Wednesday, April 14, 2021

LIVE BLOGGING FROM THE APRIL DA (Delegates Vote Down UFT Leadership Recommended Endorsements for Comptroller and Other Positions)

I'm ready to go this afternoon right on time. Listening to UFT musac waiting for Mulgrew. 

President's Report

Michael Mulgrew thanks the Delegates for attending says that now there is a long stretch between spring break and Memorial Day. He thanks Delegates.

Federal level:

Much is based on the stimulus package. (I lost the signal for a while and then got back on.) One year later from last April, we are not facing layoffs. Elections matter. Our endorsements are recommendations but people make their own decisions.

State Budget

Best state budget we have had in twenty years. Technically, it is not officially the state budget because it has not been signed yet by the governor. It will be signed. There is an Early Retirement Incentive for NYC for non-uniformed employees. The next stage is that it has to be negotiated with the city on what the terms of the ERI will be. It will probably not be an easy negotiation. Mayor didn't accept it in Bloomberg years, even when the state passed it. We are not negotiating by ourselves. We will get something out to members who qualify. People above the age of 50 included.

Contracts for Excellence is in the State budget. State is meeting its obligation. It is a phenomenal accomplishment to get the State to acknowledge its obligation in State funding for NYC. Legislature had the numbers to overturn a veto. Our resolutions to get revenue from superrich helped. New revenue will help when federal money sunsets. Thanks Cassie and folks from NYSUT and we will thank the governor when he signs it. Teacher Center was also funded. Best budget that we can remember that ever happened. Thanks to people who were politically active.

5 point plan coming out of the pandemic. Addressing learning loss, extended summer plan, a project for smaller class sizes even though we can't do this all at once, graduating seniors and where they are headed with college and careers. Training ourselves to recognize social emotional issues in students and also recognizing it in ourselves. MAP program extended. Meeting with DOE on extended summer programs. We want a combination of academics and social-emotional support. Pushing for kids to have some fun. Trying to get city schools back and running as more kids come back to in-school learning, especially in September. Pushing with city and state governments.

City

Meeting tomorrow with CSA and DOE to see that plans are in place for returning in September. CDC put out safety measures that are based on studies from rural areas. We are working with State Education Department, the governor's office, and the Department of Health but our work was moot because of a lawsuit filed outside of Buffalo by parents who want schools fully reopened. Judge ordered districts to put plans into place and judge ordered State to put out new guidelines that adhere to CDC new guidelines. Stakeholders have to engage in a process. 

Only elementary schools could go to 3 feet now. Middle schools and high schools may qualify later. Mayor told DOE to go to 3 feet. Now that State has put out guidelines, they have to do the process with the UFT. These are procedural rights. The opt-in period just finished. 51,000 opted their children in. 10,000 opted out. 41,000 net coming in. Schools being reprogrammed. Must let us know of operational issues. If a school is going to 3 feet distance now, get us the information immediately. Nobody is going to 3 feet unless they follow the process that is not in place yet. Must still be 6 feet outside of the classroom. Eating still requires 6 feet. Signage has to be changed. Students that might want to follow this and do it have to do it properly. Joint site visits to schools and Building Response Teams involved. We are still at only 35% of total school population who are in school buildings. We must protect our school system but we are going to have a problem if we don't get a lot of kids inside of school buildings by September. 

We need our kids to come back in. Positivity rate going down. We do know kids are getting COVID with the variants. We are not asking if people are vaccinated but a large majority of our membership has been fully vaccinated. We need to get our students back. Work is much more effective when kids are back in schools. City will not get back to normal until kids are back in school buildings. We have no idea how many kids are in the system. To protect the profession, we have to make parents understand that we are open and it is safety first. Kids aren't coming back this year but we need to bring the children back into school. We have to do this by September. This will protect our profession. 

