REPORT FROM OUTSIDE DA

I tried to do this from the Blackberry before but all that printed was the title.

Now that I am home from a super long day, here is the DA Report for the first Delegate Assembly of the year. Thanks to my friend Ellen for filling me in on the opening.

President Michael Mulgrew started out by talking about teacher bashing, the Waiting for Superman movie and more teacher bashing from NBC's week of blaming us for the problems of society.

He then told us how Chancellor will release teacher data reports. UFT had emergency resolution opposing it and saying we will take all actions to stop the release of these reports.

Mulgrew then made an election pitch and an appeal to do the phone banks. He followed up by telliing us there is no new evaluation plan in place as of now for teachers. New law was passed but it won't be implemented until we have negotiated a new contract. DOE is spinning test scores at CEC meetings. UFT is countering it with the truth. Nothing new on contract.

Mulgrew then said there is good news for daycare providers. He told us how the daycare workers now have healthcare benefits and they also have stronger protections with an executive order Governor Patterson signed. Mulgrew concluded by saying he would present delegates with Superman t-shirts.

Staff director gave some dates of meetings and thanked people for going to DC.

The Question Period followed.

Question on persistently low achieving schools was answered by Mulgrew saying that we have to change federal no child left behind law. Question on bullying. Mulgrew stated that UFT called DOE on conflict resolution and felt DOE doesn't care about this as it has nothing to do with testing and progress reports. Politicians want to push DOE to work on this issue.

Question about teacher who committed suicide after data reports in LA. Delegate wants bullying of teachers to stop . Mulgrew responded that we will reinstate Principals in Need of Improvement program.

UFT City Council endorsement for Nicole Paultrie Bell for city council then passed with no opposition.

Delegate Marjorie Stamberg then introduced a motion to get full disclosure of report on Rikers Island. Report had so much erased because it probably said that Rikers schools should not be closed. The schools have been broken up by DOE and many teachers and other UFT members have been sent to Absent Teacher Reserve pool. UFT will make a Freedom of Information Law request to get full report that probably was favorable to schools. Resolution passed unanimously from where I was sitting.Time ran out at this point so we didn't vote on anything else including a school closing resolution that was laughable.

More on this later.