prerequisite for educators to teach and thrive is to BE ALIVE.
As we said in our 8/3 Rally, We Can't Teach From A Body Bag. We keep us safe.
@NYCSchools
plan at the moment is unsafe and reckless.

Anonymous said...

If 200,000 parents surveyed chose remote learning, that certainly doesn't mean it pertains to 200,000 students. If each family has two to three children attending NYC schools, would the number be close to a half million students who's parents chose remote learning?

jr said...

We need this before we close schools?

Districts like Corinth are already seeing the impact of the coronavirus. A middle school teacher and assistant high school football coach, Nacoma James, died on Thursday.

“In hindsight, we wish we’d gone virtual from the start.” #OnlyWhenItsSafe #WeWontDieForDOE #RefuseToReturn

After School Outbreak, Parents Rethinking In-Person Learning https://edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/08/07/after-school-outbreak-parents-rethinking-in-person_ap.html?cmp=soc-tw-shr

Anonymous said...

@nytimes slips in a lie about covid in article on NYC's collapse.

"... in Florida — where the virus is far worse .."

Covid deaths per million, FL: 398

Covid deaths per million, NY: 1,688

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew has lost his mind , his morals and his credibility.
It is up to us to organize, raise money and to sue the UFT for violating OUR CONTRACT.
It is not Mulgrew'w contract.

Anonymous said...

NJ teachers acquire medical leave, get to stay home.
NJ schools go remote.

Anonymous said...

More than 800 students told to quarantine in Georgia school district after possible virus exposure

Anonymous said...

high-school teacher I interviewed asks, Why when adults are sprinting in & out of stores to avoid getting infected with the virus, governors are ordering schools to reopen with teachers spending full days in crowded classrooms with 30 students?

waitingforsupport said...

Buckets behind a curtain

Anonymous said...

The Big Ten Conference just announced that football and all fall sports are postponed. When is Mulgrew going to wake the fuck up?

Bronx ATR said...

Didn’t you hear this is Mulgrew’s strategy. Send you back to school, wait for a few to drop dead from Covid (or stress) and then close the schools. Brilliant! The UFT is pushing this as best strategy since Gallipoli.

Anonymous said...

James it's all about the automatic check off, Mulgrew is afraid to lose it so he won't say a thing. All about the Benjamins!!!

del said...

But keep paying dues. It is working.

Jonathan Halabi said...

"I saw Bill deBlasio's presser today. School buildings are opening in my opinion unless Cuomo kneecaps de Blasio (always a possibility) no matter how unprepared and unsafe schools are."

de Blasio was just as confident March 12 about keeping schools open. It is not a fight to give up, especially a month away.

I think moving Mulgrew and the UFT is still an important pressure point. It is sooo much easier for de Blasio without the UFT's opposition.

jd

Anonymous said...

I'm glad the uft is concerned about the staff getting sick in September. Priorities...How much does Leroy Barr make per year?
Tweet
See new Tweets
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LeRoy Barr
@LBUFT
Obama on Harris as VP: 'Joe Biden nailed this decision' | TheHill

Anonymous said...

CSA

"At this point, it is becoming abundantly clear that our schools cannot open safely and effectively on September 10th."

@NYCSchools District 15 Principals call for a Delayed Opening of Schools and to Start Remote. @FollowCSA

James Eterno said...

Note to readers: This post has absolutely nothing to do with Joe Biden picking Kamala Harris as his running mate. I really don't want to go there here with comments. Save that for when it is on topic please.

Anonymous said...

Reopening New Jersey: School district votes for all remote learning, citing teacher shortage

Anonymous said...

Do you have an issue with the uft retweeting about it when our lives are on the line?

James Eterno said...

The UFT supports Biden. Again, that is not for this post, please. Plenty of others are political. I let all the MAGA comments you want through when it is relevant.

Anon2323 said...

THe DOe owes it to the city to allow us to be creative with the school day. Fuck regents, mandates and all that nonsense at a time like this. For example, in High School students should be able to attend 4 core classes finish 12:15-12:30 , do a grab and go lunch then go home and do remote for language, pe/health etc. Teachers at 12:30 should be able to go home and plan at home for remote or next day. Dept meetings etc can all be virtual. No need to stay in school longer than necessary. Restrictions to keep students until 2 is irresponsible.

Some schools might have such a good model to use, if we ever have something like this again we would have best practices from all levels K-12.

Anonymous said...

At this point in history, should Leroy Barr making all that money be worried about Biden/Harris or teachers going to work, being led to death? That is why dues are a scam and the uft is worthless.

Anonymous said...

I don't give a shit about the NY Presidential vote, we know Biden wins that, every dem does...I care about the uft being asleep at the wheel again, as usual. Plenty of time to retweet their liberal nonsense, but we should go to get sick and die. Thanks uft leadership.

Anonymous said...

And another. Uft, any comment? CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — Cherokee County Schools says 925 students and staff members are quarantined because of possible exposure to COVID-19.

The school system keeps a database of known positive cases and how many students or staff are quarantined as a result.

As of Tuesday morning, officials said that 826 students and 42 staff members were quarantined. Additional cases were revealed Tuesday afternoon but haven’t been added to the database.

Anonymous said...

The second wave officially starts on September 10, 2020 when NY City schools re-open.

Anonymous said...

Randi says mulgrew not doing job

Randi Weingarten
@rweingarten
·
19m
Students and educators in Chicago can always count on
@CTULocal1
fighting for them. Excited I was able to join them for a townhall tonight to talk about reopening. #ReopenSafely

Anonymous said...

Wow, randi is busy tonight. How come we are the only ones opening?

WV is not prepared to safely reopen schools. Buildings lack space for proper social distancing, PPE, or proper ventilation or a transportation plan that is better than just keeping the windows open. https://bit.ly/2CgbE71
@AFTunion

@rweingarten

@AlbertFralbert
#ReopenSafely

Anonymous said...

Where is the uft president? Are we the only ones that should be sent to die? Hmmm?????
Dues well spent. Maybe after we go in and get sick Mulgrew will "Say something."

Randi Weingarten Retweeted
Bob Morgenstern
@MorgyWV
Peoria school district to start the year with remote learning. If it plays well in Peoria....Why are other districts rushing to reopen when they can't do so safely? Why put the health and safety of their students & staff at risk?

Anonymous said...

Mr mulgrew, why arent you holding a press conference and saying that we will not step into a building? Why no comment on this...

Two executive DOE positions were filled today! Thought there was a hiring freeze...?

700+ @NYCSchools do NOT have a full-time nurse!

What are our priorities?

Anonymous said...

Sounds safe...

Nurse quits from Georgia school after packed hallway photo goes viral

Anonymous said...

Well, tell Mulgrew we refuse to go in.
We will not be the science experiment. It's back to school during a pandemic for 700,000 public school students in NYC. The city is the only major school district in America planning for in-person classes this fall, the mayor said.

TeachNY said...

I refuse to strike.

Anonymous said...

Teach NY, You are a scab then if your union calls on you to strike and you go into school.

Anonymous said...

James, opinions on Biden may not be appropriate for this post but the fact that the uft preoccupies itself with shilling for democrats who are not friends to teachers is appropriate. Mulgrew and his unity crew care more about the dem party than us. Where's the tweet from Barr and Hinds that reads "Uh.....ahem ahem...... Noooo waaay 85% want to return to face to face learning at this time. The chancellor and mayor are lying to the public" can you squeeze out that tweet Leroy and Janella? Maybe in between kissing Biden and Harris' ass.