We had conversations with the mayor about the two cases non-linked rule. With the massive safety and contact tracing system we have, adult positivity rate is going down with vaccinations, but students are getting infected more. When we know where positivity is in a school, we are shutting down schools. If it is spreading inside the school, we shut the school. We don't have to do that any longer with 2 cases because of the testing. If there are two cases, the school goes to 40% testing. Our program for vaccinations is open and you can get a fast appointment

APPR

State didn't waive it. We have our agreement. There have been 5 ineffective observations before the agreement and they have been removed. We will have guidance on MOSL soon. We recommend citywide MOSL. State testing for students: Remote students must opt in for testing days to take it live in the building so we can have a safety plan for them. 

Politics

440 members volunteered to do interviews with city council and borough president races. Thanks them. Massive undertaking. Committees make recommendations and Executive Board and Delegates have agreed. Don't cast aspersions on the people doing the work. Thanks volunteers again. Everybody doesn't get what they want. It is a tough process. Many emails from members. Volunteer committees made recommendations based on what is best for workers and our profession as well as healthcare for nurses. Political website has had 1.4 million views. No mayoral endorsement today.

We are still working on rank choice voting. Special DA for mayoral endorsement that will be based on the information, surveys, money candidates have raised, viability. We have endorsed in the past and candidates have not won. Comptroller and Manhattan DA are all under consideration.

Pay raise on May 3. It kicks in on different days for different payrolls. 3% raise is the last raise for this contract.

Healthcare 

Municipal Labor Committee (public sector workers for NYC) having issues with hospitals. We negotiate with insurance companies. Majority of members in GHI. We have been reaching out to hospitals. We are a passive consumer. We want to become active consumers in healthcare. We are going to get involved. Getting double digit annual increases in healthcare is not going to work. MLC responsible for 1.3 million lives. We call that buying power. We are responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars so we are going to use our buying power as leverage. We are using our power. We put out a proposal for retirees. We want to fully audit. We pushed as pricing at hospitals is widely different. We are not looking at managerial bonuses for hospitals. We want to use our buying power to get the best prices. 

Calendar is tight for next year. We are trying to get in the 180 days. Looking at safety, livelihood and profession.

Staff Director's Report

Leroy Barr said that they had meeting with 1000 election chairs on chapter elections. Workshops on rank choice voting coming up. HS awards on April 29. Nurses recognition day is May 6. Next DA is May 12.

Question Period

Question: Thanks Mulgrew, principal wants us to prepare classroom for 27-29 with seats within 3 feet. What should we say?

Mulgrew Answer: Get information to district rep and borough rep. This isn't happening. Principal would be legally liable if many get COVID. Let DR and borough rep know. Principals are not medical experts. 3 feet seems a possibility for September, maybe only masks. 

Question: ERI, will we know by June?

Answer: Traditionally, it would be done by the middle of June. Pension department is ready to rock and roll. Must be an opt in period. Traditionally, in the past it is in July and maybe early August. We still have to negotiate this with the mayor. Pension department is ready to go. We've gone over it. We don't have an agreed upon ERI yet with the mayor. 

Question: Will there be fully remote choice for September?

Answer: City talking about a remote option for September. We will open as long as it is safe. If we get 85-90% back in, some doctors say because of medical conditions, somr should not take vaccine. If we get kids vaxed, if it is only 5-10% non-vaccinated, can we do remote academies? Have to change when medical advice changes. Not looking to do blended. We don't know where student population is. Schools held safe-harmless. Nobody will be in the red next year. We can't have DOE telling schools how to program in August.

Question: What does tight calendar mean? Holidays will be in there?

Answer: All of the holidays are during the week so calendar is very tight. We can't cancel a holiday because it's been done by the City Council. We are still trying to get two prep days before the beginning of the school year. That is the last issue.

Question: 683, how is that going to work for 12 month positions?

Answer: Most medically fragile students are in 683. No argument that we need a remote option there. We will have a massive expansion of summer school. We will work through the process of who is in person and who is remote. Medical accommodations good through June 30. Conversations between city unions and the city on accommodations. Majority of summer school will be in-person. When we have more information, we will get it out.

Question: Question about lump sum payment.

Answer: We are getting it in the summer. Mike Sill reports it will be in the second pay period in July.

Question: Class sizes. Reduce class sizes were supposed to be through C4E. What is the UFT plan to reduce class sizes?

Answer: Five-point plan has as a major component the reduction in class size. Candidates for it but when they get in office they say they don't have the space. Class size is number one issue for parents and us. We are asking for city to take 100 schools and reduce class sizes. Let's look at square footage and number of kids coming into a school. We have to prove this can be done at the local level. Bloomberg always said we don't have the space. We have academic loss and social emotional crisis but we have C4E so we have to get to lowering class sizes.

Question: Clerical day and chancellor's day in June: Will they be in-person or remote?

Answer: We will put that on consultation agenda with chancellor.

Question: Preference sheets on hold, why?

Answer: It is on hold so we can figure out a program. Last year it was a big mess. That is why we are meeting weekly with DOE. First, we must finalize a calendar and then we can start with SBO's. Then we have to do chapter leader and delegate elections. When we know how schools will be programmed preliminarily for September, we can put out preference sheets. 

Question: Teachers getting the shaft at York College High School. Teachers not getting tenure. Crazy circumstances.

Answer: Not a lot of that under COVID. Some are comfortable with COVID style schooling. Get information to Amy, the borough rep. We will attack the behavior. Let's put this together through the avenues we have. We will deal with executive superintendent and then it can get to me.

Question: Capacity for every school room, if we go to 3 feet, will we get new square footage reports?

Answer: At 3 feet citywide, we can accommodate 92% of the students taking into account using non-traditional classroom space like auditoriums. Principals should not want to make these decisions. Who knows what will happen in the future? Legal liabilities are in play. Principals should be asking DOE how many can be in a classroom. 

  Motions to the Agenda

Motion for next month to support a bill to prevent HIV infections by getting prep p medications. Bill is in the state legislature. HIV aids epidemic has not ended in COVID timex. Medications not readily available. This bill would help.

Someone else spoke in favor. 

96% vote yes to put it on next month's agenda; 4% no.

Resolution for next month to commemorate Stone Wall Riots for LGBTQIA community. Two speakers speakers spoke in favor.

A speaker came out against who argued against this commemoration. Not all are in favor of these commemorations.

81% Yes-19% No

Special Orders of Business

Brooklyn borough rep Elizabeth Perez spoke in favor UFT endorsement for various candidates for city offices. Corey Johnson for Comptroller and others. A speaker endorsed Alvin Bragg for Manhattan DA. David Pecoraro tried to amend to separate the Comptroller from the others but Mulgrew said amendments are not permitted. David then spoke out against the Johnson endorsement because David Weprin is giving up his assembly seat and he is well qualified and he actually wants the position. He added we need a fiscal expert and Johnson is not one. Another Delegate spoke against saying doing multiple candidates at one time is wrong. 

55% No and 45% Yes, 

Leadership Endorsements Defeated.

The 5 candidate endorsements the Delegates voted against were:

-Corey Johnson: Comptroller

-Alvin Bragg: Manhattan DA

-JoAnne Simon: Brooklyn Borough President

-Selvina Brooks-Powers: City Council D31

-Dweinie Esther Paul Dorsainvil: Judge Brooklyn

(I have been involved in UFT Delegate Assemblies since 1994. I never recall the Delegates rejecting a leadership recommended endorsement until today.)

Resolution to support World Aids Day commemoration. Peter Lamphere presented a point of order on why the tax the rich resolution was taken off the agenda that this is a violation of democratic procedures since he made the motion. Mulgrew said the bill already passed but he would look into it. (I thought points of order were not permitted under the remote DA rules?)

90% Yes-10% No

59 comments:

Anonymous said...

UNITY/UFT: Planning Ahead
April 14, 2021UNiTY Caucus5PointPlan
Under the leadership of UNITY/UFT President Michael Mulgrew, the union fights every day to keep our members, students and schools safe and healthy as the COVID-19 pandemic continues its fearsome march across the country, leaving 50,000 New Yorkers dead and nearly 600,000 citizens across the nation.

Despite these grim numbers, we succeeded in keeping our schools safe beyond anyone’s expectations. We insisted on doctor-approved safety protocols and testing, and improved school ventilation systems. We provided thousands of members with appointments for a vaccination when appointments were next to impossible to get. The UFT fought to keep our schools among the safest institutions in the city, and we vow to continue our vigilance going forward.

Now, light appears to be glimmering at the end of this long dark tunnel. Our colleagues and students need our full support as we rebound from the disruptions and chaos of this year. And, as UNITY/UFT has always done, we have jumped into action instead of waiting to follow someone else’s lead. Following Mulgrew’s lead, we created a plan of recovery that says:

Every school should have a team of academic intervention specialists and social workers or psychologists to provide targeted help to students.
We should cut class size by a third in 100 of the city’s neediest schools as a pilot project. The goal: to use this as a blueprint citywide.
The city should offer a free CTLE-granting webinar to all our members offering strategies to help assess students and respond to those suffering from stress or trauma. Thousands of UFT members have signed up for the UFT’s version of this program this spring: From Trauma Awareness to Healing-Centered Classrooms, which teaches teachers how to identify stress and trauma in students and in ourselves as well.
High school seniors must receive extra support in college and career planning and in applying to college and for financial aid; these same students must have opportunities to complete missing work.
The DOE must provide as much in-person instruction during summer school this year as possible. All current safety and testing protocols will remain in place.
As UNITY/UFT President Mulgrew recently said, “This pandemic has challenged us in so many ways, ways in which we never could have imagined, but now thankfully we see an end in sight and must be prepared for future challenges.

Anonymous said...

Daaamnnn! He said anyone over the age of 50 for ERI. That is sweet.

Anonymous said...

Pay raise is not May 3. What happened to spring break 2020 with all the new money coming in from fed?

Anonymous said...

Looking at safety, livelihood and profession.

Subway is extremely dangerous.

Students will, mostly, on the high school level, be remote. They will refuse to cone in and mayor will let them stay home.

Anonymous said...

Question: Why doesn't the uft do their job?
Answer: No comment

Anonymous said...

Wonder if arbitration is open yet lol lol lol

Anonymous said...

MULGREW: "3 feet seems a possibility for September, maybe only masks". I'll tell you what this means. It means no more 3 feet or 6 feet distance in September for instruction of lunch. It also means that as long as everybody wears a mask, our schools will look exactly like they were before the pandemic. You have to read through the lines to see his bullshit. Lastly, if there is a remote option in September, I have a feeling that a TON of high school kids are going to opt for it. They won't have to commute and they can simply log in to Zoom and turn off their cameras. Kids who have been bullied in the past will stay home as well. Kids who feel shy or awkward in school will also consider opting for remote.

Anonymous said...

From how things look, every square foot of a building will be used for classrooms. Auditoriums, gyms, libraries, cafeterias, you name it. They are going to pack everybody in like sardines and simply tell them to wear a mask. Oh yeah, what is going to happen to teachers who don't want to take the vaccine by September? Mulgrew keeps saying that is private info. Will the DOE make teachers get the vaccination or force them on unpaid leave if they choose not to?

Anonymous said...

I guess he conveniently forgot about arbitration, trs, uft, doe being closed while we take buses and trains to infected schools. Dues well spent everybody.

Anonymous said...

What does he mean regarding health care about being passive consumers and wants to be active consumers?
And especially with new rules, why isnt he at work?

Anonymous said...

Hey!lots of money should translate to negotiate raises NOW while money flows...or must we wait for next mayor?

Anonymous said...

Question is will they allow teachers to be remote. I agree the kids are going to milk it especially the older ones.

Anonymous said...

The doe should say that all teachers, by September, would've had 9 months to get the vaccine. All teachers must return.

Anonymous said...

Remote kids need remote teachers imho...

Anonymous said...

Remote kid can be taught by a teacher who must report to the building.

Anonymous said...

The teachers don't have to be remote for the kids to be remote. They can come into school and teach. They will be needed to do coverages as well. I'm hoping at least the teachers milking the system will at least be over.

Anonymous said...


8:32pm
We aren't milking the system. We are trying to live and be safe. Direct your frustration to your wonderful union. You should be remote with us. We are the only major school district to open. Why?? Because Mulgrew is not an effective leader, has no balls and is open to bribes.

Anonymous said...

Teachers are milking it. Then, when a teacher complains about having to go in, he gets a jackass saying "why don't you just get an accommodation like me?"

Anonymous said...

But the vaccine protects you. No more reason to stay home. Why would some get accommodations and others dont?

Anonymous said...

Nope, they will have you sign a waiver saying you have been given the chance to get a vaccine but don't want to take it, therefore you can not hold the doe liable if you get covid, and if you do get covid, you have to use your own sick days or take a medical leave.

Pretty simple

Anonymous said...

9:54 Yeah and I'm sure all the remote teachers don't go to family gatherings, parties, go out to dinner and take packed planes for trips. I'd be okay with them being remote if they were truly scared about getting Covid. A lot of them are hypocrites.

raider said...

Remote is here to stay. Profession going down a river of shit. Kids know things will be easier remote. No accountability. All year to turn in work.

Anonymous said...

All these pricks who keep bitching about some teachers being remote. These jackasses are missing the point. It’s not the remote teachers fault and many do not milk anything. Be mad at Mulgrew for not fighting for all teachers to be remote. Stick together with all your colleagues, stop being a jealous bitch. As for vaccine, some would rather just avoid potential dangerous situations than to only rely on a vaccine.

Anonymous said...

Half of the teachers at my school who have accommodations are admittedly milking it. They have made it public knowledge that they are milking it. Some have the nerve to post pictures on social media.

We have been using the 3 foot rule since last week and my school is not elementary.

Anonymous said...

Here is how I see milking the doe. We all do it in some way, shape or form.

I like going in, but won’t fault anyone who is remote even if they do not have a real medical excuse. Is what it is. I still get paid.

We all pass kids who have no business passing. Why? So admins don’t break our chops.

We take a day here or there and leave bogus sun plans that we never check. Why? To not get on the bad list of admins.

Every single one of us in the doe is playing some sort of a game of survival.

Why deny this fact? We all do it.

When I was 24, I fought every battle. I kept detailed grade books and went nuts when kids would not take a hat off or brought an egg sandwich and an Arizona iced tea they would eat first period.

What did this constant tension I created get me? Bad health, mental exhaustion and I was viewed as having a bad attitude.

Now, in my 40’s, I’m carefree. Kids come in late? No biggie? You have work from October? Great! I appreciate the effort. Admin asks how a kid is doing. Oh, they are trying. I know there is a lot going on.

You play the game. Am I proud of what I have become? Eh, sometimes it bothers me, but then I get my workout in at 4 pm every day and forget the doe exists for an hour and I sleep like a baby.

So, Lee milking the system to everyone who does(which is most of us).

Anonymous said...

Remote teachers with accomodations are frauding the system for sure

Anonymous said...

1128,

Going down a river? This profession is at the bottom of the river with no chance of revival. Remember, hard work and the doe don’t mix. The more effort you put in, the more abuse you get. Simple math.

Anonymous said...

Looks like deBlasio is not going to authorize the ERI, at least according to Bob Hennelly who writes for the Chief. The Mayor says lack of succession planning as his reason. All of this after he publicly supported the ERI all these months and at the State budget hearings in February he has the nerve to throw this bomb.

James Eterno said...

Where is a link 8:19?

Charlie said...

At some point the DOE will need to make kids apply for remote accommodations if they or someone in their household is at increased risk due to comorbidities. Otherwise some high school kids will never go back and teachers will be held accountable for poor parenting.

James I'm sure your parenting has something to do with your kids being successful remotely. Many kids don't have that luxury.

Teachers responsible for both in person and remote at the same time is not sustainable and it's difficult for small schools to have dedicated in person/remote teachers. If the DOE wants to enable some kids to do nothing then they should offer a centrally organized remote school and let the rest of the schools be 100% in person.

Anonymous said...

Cuomo did not sign the budget yet. Would it be too soon for DeBlasio to respond?

Anonymous said...

Morons here as usual miss the big picture so they can call each other names.
Do you morons (just getting into spirit of thread) understand what happened yesterday? The majority of the DA opposed Mulgrew on a major endorsement? That does not ever hapen. Maybe Unity is feuding on the inside. You want change. There might be something here.

Anonymous said...

It was electronic voting at yesterday's DA that opened the door for delegates to vote their conscience and reject the latest endorsement reso brought by leadership. The secret ballot instead of peer pressure from in person voting is a game changer for a stronger democratic union.

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew and friends will be putting an end to electronic voting, pronto. ‘ As our UFT staff goes back to in person staffing here at 52 Broadway and life goes back to normal, there is no reason for electronic voting. Thank you all for your patience while we all tolerated this inconvenience.’

Anonymous said...

How will Mulgrew change the process to depress democracy?

Anonymous said...

Can anyone endorse Principal Dwarka for most ineffective ratings and highest staff turnover as principal?

jeff said...

If you think the vote yesterday means anything...LOL. I won't list all the fut shortcomings again. the opt outers have valid reason. Now, the proof will come during the 2022 election, when Mulgrew gets 85% again. The what? Should we band together?

Anonymous said...

Bob Hennelly
@stucknation
.@TheChiefLeader @stucknation reports: @NYCMayor throws cold water on prospects of early retirement for older #covid weary civil servants. Lack of 'succession planning' over decades a factor. @DistCouncil37 @Local983 @CWA1180 @JParrott10007 @MaraGay @brigidbergin @MarkTreyger718

https://muckrack.com/stucknation

Anonymous said...

i always thought my school had the highest turnover rate. is there a way to actually look that up?

Not will to die yet said...

Typical diBlasio !
What could you expect from a person who is this mayor of NYC and is a Boston Res Sox fan.
LoL

Unknown said...

Not only does Principal Dwarka have the highest teacher turn over rate in Queens high schools (and probably all of city high schools) she has the the worst ratings. Not 1 teacher receives a rating of "highly effective" in any category.
It is not physically possible to have only 3 "highly effective" teachers with such a large teaching staff.
=highest turn over
=worst ratings
how can is thus physically possible to occur year after year? When all the teachers leave? (and when they do magically their observations improve at every other school!!!)
WHERE IS THE DOE ON THIS? WHERE IS THE DEMOCRACY?
WHOSE GOING TO FOIL THIS INFORMATION?
HOW MANY MORE LAWSUITS DOES THE DOE HAVE TO PAY OUT FOR DWARKA????

Anonymous said...

this really does sound like the situation at my school as well.

Shelley said...

There was a Manx fellow, or maybe he was Irish, name of Man, as in Isle of Man or Manx, and he kept a good book on bosses, and he knew the contract almost as well as I do, not quite chapter and verse, and he kept an account on bad bosses. Whatever happened to him and his reports?

Anonymous said...

Highest turnover has to be the Brooklyn Institute of liberal arts.

Anonymous said...

Don't go to the Dwarka side of the force!

Anonymous said...

12:50: One of the problems at schools like yours is the teachers themselves who keep inflating grades to please the administration. If she is just going to give out ineffectives anyway, just fail all the kids who deserve to fail. You're just making her look good by passing all the kids resulting in high grade promotions and a high graduation rate. When the graduation rate goes down she will start realizing she needs to shape up.

Anonymous said...

I'll tell you this, NOT ONE 'regular' teacher I have spoken with lately likes the job. The D75 system is packing on more and more onerous paperwork requirements. Cluster teachers are a little less miserable, but they see what's happening to their colleagues and walk around with the realization that the regular teachers have a mark on them and want their job. Did you complete implicit bias, noooo, you're on that list, the Trauma Training.

Do you wanna know about IEPS?

The "subcommittee of special education" is the teacher. The teacher creates the IEP, holds the meeting, arranges for the related services to attend and begs them to fill in their PLOP, then we finalize the IEP.

All sounds easy, except they require us to send an invitation to the student. That invitation needs to be signed and then uploaded to SESIS. The parent gets the invite, the agency waiver/invite, the 3 notices to the parent (in addition to the invite all logged in SESIS. Don't forget to upload the NYSAA LETTER (signed) to SESIS. How about a student with seizures, one that needs a tylenol for a headache every once in a while. Get ready for the MAF process where you send out, track, call, harass the parent to get to the MD to get the permission to offer this nursing care. Remember, if and when you get the MAF signed you have to contact your district nursing supervisor for approval and then the whole thing needs to be dotted and crossed in SESIS. Behavior plan, more paperwork. Seizure plan, more paperwork.

How many hours of cutting and pasting from your guiding questions and sandi will it take you to create the PLOP? Don't leave any blanks. Better put in HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT where any reference to Pre-School is mentioned. Better do it, don't want that call from the administration. Your school doesn't want any issues with these LEGAL DOCUMENTS. You know it's a legal document teacher, better do it right, that's a legal document. Can't grieve the paperwork because it's a legal document.

Students need testing accommodation for alternate assessment. Funny, the test is given to the student 1:1. There is NO time limit, but you better create the accommodations and not forget to refer to them and obviously explain why they need it, or you shouldn't include it. *ya don't as just explained* Don't put in accommodation, wait for the phone call or email from admin. Better put it in there as insurance you don't get that call.

Fill out your IEP meeting form, use your phone to take a scan of it and send it to your admin. Print out digitally and open in paint the recom. services page. Now write draft on it-not in yellow, never in yellow, yellow is only for submarines. Get in your email and attach the half dozen forms and encrypt them and send them off to mom and dad. Don't forget to encrypt. Did you get permission to send documents to the parent in email, did you upload the email to SESIS? Better check.

Now you get to finalize the IEP! Joy. Did the related service fill in their section, check again. Not yet, it's your fault regardless, but check again tomorrow. Email from SESIS to admin, grumbles, you're out of compliance, get on it teach.

Days, weeks later, harassing related service, good to go, finalize. Now you have to fill out the translation form for the parent. Easy enough, just takes 15 minutes, what's that after this ordeal?

This isn't half of the IEP process. When do you even hold the meeting? When- there's no time. You aren't supposed to do it during lunch or are you expected to? Did you get the translator on the call, how many times did it take for them to join your meeting. Can the parent figure out to use MEETS, ZOOM, TEAMS? 20 minutes later, everyone is in, meeting time. Your lunch is almost over NOOOO. Better move it.

continued

Anonymous said...

IEP is done, did everything go out. What about the prior written notice? Is it right, did you remember to encrypt, attach those SANDI scores, critical. OMG, almost forgot to update the PADs and the 408, they get you every time. Make sure you email your para(s) and have them fill in the 408s.

Want to get a D75 teacher started, ask them how the progress monitoring is going.

I get it, make the job so miserable everyone quits. Then what? How many of you would let your kids study education? Right, none. TFA might bring some teachers, but not when you can get a real job that pays 2x 5x as much right out of college.


Remember, the MAF, better have been done before all of this or you get to have another entire IEP meeting. It starts with those invitations...remember, parent, student, agency, and the the notice...

5 students more, 7, students more,11 students more to go. Aren't you proud to be a teacher. Weren't you hired to teach? When do you teach? What do you teach?

This is what the union should be talking about. When will the working conditions come up, when will the UFT represent the teachers?


More IEPS... 5 left, 7? 8? better get going, you know your school doesn't permit IEPS in June. Remember, no yellow, no June, encrypt!

Anonymous said...

Once I saw a teacher, parent and child have an IEP meeting in the men's lounge. Needless to say I still went into the bathroom. What they heard I don't know but it wasn't my problem.

Anonymous said...

Lol iep teach got me rolling. People literally have no idea what the average workload is for a teacher and the unrealistic expectations and resources. Good stuff!

Anon2323 said...

@jeff 85% EASYILY! especially with retirees involved.

@7:23 😂😂😂. Its Game OF DOE AND THE doe season finale is 100 times worse than game of thrones.

@7:51 why would you think all teachers need to get the vaccine? If you get the vaccine why are you so scared?

@Charlie 1000% James is a great dad and his daughter can function and learn. Come to the south bronx and see what happens with parents who haven't graduated themselves no emphasis on education, no internet etc etc. Not much learning with so much effort from teachers.

Anonymous said...

I think that anger over the current UFT mayoral endorsement forums was a contributing factor to the rejection of Unity's endorsement reso at yesterday's DA.

First you had Unity Guy Pecararro throw a wrench into the works by feeling compelled to speak against the reso (ironically because of an anti-democratic, arbitrary Unity rule about amending resos, or unbundling endorsements, or something).

Then, the other speaker was also against the reso, and both he and Pecarraro were well spoken and clear. That presented a very negative overall picture before the vote.

Add to that, that there is an institutional memory of similar DA objections to Unity endorsements in the past, often made very eloquently by Jonathan Halabi.

Then there is the burn factor: The fact that the UFT's mayoral endorsements are the kiss of death. (By the way, do you remember that Bill Thompson's education advisor, and probable choice for Chancellor was Meryl Tisch? Yes, Meryl fucking Tisch! And UFT endorsed him!)

Then there is the pandemic era anonymous digital voting that lets Unity members have some cover to vote their conscience.

And the cherry on top was the mayoral forum charade where Yang - because of "viability" - was invited at the expense of other more progressive, more pro-labor candidates; as though all the forums (crappy as they were) leading up to the "Final 4-um" meant nothing. All that mattered was public polling. That pissed off more people than Mulgrew realized.

Add it all up and you've got an endorsement smackdown and a very shaken Unity leadership.

Anonymous said...

Report her to Interim Acting General Counsel Judy Nathan at DOE and to Deputy Commissioner for Legal Affairs Daniel Morton-Bentley at NYSED.

Anonymous said...

More taxpayer money spent on Principal who gives worst unfounded teacher evaluations in Queens high schools
https://www.pacermonitor.com/case/26444829/Cho_v_New_York_City_Department_of_Education_et_al?showRecaptcha=true

Anonymous said...

I have yet to hear an explanation as to how it’s milking the system if teachers are doing what their bosses want them to do. We are giving the children of nyc exactly what those in authority in nyc want us to give. They want us to give chance after chance, pass them if they say they’re trying and accept every excuse students give. This is DOE policy. I’m not milking anything. I’m doing the job I was hired to do. When the requirements change, I will change my practice. Until then, if you disagree with my job performance take it up with all the woke nyc politicians. They set the terms. It’s not my job to override their decisions. It’s my job to teach what they want me to teach and to assess student work and effort based on guidelines established by the DOE. That’s what I am paid to do. Haven’t heard parents complaining about any of it so all must be well.

Anonymous said...

My point about milking the system was that there is so much talk of how schools are safe yet remote teachers insist they aren't but they engage in reckless behavior. They are not truly worried about getting Covid. They just want to sleep late, not commute and not use gas money. Either you are worried or your not. Don't be hypocrites.

James Eterno said...

You are generalizing and painting with a very broad brush, 9:46. My wife was up early and teaching period 1 remotely. My kids have been on Meets since 8:30. It is like this each day.

We aren't engaging in reckless behavior.

Anonymous said...

I didn't say all teachers, but some definitely are. Two teachers in my school who are remote took planes across the US to visit family during Spring break. I refuse to believe these teachers are fearful of catching Covid. I know some truly are scared and don't engage in reckless behavior. I was criticizing those who are and many on this blog agree with me.

Anonymous said...

Two interesting articles in the Chief Leader about the early retirement incentive(ERI). The Mayor has some explaining to do regarding his back tracking on this matter. He forgot that for 6+ months he enlisted the support of two Brooklyn legislators, powerful unions and the City Council to get the ERI approved in the State budget. Now he acts as if he had no previous knowledge of the ERI and that his team was not involved in the negotiations. For one, the Bill has very specific opening and closing timeframes. Those dates were not pulled out of the sky. Someone agreed to them. Maybe the Mayor?